Caray, Caray!

Ahhh!  Mating season has finally arrived at Vega and Associates.  A bit of the long-awaited pre-rut buck rattle ensues to much of Viewerville's delight.  (Those of us who've been snoozing along have finally awoken to the real joys of telenoveladom which this tn has sorely disabused us of to this point.)

⦁ Isabel gives in to Gustavo's suggestion he can stay in the guestroom after an evening of playing video games with Luis. (Luis has definitely got game here.)

⦁ Carlos has set up his money laundering operation  ...er...foundation, putting Victoria and Alejandra as the lead officers.  "--No better hands to put this into than yours,"  he tells her as he mentally is rubbing his together.

⦁ Vicki starts the court hearing about the deadbeat dad who claims he doesn't have a job let alone a bank account.  (Really??  What does he do all day with himself then? Beg off the streets?  Wash windshields for pesitos?)



⦁ Carlos is very iffy about his other donor.  He tells Ale the majority of the foundation is coming from his personal funds and the firm, and then there's this interested third party that would like to assist.  Ale is very trusting that this is an above the board opportunity for Carlos' societal redemption.    She suggests Benjamin should probably go over the financials with for her.    He gives her a well placed and seductive kiss on the cheek when leaving.

⦁ Deadbeat's mouthpiece wants to come to an agreement.  Judge says since he defied that last court ordered child support/alimony this request is being denied/rejected.  Vicki says since the man's already proven his disdain for the law (and supposedly cannot work or get a job?) let him go to jail instead!  (Yeah, make license plates for the Mexican state.  Otherwise, stop wasting oxygen!)  Heck, he's a drag on society anyway.... Deadbeat's lawyer objects and says he's ready to find a job (till he walks out the door and skips town again.  Vicki tells the judge that too many women are subjected to this kind of situation where they have to burn the candle at both ends to provide for their children.  He's already shown his contempt in disobeying the court order.  Let him spend time in jail now!  The lawyer repeats the man is ready to look for work--(What?  He wasn't ready to before?) Just let him set out to comply and carry out the decree this one last? time.

⦁ Back in Ric's office, Gus has just gone into the situation with Luis begging Isa to let him stay last night.  It broke his heart.  Ric advises that kids are more intelligent and adapting that adults give them credit for being.......

⦁ The judge comes back to declare that Deadbeat Dad cannot be trusted not to flee again and will go to jail for 4 years.  Meanwhile, his family members will have to pay the alimony/child support so that the ex can gradually get out of debt with the bank.   This judge needs to be  brought to the U.S and cloned .   And another one bites the dust due to the clever endeavors of Vega and Associates.

⦁ Conniving Carlos stops in to chat with Benji with a proposition.  He asks if Ben has much going on right now.  He listens as Benji declares Vega doesn't have a head for expansion, then invites him to dinner.

⦁ Ale chats with Olivia and shows her the paperwork for Carlos's new foundation.  "--Yes, he does accomplish whatever he decides to do," Ale admits to Oli.  "--He's always been decisive and capable,"  But she still cannot pardon his cheating on her with that hooker the night before the wedding!  (Prima donnas aside--)  Can't she just get past that now?  Oli says it's subconsciously Ale's way of giving herself an out to date Ric now, and that she should.  Ale thinks about that.

⦁ Carlos is making the rounds today, it seems, sprinkling bits of joy to associates of Vega everywhere he spies them.  .  Carlos sees Rick the brick making his way down the hall.  A major snort-wheeze commences over Alejandra and whose apendage will be left a-hanging in the breeze.  Carlos is feigns friendship.  Rick , our stoic brick, asks him what manuer piles he's spreading today.  Carlos is taken aback.  "--I know the truth about you and Alejandra.  You two broke it off a while ago."  Carlos denies knowing anything about it.  Ric tells him to grow up and face him, man to man.  Ric says he's interested in Ale and nothing will stop him from winning her over.  Carlos agrees to take of the gloves.  He tells Ric he's wasting his time: "--She was ready to marry me; she is in love me and nothing can break that bond, ever.  It will be a fight you cannot win."

Ric smirks back that Ale does not love Carlos.  Carlos gripes that they've always "enjoyed"  ahem... competed with cases during their careers, and now Ric declares he's going to steal away the love of Carlos's life!  "-- What's your problem anyway?"   "--Nothing against you, dude.  I am just being honest with you--telling you to your face about how I feel and what I plan to do.  "--Honest?  You got close to her while I was in prison and now you say your being honest?  Puh-leeese.  You don't feel a thing for her!"  "--After what you did to her?  The  respect she deserved from you?  You outright dissed her, man!"  Carlos tells Ric he's just an opportunist of the lowest kind.  Ric defends himself.  "--Naw, I'm just warning you I am going to defend her from the likes of you. I won't waste time mincing words fighting with you. though."  Ric's not going to give up what they might have together and Carlos can take it to the bank (along with all his soap-sudsed milliones de pesos).

