Caray, Caray!

• After Carlos' self-serving speech in which he also implied that Alejandra is His Property she cut the inaugural ribbon to avoid a scene. Just as she did this Carlos saw El Ciego, whom he neither expected nor invited.
  
  
  
  
  
• Roberto told the other guys about the arrest. Well done, but Leonardo was still upset about the situation with Olivia. Gustavo said he should try the same tactic as he has with Olivia, who had almost forgiven him. They toasted.
  
  
  
• Alejandra tried to mingle while Carlos introduced El Ciego to Benjamín. This did not look like a smart move.
  
  El Gato – per his namesake in the dark – watched everything for any cues or clues his boss didn't notice.
  
• Gustavo spoke of his progress with Isabel; the others were free with more of their advice. Roberto mentioned that Cancún as a possibility for a reunion of Ricardo and Alejandra away from the office, away from Carlos...
  
• Alejandra was talking with Karina who then began looking for Benjamín. Carlos told Karina that her husband was talking with a major donor and began praising his efforts. Karina lelft to get Benjamín so they could go home soon. Alejandra tried to talk with Carlos about how they could not get back together. He was putting her on the spot to forgive him by raising his voice loud enough to be heard by others. He even tried to cry. She was still trying to be nice, but it clearly was not working.
  
• Benjamín was trying to persuade El Ciego to do business directly with him rather than through Carlos. El Ciego likely saw him for the idiot he was because he agreed and took his leave. Benjamín then ran into his wife, who told him he was a great husband. He said then that this could be a new chapter for them. They kissed
  
• Benjamin is obviously lying to his wife as well as to himself. Benjamín might be a genius at massaging numbers but can he run away from the devil?
  
• Alejandra took leave of Carlos, saying she would be away at a conference in Cancún for a few days. He said he wanted to see her when she returned. He said he wished he would be there with her.
  
  She gave him a sisterly goodbye kiss and he realized that the whole foundation project was for nothing... except his ill-gotten gains.
  
• Elena was out again with Miguel, telling him that Ricardo was trying to take the children away just to hurt her. While she said he had no legal right to do this after that day in court she was unsure of the outcome. She behaved as though she were panicking. He hugged her and he looked like he was expecting a different outcome for his own efforts.
  
• Did Miguel try to “comfort” Elena on that night? Enquiring minds want to know!
  
• Juan arrived home with a gift for his mother, a suitcase for the trip to Cancún. She tried to beg off but he told her he loved her very much and wanted to pay her back for all she sacrificed for him. She then accepted.
  
• Elena told Miguel he had nothing to do with her mood, but he persisted.
  
  He tried to give her pills she wouldn't take.
  
  She then drank a shot of tequila and kissed him as though she was thinking about a waterbed.
  
• If Miguel wasn't then thinking about the next notch on his bedpost, I just lost lots of money at Lloyd's of London.
  
• The following morning Elena was not home when her children dressed for school and went into the kichen in search of breakfast. When Federico mentioned that she was not at home to drive them to school either Natalia called Ricardo and told him about this. He said he would be right there.
  
• Carlos told his secretary (Marta) to get him a place at the conference. He intended to be there for the duration, not for the conference itself, but to stalk Alejandra. He talked to his client, Carolina, to tell her that the agreement had not yet been reached. Alan mentioned that they would need proof of a blood relationship. It was looking like this would take a longer time than anticipated.
  
• Ricardo arrived at Elena's apartment with breakfast for the children. Federico said he didn't know why she hadn't come home.
  
  Ricardo took out the food and said he had to talk to them. He was under the impression that they were angry with him because they thought he had deceived them. Natalia said they were sad because he had swapped them for a girlfriend. He told them that this was untrue. He had been very busy at work on something important. He had come over a couple of times only to be told that they had gone to bed. Federico asked whether he was still with Alejandra and he replied that they won't see each other until all was well with him and Natalia. Natalia asked why he had not come to see them and he told her that he was not legally recognized as their father. Federico told him that they saw him as their father. Ricardo said he would fight for them because he loved them.
  
