“Vice
is nice but incest is best” could have been Caligula's motto; now
it appears to be Cecelia's., thanks to her mother, the Agrippinilla
of our tale. One can only imagine what her parents had been like for
her to push her own daughter into something as perverse as this.
Caligula and Nero would be proud of her.
Chapter
Thirty-Six: Gerardo or Your Family
Regina
looked inside Cecelia's home and from the door saw Emiliano in only
his briefs. She ordered him to get dressed immediately because she
was bringing him home. He refused. She told him to get dressed so
she could speak with Cecelia. He backsassed her by saying that
things were fine until she showed up. Cecelia demanded to know what
this was about and told her she would not be threatened in her own
home. Emiliano said they were busy. Regina got tough with Emiliano
and ordered him to get dressed so she could talk with Cecelia. He
insisted that they talk in front of him. Cecelia sent him back to
the bedroom so she could talk with Regina. After she smirked at
Regina in a Mean Girl manner.
“Before
you reproach me, he's in love with me and he called me a little while
ago. He was very desperate. He came to me and I take good care of
him.”
“How
long have you been fucking my son? Alonso knows about this.”
Cecelia turned around in shock to face her.
Neither
woman knew that Alonso was just outside in his car and telling Hector
to find out what was going on. He had no intention of being
discovered by either his wife or his former paramour.
“Don't
interfere with my private life,” Cecelia said. “Besides your son
came here for me to help him. He wouldn't be in this situation if
you would listen to him.”
“So
I should be grateful that you are fucking a boy who could be your
son? Besides that he's also your boss's son. Why are you doing
this?”
“Because
he's lost. He's sad. I understand him. Regina, your son is at the
point of losing control of his life.” She looked like she wanted
to smile.
“What
is this? Your justification for your immorality? Your abuse?
Emiliano is a confused youth. And immature. You should have a little prudence.”
“That's
why he called me. He came to me for help when you are too wrapped up
in your own problems to take your proper place with him.”
“I
don't understand you. I don't know what your game is. I don't
understand why you're getting involved in all this.”
“I
truly say don't pressure Emiliano because you'll only make it worse.”
“I
do not need your advice. I will talk to my son.”
“You
can't if he won't go with you,” she said with the same supercilious
expression.
“Emiliano!”
Regina called. “Talk to him.” After shouting his name for the
third time she went up the stairss.
Gerardo
arrived home to find Ximena sitting on the floor. She started crying
as he embraced her. It was the same old song in a worse key,
complaining that everything has gone wrong because he was with
Regina. She went on about being abandoned. Gerardo tried to comfort
her and tell her that his relationship with Regina had nothing to do
with her. However, she did not accept this.
Loreta
went to see Mario about confronting Omar about Lorena. Mario told
him he would need a favor in return and that Omar wanted to see
Lorena dead and buried. He would see what the possibilities were but
he would have to go home and wait. Mario then called for his men to
escort him out. Lorena's life would depend on Loreta's decision.
Teresa
was at the roulette table again. She looked either bored or sick.
Emiliano
still refused to leave with Regina. She reminded him he had school
the next day. Cecelia told him to, mostly because she did not want
more arguments that evening. She sarcastically thanked Regina for
her visit. Regina kept an eye on her until they left. She told
Emiliano not to complicate things. As they went out the door she sat
on the steps and took a deep breath. She clenched her fists briefly,
probably thinking of her usual medicine for this sort of thing.
Nayeli
made a drug deal and rushed back to Chivo's car. He told her to be
careful if she wanted to work with him.
Natalia
was upset at virtually being a prisoner in the house. She cried.
José comforted her and they kisssed. Natalia had second thoughts
about this. José told her he was in love with her and suggested
they leave. He kissed her hand as Alonso arrived. She noticed just
in time to avoid the possibility of Alonso seeing what had been
brewing for a while. Natalia managed to handle Alonso's curiousity
calmly enough for the moment.
Ximena
begged Gerardo to give Teresa one more chance. He told her this was
not possible because she can't control herself and they could not
control her. Ximena told him that Teresa was working for Mario,
which got his attention.
The
following morning Jose asked about what happened with Alonso.
Natalia told him it was not important, then asked him to get her out
of there.
“I
want to be with you all day,” she said. They kissed.
Emiliano
told his father that he had been expelled from school. Alonso wasn't
quite ready to buy this and asked where he had been the day before.
He said he was being questioned. He did not want to return to
school, saying he wanted to go and work for him. Alonso walked away,
saying nothing, but not pleased. Regina was on her way out and there
was a mild confrontation. She reminded him that Cecelia was old
enough to be his mother. This did not faze him. However, he went on
about her reactions.
“You
don't want me to be with Cecelia, you don't want me to be with
Ximena. Would you rather I be with Hugo?” He started walking
away.
“Where
are you going?”
