Caray, Caray!

Abdul shoos Alí and Mohamed out of the kitchen - they must be present when the bride arrives. Zumaya (bless her little heart) asks Abdul, 'Si tanto le gusta el matrimonio, ¿por qué no se consigue una esposa?' If you like matrimony so much, why don't you take a wife? Then he could mind his own business and not spend his time finding wives for others. She asks if he knows any pretty women. Abdul sputters and says,'El profeta dice que el fiel para casarse debe buscar la virtud, no la belleza,' The prophet says that to marry, the faithful should seek virtue, not beauty.

Labels: clon

Capítulo 164: We are officially in las últimas semanas and as you might expect, everything is looking very bleak. Marisa seems to have survived Natalia’s attack, but to judge from her increasingly irrational behavioral, she may have suffered brain damage. At Said’s house, Paradise is Found. And Lost.

• Is Gloria in danger from crazy Paula?
• Has Pablo really been Maliciated?
• Is Latifa too late to rescue her Mohamed from his own stupidity?

Tune in tomorrow…

At home, Albieri escapes from Luisa’s vigilance by telling her he’s going to buy a newspaper.

At Cris’s bar, Dora tells Vicki she won’t be attending Cris’s wedding – after all she’s marrying the man who’s trying to take Dora’s son away. Vicki encourages Dora to find happiness with Miguel and not to wait for some Karla to snatch him away. And Osvaldo is history, she says. A rey muerto, rey puesto! (The king is dead! Long live the king!)

Albieri joins Girl Reporter, Amalia, at a restaurant. He announces: Quiero hablar contigo sobre el clon. (I want to talk to you about the clone.)

Said gets home from his Chicago trip to find the household fairly calm. Samira and Amin are with Jadiya and they are anxious to tell him what has been happening. Rania, Amina and Jade come downstairs and have no bloody scratches on their faces.

The Naz tells Said she has in fact turned his home into a paradise by her strong leadership.

Dora tries to talk Daniel out of going to Casa Ferrer, but he is set on visiting Rosa and Natalia. After he leaves, Estela tells her daughter that arguing with him will just make him more determined to be with those people.

Cris is at home looking at dresses in a magazine and chatting happily with Vicki about the wedding. She wants her dress to be a daring choice, something unexpected.

Natalia, still sporting her new Unabomber look, is back at the Casa Ferrer. Lucas comes home, learns that Natalia is there and asks Marisa: ¿Ya te pidió disculpas? (Did she apologize to you?) Marisa admits that Natalia said nothing. Lucas becomes furious and storms upstairs. He slaps her hard across the cheek. ¡Basta! ¡Ya no más! He has had it with her. She in turn is outraged that he raised a hand to her and threatens to call the police. Go ahead, he says, and you can tell them where you got your drugs. I forbid to raise your hand to anyone in this house, he tells her. Si lo haces, te encierro! (If you do it, I’ll lock you up.) And even though it hurts me, if you continue like this, I will have to turn my back on you.

When Lucas leaves the room, Natalia complains to Rosa that Lucas hates her and blames her for his unhappiness.

Lucas tells Marisa, waiting downstairs, that Natalia is completely out of control. (Está descontrolada!) She has gone too far. [Duh!]

Leo walks in on the scene and asks Marisa how the wound (la herida) is. The wound is fine, she says: Lo que me duele es el alma. (What hurts me is my soul./My heart is breaking)

On the Pass Along the Misery Theory, Lucas turns on his father and wants to know how he can think of getting married at a time like this. Leo tells him he needs to go on living his life.

Snoopy Ramón knows that the owner of the apartment Alej and Natalia were subletting is now threatening to complain to the police if Alej doesn’t make good on the stuff the druggies robbed. Alej is going out to try to fix things and warns Ramón not to tell Gloria anything – he’ll knock his teeth out if he does! As soon as Alej leaves, Gloria skillfully extracts the truth from Ramón by making a similar threat (What is it with these people and my teeth? wonders Ramón)

After trying and failing to get money out of her family, Natalia is ready to leave again. Lucas runs after her shouting that if she leaves, she can just stay in the street. At that moment, Daniel comes walking up the driveway and Natalia throws herself into his arms. She’s afraid Lucas is going to hit her, she says. You leave her alone! says Daniel. And he looks accusingly at Lucas. You are not my father, says Natalia to Lucas. To Daniel she says: No soporto más! (I can’t take any more!)

When Lucas goes back inside, Rosa tells him his father wants to talk to him. Let him call the clone, (que le llame al clon) answers Lucas bitterly. Nevertheless, he joins his father and Marisa. It’s time to make a decision, Leo declares, and it’s incumbent upon Lucas to do so since he is Natalia’s father. Marisa suggests that Natalia is acting out because she feels they are rejecting her. But we’ve been at her beck and call 24 hours a day, says Leo.

No, listen, says Marisa. We should reward her for her insufferable behavior, the felony assaults and robberies and drugs. Let’s show our trust in our out-of-control wildly aggressive cocaine-crazed daughter by buying her a new car!

Back at the restaurant, Gloria tells Alej that she knows all about the apartment furnishings. She’s not going to let him continue paying for Natalia’s mistakes. He should go to the gym to train – she’ll take care of it.

Pablo gets to Not Really Malicia’s apartment and asks her right away why she said she was on a business trip. He knows it was a pleasure trip. And Malicia begins maliciating:
Whoever told you that is lying, she says. Rogelio had confidential business in Paris – so confidential that even Zein doesn’t know the details. But go ahead and call him and he can tell you that what I’m saying is true. Of course I’d lose my job for revealing confidences…but that’s not important. All I did in Paris was think of you.
And Pablo says: And all I did was think of you. Discúlpame, he says. Perdón. (But there is something hard in the set of his jaw that makes me think he hasn’t been totally maliciated. We’ll see.)