  They said they loved him, too. 
  
  
  
• Alejandra and Olivia talked about Carlos. Olivia said she could see that Carlos was dying to get back together with Alejandra but Alejandra said she could not stop thinking of Ricardo. Olivia suggested that getting back together with Carlos might alleviate her pain about Ricardo.
  
• Obviously Olivia's powers of observation in the personal sector are not what they seem to be professionally. If she could not see what Arturo was, she definitely was incapable of seeing through Carlos.
  
• Natalia asked Ricardo how long it would be before they saw him again and he said he hoped it would be soon; there were things to work out first. Federico said they missed him. He said he missed them all the time. Federico speculated that something must have happened to Elena and Ricardo said he would check on that as soon as he took them to school. They high-fived as Ricardo sent the children to brush their teeth. He then called Elena's cell phone, whicih went straight to voicemail. He left her a message that the kids were worried about her and she was to call him ASAP.
  
• Marta told Carlos that she was having trouble booking accomodation for him; she had been told there were none left in the relevant hotel. He was irritated as he told her to keep trying.
  
• The case against Adrian Marín opened. Roberto opened with the tale of Marín's deception of Giselle. Marín's attorney claimed that his client did not know this woman and that she did not know whom she was accusing.
  
  Giselle jumped up and called this a lie. Roberto said that they could prove that the defendant lied. Juan brought in the other two women to have them testify.
  
  Marín did not look happy.
  
  
  
• Ricardo cleaned off the glass table and told the kids he had called but that their mother did not answer. He promised he would look for her while they were in school. Natalia said she hoped that everything would be put right now. Elena then arrived and demanded “Where do you think you're taking my children?”
  
• One woman testified that Marín told her to drive the car to his aunt's house and that was when she got caught. Nothing her family could do could prove that she knew nothing about the drugs in the trunk. His lawyer asked her what things she had done with his client. She talked about having gone to the beach and to clubs. Was that payment for her work, he asked. He also said that the car didn't belong to his client. Juan had a question. He asked all three women to identify the man whose actions had put them in jail.
  
  They all pointed to the defendant. Roberto said that two of these women had been sentenced to six years each for the crimes they were deceived into committing. The judge requested closing arguments.
  
  The defendant's attorney said that none of the women could prove ignorance of the cars' contents. His client had only given them addresses; therefore their sentences were valid. He also said that there was no proof he had ever possessed the drugs. Roberto spoke of the defendant's modus operandi. He had tricked three women into becoming drug mules, therefore his client should be freed unconditionally.
  
  All three had been tricked into these actions by a man they had been seduced by.
  
• Elena pulled the children away and yelled the same old song at Ricardo, saying he had no rights to them. He told her she had left them alone with no breakfast food in the house and no way to get to school, therefore they had called him.
  
  When she asked them why they had called Ricardo, they went over to him and Federico said they called him because she had not come home. She said, “Well, I have now.” Ricardo told her to understand her children. They had been anxious because she had not come home.
  
  She then accused him of wanting to take advantage of this situation to take away her children. He said he was going to take them to school. She said he was trying to take them away from her and that was what she was going to tell the judge. He said Fine, but he was going to tell the judge that she had left them alone with nothing to eat. She shouted back that he intended to leave her alone without them and he told her not to tell lies.
  Both children looked confused and upset at this argument.
  She denied that she was lying and told him that he would pay for this. “It would be better if you left the children alone for good.”
  
  The kids then said to stop fighting. Ricardo kissed the kids, asked the kids to think about this, then left. Both kids looked sternly at their mother.
  
• While Ricardo dealt with an ex-wife whose antics were causing her children to sugger in the bargain, Jaime Ponce was about to meet yet another challenge in his long legal career.
  