“To
listen to music.”
“What
about school?”
“Talk
to Dad.”
“What
do you mean?”
Marcia
woke up in time to see Omar fully dressed and about to leave. He was
not interested in talking to her. In fact, he didn't even stop to
apply his perverted touch before leaving and closing the door behind
him.
Ximena
took a phone call from the hospital, then told her father that Teresa
was in the hospital. She had passed out again at the casino the
night before. She had not told him of the previous time “because
you were busy.” He finally told her to go to school and he would
take care of this situation.
Alonso
paid a visit to the principal of Emiliano's school. She correctly
concluded that this was about his expulsion, assuming that he
intended to donate money to readmit his son.
Cecelia
was leaving for work. She wore a white blouse and skirt, but the
blouse was designed to be open in the back and she wore it over a
black brassiere. Whether that was to ignite Alonso's desire or due
to her own background it was impossible to say. She got an
unpleasant surprise when she opened the door to find Regina, who had
not yet rung the bell.
“You
again?”
“Yes,
again. This time we can speak calmly.”
“No,
I can't. I'm on my way to work.”
“You
can call Alonso or Mauro to say you'll be a little late.”
Cecelia
made a petulant sigh of annoyance.
“What
more do you want to know?”
“What
do you want with Emiliano? Do you want to manipulate Alonso?
Manipulate me? What do you want?”
“Do
you want the truth? I warn you it's going to hurt.”
Lorena
woke up on a bed in the middle of what looked like a storeroom.
Mario walked in with a plain white-bread sandwich and a glass of
orange juice, which he placed on a table. She asked who he was. He
did not answer, but told her that she was in a bad spot and that
Lareta was desperate to save her. He was going to use her just as
she used Omar and Lareta. He caressed her face while saying that it
was a shame she had made such powerful enemies. He rose to leave.
“What
are you going to do to me?”
“That
depends. I'm waiting for a call from Lareta. If he does as I ask,
you're free. If not, you know what I'm going to do.”
She
probably never ate the sandwich.
Gerardo
escorted Teresa out of the hospital. She looked as though nothing
had been wrong in the first place. He demanded an explanation about
her association with Mario.
“Emiliano
was the only recourse I had to avoid your husband's advances.”
“Are
you using my son?”
“You
think I want anything with your husband?”
“You
are disgusting. You are... words fail me, Cecelia. You have no
limits.”
“It's
your husband who has no limits.”
“I
don't want you near my son. And more, I never want to see you again.
Do you understand?”
“I'm
sorry, but I won't leave Emiliano. I will not stop seeing him
because that would suit you. I can control him. Because neither you
nor your husband can control him.”
“At
first I thought you were fucking my father. Later I thought you were
doing so with my husband. It turns out you're fucking my son. You
can fool around with as many men as you like but you can't mess with
a mother's love.”
Mauro
looked through some files at his desk when Magda came in with a
tablet on which she showed him the first campaign commercial for
Alonso. The poor boy they had taken from the slums talked about how
Alonso is helping his father and cares about people. He approved and
told her to contact the others. When he mentioned Ceceila and
Emiliano she tried to get him to stop. He then needed to contact
Omar.
Israel
and his daughter-in-law talked about the expensive coat she had
stolen. She was concerned – but only for a moment – that her
friend could get into trouble over it being missing. Israel told her
not to worry. He would sell anything she would steal and soon “We
can live as we deserve to.” She asked sarcastically if he thought
he was winning the lottery.
Regina
confided the recent events to Daniela as she tried repeatedly to get
her father on the phone. He had arranged for Cecelia to work for
Alonso and needed to know about this; in fact, she was sure he knew.
She was sure Cecelia was manipulating Emiliano and that this was not
leading anywhere good. She was almost sure that Alonso knew. She
stepped out of the room and almost began to cry. Daniela changed the
subject, telling her she would have to address the worker and she
would have to do it alone because Gerardo wasn't in the office.
Mauro
held a meeting at which he was being told that Alonso wasn't making
good on his campaign promises. These pirates of industry were
demanding compensation of some kind. Mauro somehow managed to keep a
cool head.
Omar
talked with the owner of the café in which Marcia worked. He wanted
everything the man knew about her. He repeated that word at him.
Mario
met Ignacio, who wanted to know whether he had learned anything about
Nayeli. He was desperate to find her, trying to do the father to
father appeal. Mario told him that his people were working on it.
They were interrupted by one of Mario's goons.
Emiliano
thanked Alonso over the phone as he met with two of his classmates.
He told them there would be a party at his place and there would be
girls. Professional ones.
Natalia
and Jose arrived at a secluded house, likely one that had belonged to
her family. It would now be their love nest.
Ximena
was at home when Gerardo walked in with Teresa, who immediately
attacked Ximena, calling her a traitor. Gerardo jumped in and
restrained her as Ximena got out of her grasp. She fought him and he
told her to calm down. She tried to attack Ximena again but Gerardo
told his daughter to go back downstairs while he spoke to her mother.
