Caray, Caray!

• Milena left the poison pill envelope with the maid and walked away. Note that she didn't tell the maid to give it to Isabel personally, sure in the knowledge that Isabel would freak out.
  
  
• The maid, thinking that this was something innocuous, left the envelope on a table in the garden. Luis and Federico speculated on what it was. Video game or a movie? They opened it and Federico speculated that it was a movie. They left the garden.
• Leticia and Elena bitched about what could be going on between Ricardo and Alejandra. Elena further bitched about How-Dare-He-Be-Happy-With-Her-While-I-Am-Suffering-A-Blow-To- My-Ego. She decided to address this but Leticia grabbed her by the hand and told her that it would not do to let him see that she was jealous. She was not to burden him with her jealousy and tears.
• Gustavo talked about what a wonderful and happy child Luis is. Olivia talked about wanting to have a large family. Alejandra said she didn't want that many but would like to have a family because she loved children. Gustavo complimented their personalities and said that their children would be lucky to have them as mothers. Ricardo's facial expression expressed his agreement... and his hopes, we're sure.
• The two boys went upstairs to Luis' room where he displayed his collection of video games.
• Elena went on about How-Dare-He-Show-Up-With-Another-Woman-In-Front-Of-My-
  Children and How-Dare-He-Not-Respect-Me. [How therefore dare she not respect him by cheating on him?] Leticia agreed. She asked what Elena was going to do. Elena said she wasn't going to do anything but remind him that she was there.
• Ricardo talked about his boyhood sports activities, like playing American football and coming home all muddy. He asked Alejandra what she had been like and she replied she was the same. Her parents would come looking for her and find her messy but happy. That was when Elena decided to crash the conversation. Typical hypocritical greeting kiss and asking the two single ladies whether they had children and when they said no she asked why they were there. Alejandra answered that Gustavo had invited them.
  “For him?” Elena asked, seeming to indicate Ricardo.
  Alejandra replied “Not just for him; he invited all the lawyers at the firm.” [Like Elena wouldn't have known this after being married to Ricardo all that time?] Elena then looked around and asked whether they saw Federico. Ricardo had seen him with Luis but then noticed that he wasn't in sight. He looked up to see that Luis had returned. The boy told Ricardo that Federico was up in his room looking at a movie. Elena kissed Luis and asked if he liked his present. He said yes and bumped fists with Ricardo before running off. That gave Elena the opening she wanted for You-Have-to-Help-Me-Because-My-Son-Has-No-Social-Skills, claiming that Federico was always watching TV and playing with video games. [I'm sure she was also hoping that he was looking at her double necklace right within the plunging neckline.] He said he would do so later and she insisted that it be Now. Isabel appeared with cake in hand as Ricardo went off to find Federico.
• Who was in Luis' room putting the disc in the DVD player. The player was just beginning its spin when Isabel appeared at the door to get Federico, saying his mother was looking for him. He protested that he didn't want to play or deal with his mother, but allowed Isabel to lead him out of the room. Reluctantly he agreed to go back to the party and went downstairs, telling Isabel that the DVD player was still running.
  She walked back into her son's room just in time to see her husband's porno film begin. She immediately began crying.
• Ricardo arrived downstairs in the wine bar that faced the garden [Don't you all love this house?] and met Federico, telling him he should go outside to play with the other kids. Federico agreed and exchanged a hug with Ricardo. It was obvious that he loved Ricardo and knew that he wanted good for him. He then went outside, running toward the other kids. Elena approached him in Scolding Mode, stopping him from joining the other kids.
  “My dad said to come our here and play,” he said.
  “I brought you here so we could get along, right? I brought you here to play with your friends, not for you to be alone watching television and it's Luis' birthday.”
  “My father just told me that and to come outside and play,” he said.
  “Don't raise your voice at me, child” she said, seeing that the other boys were all gathered in a group behind him. “And wipe that look off your face. If you don't want to play here get your things and we're leaving now.”
  “Yes, I want to stay,” he said. “Stop nagging me in front of my friends.”
  “I'm not nagging you. Go on and play.” Federico went off with the other children while Elena could only huff and puff because she couldn't blow this situation apart as usual.
• Isabel came down to the bar crying. Ricardo asked what was wrong. She was almost incoherent when trying to say she couldn't believe this and finally took his hand to lead him to the source of her anguish.
• Juan was trying to get some work done on his laptop. Susanna was hoping to get him to eat but he needed to get something done. He suddenly had trouble closing windows or calling up a file and bagan panicking. Susanna picked up the phone to call her friend Gloria whose daughter (Fernanda) knew all about these things.
• Ricardo saw more of his colleague than he ever asked for and was incredulous. Isabel wondered whether Gustavo had cheated on her through all ten years of their marriage. Ricardo told her she needed to talk to him. She refused at first. He told her he would handle this. She asked if he would take Luis for the night so he would not hear the guaranteed argument. He agreed. She thanked him and sat down on her son's bed as Ricardo left the room.
• Fernanda arrived at the Lopez house; she's kind of cute but not particularly glamourous. She asked him to leave her to work alone and he went to his room. Susanna sat down next to her for a moment and they exchanged a look. Susanna asked if she'd like a glass of water or something and she politely declined. [Did anyone else spot this as a Maternal Matchmaking Attempt?]
• Ricardo told Gustavo he had to talk to him for a minute. Gustavo asked the ladies to watch the kids as he walked away with Ricardo. Both Alejandra and Olivia sensed that something was not quite right. As the two men went inside we were treated to the non-treat of Benjamín filling a plate with cupcakes and other non-nutritional things while flirting with Leticia and telling her how boring he found this whole thing. She told him she only came to observe him with his wife. She also wanted to meet his wife to get to know her but would only be around for a little while. She then mentioned that she understood Elena because nobody likes to see the man she loves with another woman. He said something about her being intelligent enough to be able to handle this situation. She looked at him as if to say Don't be too sure about that as she took a bite out of a marshmallow kabab.
  