• Jaime met with Jacinto Durantes, mayor of St. Benito. He had called Jaime for a meeting regarding the case being brought by Alonso Vega. He claimed not to have stolen any money and then asked Jaime to defend him. Jaime said he did not know and Durantes said he could investigate all he wanted because he would find out that his friend had become a pawn in a political game.
  
• The judge found Marín guilty and sentenced him to twenty-five years. The three women's cases were decided together and they were freed. Marín made death threats as the guards dragged him back to his cell.
  
  The two women who were still in pre-trial prison uniforms hugged Juan and thanked him.
  
• Durantes claimed he was innocent of any fiancial felony and handed documents to Jaime including information on Fausto, who was believed to be an activist but actually worked in St Benito for the opposition party. He said they had been spreading lies. Jaime said he would look things over and talk to Alonso but that if there were any irregularities he would not defend him. He told Durantes that if the charges against him stick, they would be Federal and he would do time. Jaime said he would review the case and call him, then he left.
  
  Durantes sat back down and asked the Fat Man sitting at the table behind him if that was enough. The Fat Man said he did not know. At the very least Jaime Ponce would talk to Alonso Vega. Durantes wasn't satisfied, saying they would need to dig up some dirt on Vega & Associates.
  
• Ricardo went to Victoria and said they needed to act fast. He told her that elena had left the children alone, etc. He asked her to file neglect charges and she said she would do so right away. It wasn't enough by itself but it was definitely an element of his case. The children would be alright.
  
• Roberto, Juan, Giselle, and Diana left court. Roberto commented that because of men like Adrian Marín women are not trusting men.
  
• Benjamín went into Leticia's office and told her to log into her bank account. He had transferrred a lot of money into it. He said there would be much more if she continued to help him.
  
  She then asked him what he was planning for Cancún.
  
  
• Lourdes paid a visit to Vega & Associates to have her will done up. When they were finished Alejandra introduced her to Alonso. She told him that she had not done this previously because she did not like to think about death. He said that everyone should live as well as possible and eliminate as many problems as possible.
  
  
  
  Could Lourdes be interested in Alonso (I believe he is free)?
  
  
  Roberto visited Victoria to tell her of his courtroom victory and to try to coerce a kiss from her. More of the same Much Ado About Nothing dynamic and talk of what could happen in Cancún.
  “You're crazy.”
  “Yes. About you.”
  
  
  Lourdes revealed that she was divorced and not in touch with her ex-husband. Alonso told her that his wife died many years ago. As she exited with a sashay worthy of a star stripper it was obvious that she didn't wear the clingy red dress by accident.
  
  
  
  While Alonso Vega looked as though he would finally have a love life, Elena decided to complain about what she perceived as an attack on her own. Talk about narcissistic projection...
  
  
  Elena went to Carlos' office to tell him she had been to a party the night before and stayed so late she didn't go home until that morning. When she got home Ricardo was there with the children. Carlos got a little exasperated and told her not to give Ricardo any reason to justify his petition for custody.
  “But you said there was no way he could take them.”
  “Yes, but there are things you shouldn't do.”
  She was angry she could not live her life as she wanted to.
  “It's not fair. He can do whatever he wants and with Alejandra!”
  He told her that Ricardo and Alejandra were not together and she didn't quite buy it. He told her that if she cared about her children she would watch what she did. She ranted about “I can't do this, can't do that” etc. He finally got fed up and said that the court experience was very bad and he did not want to go through that again.
  
  
  Ricardo brought Adela up to date on her case. She told him that her son was alright and happy with her parents. Carolina would not allow her husband's body to be exhumed, so Ricardo was trying to get DNA from her daughter. He still had the order of exhumation just in case Carolina still refused to cooperate. This would be dealt with when he returned from the conference.
  
  
  Gustavo's newest client was a woman representing a group of ten neighbors who were defrauded by a construction boss. He explained to her that he needed documents signed by all the offended parties. After she left he decided that this case was big enough to cancel his trip to Cancún and he asked Carmen to take care of that.
  