When she complied he questioned Teresa about Mario.
“I
want to know what you've been doing with Mario. And I want the truth
because I will find out.”
“I
work in a real estate office.”
“And
spend the whole day in the casino?”
“Yes.
Just investigate me.”
“Go
and get your things. I want you to go back to your house. Get your
things.”
“No.”
“Go
and get your things.”
She
tried to pull a little-girl pout manipulation on him, but it was
completely ineffective. She finally went into the next room.
Regina
met with constituents to explain the financial difficulty and that
Alonso would be fighting her. They told her that they stood behind
her. Mario entered without knocking, telling her that he was
responding to her messages. One of the others suggested that perhaps
he could help. Mario pretended that it would please him to do so.
They then shook hands with both Regina and Mario, who must have been
laughing to himself at that moment, and left.
“Tell
me the truth. Do you expect me to help with your campaign?” he
asked.
“If
you want to help me, get Cecelia out of Emiliano's life. You know
she's been boinking him.”
Mario
was caught off-guard, but it barely showed.
“Cecelia
with Emiliano? That can't be.”
“Of
course it can. You know.”
“I
swear I don't know anything.”
“You
arranged for her to work with Alonso.”
“But
Cecelia with Emiliano... it's impossible.”
“How
is that impossible? Why?”
“Because
she is a serious woman and there is the age difference –”
“You
can't talk to me about age differences or those other things. I saw
them. And you know what she said when I confronted them? That she
preferred him to my husband. Get her out of my son's life. Now,
Father.”
Mario
was truly at a loss.
Gerardo
forcibly escorted Teresa and her suitcase to the curb and hailed a
cab. He put her in the back seat and gave the address to the driver.
She ranted at him that she couldn't believe he was doing this to her
and that he would regret it. As the cab pulled away he called Ximena
but got her voice mail. He left a message for her to call him as
soon as she got the message to let him know where she was.
She
was walking down another street leaving a desperate voice mail for
Emiliano to call her as soon as he heard the message.
The
café owner reported to Omar that Marcia was from a provincial town,
a good and reliable worker, and that was all he had. He asked
whether Omar had a problem with her and he said he did not. He only
wanted to confirm that she was trustworthy. The café owner excused
himself and went back to work. Omar actually looked disappointed but
that could just as easily have been because Lareta arrived. Omar
told him to sit down. Lareta did, but told him that he was tired of
being treated like a servant. He left. Omar made a call, then saw
the new campaign ad on a TV monitor.
At
the same moment Alonso and Cecelia were watching the ad in his
office. She had been telling him about the encounter with Regina,
and that “I told Regina I was using Emiliano to control you.”
“She
was furious, wasn't she?” he laughed.
“Well,
yes. Yes. I've got to tell you something, Alonso, your wife is very
dangerous.”
“What
could she have that makes her dangerous?” he laughed.
“She
has something you don't have. Morals.”
“Morals?
She has morals? Well, yes. In politics. And in politics it's a
weakness. That shows how vulnerable she is and how powerful I am.”
He
was more smug than he had any right to be and she knew it.
Hector
went up to Emiliano's room at his summons.
“I
want you to hire three strippers,” the boy said.
Hector
had not expected anything like this. Emiliano told him he was giving
a party for his friends. His grandmother was out, his father
wouldn't give him any trouble “because you're was not to tell
anyone.” Hector did not reply. Emiliano began cracking the verbal
whip and Hector left the room.
Cecelia
stopped by to visit Isela before going home after work. She told her
about Regina catching her almost in the act with Emiliano. Isela
could not have been more pleased. Cecelia became worried about what
Mario might do. Isela said that Mario would not be able to do
anything. She told Cecelia she should just concentrate on managing
Alonso and Emiliano. “Only you can control Alonso.”
Mauro
told Alonso they were on the brink of an economic crisis. Alonso
didn't want to believe it. He said he was obliged to listen to him
but not do as he said. Omar came in without knocking and Alonso
assumed that he was there to reproach him for the way he treated
Marcia. However, he was wrong. He wanted Lareta “to have an
accident. He threatened me. I want him to die.” He was willing
to give up Marcia in exchange.
Noemi
lay in her bed while Mexico's version of Nurse Ratched sat in her
room reading a magazine while she watched over her. Someone knocked
on the door. Noemi told her to see who it was. She opened the door
and Cecelia entered, not waiting to be invited.
“What
are you doing here?” Noemi asked.
Gerardo
walked into Regina's office without knocking and grabbed Mario by the
lapels. He demanded to know what Mario was up to with Teresa.
Regina and Daniela separated them. She demanded that her father
explain this, but Mario said “Whom will you choose, your family or
this animal?”
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