  Karina approached and he went over to her with the plate saying “Sweets for my love but not too many; you have permission.” [If Leticia has half the brains she thinks she has she would give him his pink slip first thing next morning.]
  
• Karina said she sensed something odd was going on. Isabel was gone and Gustavo just left with Ricardo; he was also looking nervous. Leticia looked around and noticed also that the three were gone. She shrugged and said she knew nothing. Benjamín then suggested that they leave. They began calling their son. His name is also Benjamín. [In view of the paternal ego, that is no surprise.] Benjamín exchanged a look with Leticia.
• Back at the Lopez house Fernanda got the computer up and running again. She had installed a new operating system and the latest versions of his programs. He asked what he owed her and she told him he didn't owe her anything; she liked helping people. She took her leave and Juan sat down to get his work done. He seems completely clueless that she was flirting with him during that. [Por supuesto, the bedroom shenanigans at Vega & Associados will be quite an education for him when he gets there.]
  
  
  
• Gustavo looked at the TV screen in abject horror. He asked Ricardo to turn it off, then asked how it got there and whether the children saw it. Ricardo showed him the envelope and Gustavo admitted that the woman in the video had been his mistress but he had ended the relationship. [We still can't tell whether he knew the video existed.] He ended it so that Isabel wouldn't find out. He couldn't believe that Milena could do anything like this. He was one frightened man. [Good.]
• Olivia and Alejandra were in the bar wondering what had gone wrong. Luis asked them where his mother was because she was to help him give out the candy to the guests. He asked Olivia to help him with something else and they went back outside. Elena came in looking for Ricardo and Alejandra told her that he had gone inside with Gustavo; it seemed that something was up with Isabel. Elena began needling her about her fiancé Carlos being in prison. Alejandra kept her cool, saying that this was all out of her hands while Elena went on about this being in the news and how she herself wouldn't be able to leave the house. Alejandra said she was not getting bent out of shape over him; that she couldn't.
  “Of course, you found someone else to focus your attention on,” Elena said.
  “Yes, I have. My work. That's my priority now.” The look she gave Elena back said something like Bitch, I've got your number.
  “Yes, but work isn't everything,” Elena said. “Everyone has a life outside of it. For Ricardo the priority is my children.”
  “Yes, he told me. I see that this is very difficult for them. He should see them more often. Will you excuse me?”
  As Alejandra walked off with her cell phone Elena looked as though she was trying to gauge her success in this encounter.
• Gustavo was desperate to talk to Isabel. Ricardo told him to do this carefully because Isabel was very hurt. Gustavo asked Ricardo to take over at the party and not allow Luis to find out about this. He needed to talk to Isabel because the most important thing to him is his family. Ricardo told him that Isabel asked him to take Luis overnight with Federico and Gustavo agreed to this, saying he'd come to pick up his son the next day.
• As Juan marveled at how well his laptop was working Susanna worked on him about Fernanda. She went so far as to suggest he ask her out. He realized what she was up to and told her that right now he can't have distractions. She retreated, but glanced back at him.
• Ricardo came back down to the gardenside bar. When Alejandra asked what happened he said it was something between Isabel and Gustavo.
  “What kind of problem?” asked Leticia.
  “One between themselves,” he answered. He then had to stop Elena from going upstairs, saying that they had to resolve this themselves. The party was to go on as normal.
  “Poor little Luis,” said Elena, gratuitously. “He must be very uncomfortable because it's his birthday and nobody's there. Very strange.”
  “Really? As far as I can see they're playing, happy, and everything is going well with them,” said Ricardo.
  “Well, then I guess it's better that we leave,” Elena said.
  “Both Isabel and Gustavo asked me to take Luis so he can hang with Federico at my place,” Ricardo said.
  