  
  Elena scolded her children for having called Ricardo and demanded to know why they did it. Federico asked where she had been and she lied, saying she had come home to sleep and then got up early because she had to go out. Natalia asked where she went and Elena evaded the question. She claimed not to understand them. Federico said they didn't know where to find her.
  “But I came home!”
  “Late,” said Natalia.
  “Tell me the truth. What did you say to Ricardo?”
  Federico didn't say anything for a few seconds, then Natalia cited the lack of breakfast food. She tried to continue but Elena told her to shut up. She was sure that Ricardo would say something against her in court and that was why she didn't want her children near him.
  “He has done much to hurt this family,” she said for the nth time before getting up from the table.
  
  
  Olivia and Alan went to her place after their date. It looked like both wanted to ride the beast with two backs. We will spare you the sight.
  
  
  Elena cried strictly for show to guilt-trip her children, saying that it hurt her every time they went running to Ricardo. She told them she was afraid of losing them, saying that it would kill her. Federico said they wouldn't leave her. Natalia told her that Ricardo was only going to take them to school. She told them she did not want them calling Ricardo again and that it was for their own good. She made them promise to obey this. Once again she said that it would be best if Ricardo was out of their lives and that they were all better off without him.
  
  
  
  She must have been very pleased with herself over this.
  
  
  Roberto, Victoria, and Alonso arrived in Cancún in their resort wear. Alonso went to the desk to take care of something administrative while Victoria told Roberto she was dying to go to the beach. He wanted to accompany her. Benjamín and Leticia arrived next; he was itching to see her resort wear. Juan, Susanna, Ricardo, Leonardo, and Olivia Susanna was excited and Leonardo told her to enjoy herself while they were all at the conference. He put his arm around Olivia who was surprised.
  
  
  Alan had lunch with the firm's banker.who was asking questions about the cash flow. There seemed to be an issue with transfers.
  
  
  Ricardo found Alejandra looking out over the sea Ricardo told her that he was irritated and jealous whenever he saw her with Carlos. She told him there was no reason to and that she hoped his problems with Elena would be over soon. Carlos arrived, sneaked up behind her, and put his hands on her upper arms. He went on about how they were going to spend their honeymoon there, etc. She asked why he was there and he replied that he was dying to see her. He also wanted to promote his firm. Ricardo pointed out that this was not the purpose of the conference. Carlos said that Vega & Associates didn't need to do that, etc. Alejandra got out of the middle by telling the men she was going to reguster for the seminars and conferences she was interested in.
  Carlos grabbed her arm, pulled her back, and said “We're going to dinner, aren't we?”
  She said “No.” She was only interested in the conference He went on about “This place reminds me of you”
  
  
  
  It was obvious that Carlos was doing this to provoke Ricardo.
  
  
  Alan and the banker kept talking and it seemed that the banker was suspicious about the money entering Alan's account. Alan told him that money was always flowing into the firm.
  
  
  Carlos started in about learning more about family law, which did provoke Ricardo to saying that he would need to understand the issues. Alejandra sensed that this was getting uglier and made her getaway. Ricardo tried to leave but after giving him a fake apology Carlos told him “You will never in your life be with Alejandra.” Ricardo reminded him that Alejandra is free to make her own choice and that he would need to respect it.
  
  
  Juan and Susanna went down to the beach. She fell in love with it. Juan promised he would eventually buy her a big house and trips to places like Paris. She was grateful.
  
  

When one engages in a tug of war, there are usually casualties. Ricardo is trying to protect the children he helped raise from a birth mother who will cause them to make psychiatrists wealthy someday. Carlos is too busy trying to take something he never owned to notice that he and Benjamin are competing over a monster who has no limits. Jaime Ponce finds himself in a curious legal position that may affect everyone at Vega & Associates. Until next we meet Behind Mansion Walls, I'm Christopher Mason.

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Permalink posted by Urban Anthropologist @ 10:59 PM