⦁ Ale tells Oli she'll see what gives with Ric and go with the flow. (How about going with a sophisticated chic stack in the back instead? I'd pay!)   Victorious Vicki saunters in.  Ale gives Vicki the foundation paperwork and Vicki says she'll look it over.  Ric runs in after strutting his stuff with Carlos, just in time to give Vicki and the others the bad news that Alexa refuses to give testimony or to expose herself to the further leers of her rapists and bad memories.  Vicki and Oli must come to his aid and convince his client.  He has a special wink for Ale.  She has a special smile, full of dimples, for him.

⦁ Juan, meanwhile, has called to tell Roberto that he's trying his best to get the list of calls made off Patti's phone prior to her death.  Rob and Leonardo are meeting with the manager of the hotel where the body was found.  He is not cooperating and complains about the loss of business since the murder.  Rob says it will get lots worse when they take him to court for obstruction.  They want copies of all the videos from the night in question, the lobby and the front desk--the whole en-chi-lada!!  To push the bluff further, he pretends to have the judge on the line to get a written order for them to proceed with the investigation.  The manager gives in without a second thought-- and justice takes another baby step forward.

⦁ Fer visits Susanna to tell her how upset and worried she is  that Juan is too emotionally involved with Tatiana, the pole cat dancer.  Juan's mama assures her it is only that Juan has a big heart and cares about all the people involved in his cases.  She refuses to answer Juanito's calls as she leaves.

⦁ Rob and Leo wonder what they're missing, what they're still unable to see in the way of a hard clue to two.  Neither believe that Tatiana is telling them the complete truth.  And, they're certain somebody is lying but they have no idea who it could be at this point.  So far it's all a dead end.  This guy, Pedro,  for now is and they may just have to start from square one again once they get the phone calls, the videos and the list of whoever stayed there that night.

⦁ Speaking of Tatiana, she's being followed by Stalker Dude.

⦁ Back at Vega, Ale informs Ric that Francisco's been extradited.  He calls Leo in between winks at Ale.  They start to have a heart to heart but just then Elena and the kids show up.  Exlena uses the kids missing him terrrrribly as their excuse to interrupt his workday.  "--See. kids?  He loves you terribly and nothing and nobody will ever take him away from you, right?"  Ric says absolutely!  Kisses and hugs continue till I am checking my insulin levels.  Ale and Exlena share knowing and determined glances.  (As if to say, I've got his kids and a history.  What have you got but hair down to your big bottom?)

⦁ Leticia's new client is all excited to hear that Vega will take on the case for false claims.  He's already hearing the clink from all those proverbial pesitos falling from heaven.  He asks how much he can expect.  She tells him probably a bundle since it's an international organization that will want to quietly settle.  She's taking a percentage for her labors.  He already sees himself on a yacht smoking Cuban cigars and drinking a 20 year old Los Valientes Rum .

⦁ Leo visits the judge in charge of the rape case and gets a hearing set for the next morning, all due to the gravity of the case and the fact that Interpol had to be brought in for extradition purposes.

⦁ That night at supper, Juan's in a funk.  Mama explains the facts of life where Fer's jealousy is concerned and urges him to make it up to Fer before it is too late.

⦁ Across town Las Tres Musketeeras pay a visit to Alexa.  Oli tells her story. Ale advises that when other women cave and their attackers are left unpunished, they are free to attack other women which they do, and Vicki tells her she's got to screw up her courage and cut those criminales down to crumbling crumb size.

⦁ At their dinner meeting, Carlos tells Benji that he has a business proposal that, depending on how committed he is, could earn him milliones de pesos.  Benji is all sparkling dollar signs.

⦁ Alexa says she's now committed to putting her rapists behind bars.  She will testify the next morning at the hearing.  She's heard the clarion call de Las Valquirias.

⦁ Benji wonders what kind of business Carlos is talking about.  When Carlos says money laundering, Benji chortles and says it's much easier that people think.  Carlos is glad to hear it.  Ben says he will continue working for Vega, but since he never lends an ear to what he suggests, he's going to start looking out for himself now.  They discuss Rick's being such a pr!ck, wrecking Carlos's love connections with Ale, and Vega's always touting Rick's positions.  Yes, Carlos and Benji are birds of a feather who'll make much dinero and soapsuds  together.

⦁ Rick takes Ale home after work and they make a date for dinner the next night.  He's about to lay a lip-lock on her when the video quits.....Damn!

Labels: ley