  
  Elena deflated like a balloon leaking helium. [Notice the tuba notes in the music?] She then said “Therefore I will leave you alone so that you can do what you have to do,” as she looked at Alejandra while walking back toward the garden.
  “Elena,” said Ricardo with a warning tone.
  “Ey? I don't know what you're talking about. You're free to do what you please. I'll get the children.”
  Ricardo and Alejandra exchanged looks. Leticia looked smug.
  
• Isabel was taking Gustavo's clothes off the racks and out of drawers and began packing a suitcase. Gustavo tried apologizing to her but she was in no mood. She told him he had no shame and how can one talk calmly about anything like this. He started saying that this was a mistake. She went on about how much time did she waste on him. This house, their son, and she were not enough for him.
  
  He claimed he loved her, their family, their son, etc., and she told him he should have thought of that before bumping uglies with his slut. He wanted to explain but she didn't want to hear another word. She took down some more of his clothes and told him to get out. [Isabel should take a hot bath, have some wine, and watch “Waiting to Exhale.”]
  
• Luis, Alejandra, and Olivia distributed the candy bags to the children who all thanked them. The ladies then said they had to go. Ricardo thanked them for their help and Alejandra for helping him with Elena. She said she hoped that everything works out for Gustavo and Isabel and that she enjoyed herself. After the usual “See you at the office” stuff Ricardo kissed both ladies and Elena came back in time to see him kiss Alejandra on the cheek. Alejandra made a point of telling Elena it was a pleasure meeting her.
  “Ah, yes, and I hope everything goes well for you and your love,” Elena told her. Alejandra kissed her on the cheek (sort of) and took her leave. Ricardo looked at Elena with the same thought as Alejandra had earlier.
• Isabel had almost collapsed on the floor of Gustavo's walk-in closet. She got up as he tried to tell her that he had been with Milena for only a year and it was the dumbest thing he had ever done in his life.
  
  She called him a liar and told him that all this was too late. He said he loved her and broke up with Milena because of that. Isabel wasn't buying this. She refused to believe that he could love her and show this much disrespect. He went on about loving her, this was a mistake, and he begged her forgiveness.
  
• Ricardo took Federico aside and found out that he hadn't seen anything on the disc. Federico said he thought it might have been a birthday surprise for Luis. Ricardo then gave him the standard parental lecture about opening stuff that had someone else's name on it. Federico agreed and said his dad was right.
• Isabel told Gustavo that this was it. She had no more love or respect for him. Their marriage was over and he was to go. She had stopped crying and would have no more lies. After the nth “Get out” he did.
  
  She collapsed on Luis' bed and took a deep breath.
  
• Ricardo got on Elena's case about how she behaved toward Alejandra. She claimed she just wanted to find out if the gossip was true about her, that she was interested in him. Ricardo told Elena point blank that this was not her business and that they (as in their marriage) were so over. He was done with her gossip, her blackmail, and their fighting. Elena backed up, finally saying that if it makes him happy he should make a life with Alejandra.
  “When you have children with her you will finally forget about mine.”
  “What is wrong with you?” he asked.
  “I know you, Ricardo. I had ten years with you. Don't look at me like I'm an idiot, please. This woman pleases you. You can't judge me for being unfaithful when you took her in to work with you.” [???]
  “Enough! I will not continue to argue with you. The only ones who continue to hurt are the children.”
  “Yes, yes, yes. It's all your fault.”
  Disgusted, he walked away from her.
• Alejandra drove Olivia back to her apartment. Olivia invited her up but Alejandra said she needed to go home and rest, saying the morning had been very weird. Olivia told her that Elena was very intense but she should not worry about her. Alejandra said she was uncomfortable around her. Elena had always been jealous but they are now divorced. It is all over for Ricardo. Alejandra said that she saw that but Elena obviously doesn't want to know that. Olivia agreed. “I'm sorry for her but she has to learn that. Ricardo will never go back to her.”
• Elena walked back to her car with her children. She questioned them about their impressions of Alejandra. The described the introduction and Elena asked them whether Ricardo was going out with her. Natalia said that they were just friends. Elena then said that this could mean that Ricardo would want to spend more time with her and therefore less with them. She was planting the idea in their heads that they would suffer for this. When their smiles disappeared the told them to not look sad and to act like adults.
  
  Then she motioned them into the car and smiled smugly to herself. [Bitch]
  
• Alejandra told Paula about the party and that something odd happened between the hosts. She also talked about Elena and how she behaved. Paula said that this jealousy was normal, but Alejandra told her it made no sense since it was Elena who had been unfaithful. She had difficulty understanding how things like this happened. Paula began imparting some of her own wisdom and how she couldn't understand women who put up with infidelity and other ill treatment. She finally said that “You need to be happy in yourself” before anything else. [We can bet that Elena never was.]
• Ricardo and Luis arrived at Elena's apartment to pick up Federico. She made a fake fuss over the birthday boy and sent him to Federico so she could gaslight  Ricardo some more. She said it would be better if he left Luis there rather than taking him and Federico home with him so they wouldn't be exposed to Alejandra. That her children didn't want to see him with anyone else. When he tried explaining that they were only friends no matter what she thought she said that it didn't look that way to the children. When he said he wanted to talk to them about this she should not allow him to. She went on about how confused the children were and what work it was calming them down, and that she didn't want this getting worse.
  “I brought the children to the party for you to see them and the result was worse. Therefore, I can't let you be with them to let this happen.”
  “You're making much more of this than there is.”
  “Ricardo, we are talking about my children. Whatever happens to my children and how big it is important to me. You understand that, don't you?” She paused, waiting for a reaction. “If you are really with Alejandra it will hurt them. Leave them here and let them be calm.”
  Sadly, Ricardo only gave her a suspicious look. Then he pressed the elevator button and left when it came up for him. [Ricardo, you just disappointed us.]
• The following morning (which must be Monday) Alejandra visited Carlos in prison. He pulled the lonely lover act again and complained that every day he saw her less and less. He played on her pity, even cried.
  
  
  
• While Roberto watched from a rear seat, Victoria presented the case for custody of Rocio's children. Dario was behind bars in the defendant cell as Victoria said that the violence went on for years. That the defendant had threatened to take away the children and leave his wife in the street. She forgave him repeatedly for this because of her vulnerable position. Victoria called the couple's maid, Florencia Garrido, to testify. The maid had worked for them for ten years and testified that they were always fighting and that Señora Durán frequently had bruises and was afraid.. The husband once called his wife a woman of the streets in front of the father of the children and threatened to kill her if he ever saw her with anyone.
  
  
  
• Gustavo tried calling Isabel but it went to her voicemail. He didn't leave a message. Ricardo told him Isabel was hurt and he had to give it time. He was sure that this could be fixed because Isabel loved him. Gustavo was still delusional in wondering how this could have happened. Ricardo asked whether Milena ever threatened him. He replied that Milena didn't take the breakup well. He then said he would see her about this but Ricardo told him to calm down first because now he knows what she is capable of. Gustavo looked confused and worried.

Labels: ley

Permalink posted by Urban Anthropologist @ 11:00 PM