At the clinic, Escobar listens as Anita tells Julio that Malicia is back. And guess what? Julio smiles and guesses: ¿Sedujó al jefe? (She seduced her boss?) Yes.

Clara is back at her post at Empresas Ferrer. She and Caro have also heard the news. And no, she tells her friend, Rogelio hasn’t called.

Albieri is at the clinic. He tells someone on the phone that he’ll be there in an hour. Luisa and Padre Andres overhear him and Luisa wants to know who he’s meeting. The Mendelsons, old friends and colleagues, geneticists who are in Miami for just a brief time, he says. In his office, he admits to Andres that he lied to Luisa; in fact he’s going to meet with a journalist. He wants to get a sense of her work. So you’ve decided to go public? asks Andres. Albieri insists that is not the case. Not yet.

Marisa and Rosa are chatting about the new car for Natalia (the clinical term would be folie à deux, I believe -- two people sharing the same delusion or madness) when Gloria arrives at Casa Ferrer demanding to speak to Natalia’s father or mother. Right now!

Gloria tells Marisa that Natalia emptied and then sold absolutely everything from the apartment she was sharing with Alejandro. Now the owner wants be be reimbursed and even though the furnishings were used, he wants to be paid as if they were new.

Dora is just leaving her apartment for work when Daniel asks if he can bring Natalia to meet her. She’s really nice, he tells Dora. Her father treats her very badly – I had to protect her today. Dora’s not thrilled with the idea but finally gives her consent.

When Dora leaves, Daniel goes to his room, and veil in hand, daydreams about Jade and the kiss they shared in the ruins.

Unfortunately, Paradise has been Lost at Said’s house. Jade: Don’t treat me like a maid! Rania: That’s exactly what you are in this house, a maid for Jadiya! Said comes home before they have escalated to the hair-pulling, eye-scratching stage.

At Mohamed’s house we are treated to the two faces of the Naz: First she gives Farid a tongue-lashing for letting Latifa leave. Then, when Samira asks her if she thinks her father will take a second wife, she turns maternal and comforting: No, she answers. He adores your mother.

Luisa is getting anxious. What’s taking Albieri so long? She has Anita look up the telephone number of the Mendelsons.

We know what’s taking so long – Albieri is lecturing Amalia on stem cells and their potential use for organ replacement.

Anita has called the Mendelsons. They aren’t even in Miami!

And Albieri and Amalia continue their conversation. No, no hice un clon (No, I didn’t make a clone) he says. Usted podría hacerlo? (You could do it?) she asks. You mean do I have the knowledge, the technique – well yes, I know how to do it, boasts Albieri.

Natalia and Paula are hanging around a pool close to Gloria’s place. Nati wants to go find Alej. Paula will wait for her.

Luisa gets home. Albieri’s not there.

Gloria comes home pleased with the outcome of her visit to the Ferrers. Ya lo solucioné todo. (Now I’ve fixed everything.) she tells Alej. She gave them the apartment owner’s number and they will deal with him directly. They paid her for her chairs. After all, I won’t sanction anyone’s vices. (alcahuetear: to act as a pimp, procurer; to cover up).

Natalia arrives on the scene and wants to talk to Alejandro. Is Paula with you? Gloria asks. Yes, she’s right over there, close by. Gloria goes off to look for her, determined to take care of all her business at once. [This makes me very nervous. Gloria is tough and smart but Paula is vicious and crazy and carries a knife. You writers better not let anything happen to Gloria!]

Enrique PSA about using drugs to avoid the difficulties in life.

Nati and Alej talk. She tells him she is alone and everyone is against her. No, he says, I’m here for you and I always will be.

The final scene takes place in Fez. Latifa has arrived and is schlepping her suitcase towards Alí’s house. Inside, they are waiting for the comerciante Yaser and his daughter Zuleika to arrive. Zoraida says to Alí: Abdul está tan contento, parece que él es el novio. (Abdul looks so happy you’d think he was the groom.) The actual novio, however, looks miserable. ¿Por qué Ala me permitió hacer eso? (Why did Allah allow me to do this?) Mohamed no quiere casarse con una segunda esposa. (Mohamed doesn’t want to marry a second wife.) You brought it on yourself, says Alí, and there’s nothing I can do about it now.

Credits roll

Labels: clon

Clara and Fernando have the same screaming match as always. Then, what fun! a PDA from Enrique. Enrique doesn't believe his wife and children would forgive him.

Labels: clon

Capítulo 162: In which Marisa keeps Alejandro and Natalia apart, intensifying the suffering of both; Lucas spends the day in a jealous snit; the Naz enjoys her taste of power; and Latifa fails to understand that to pull a Rania, you don’t ask permission.

Lucas is so upset when he hears Natalia tell Daniel that she likes her young father better than her old one that he goes to Marisa (Marisa!) for comfort. I can’t take it anymore, he tells her. (Ya no aguanto más!) If he moves in, let me know. I won’t be coming back!

At the front door he tells Rosa: ¡Esta casa es demasiado pequeña para los dos! (This house is too small for the two of us!)

Alej phones from the gym. He wants to stop by to see Natalia. Do you think Marisa will mind? Not at all, says Rosa, and it will do Nati so much good to see you. Ay, pobre muchacho, remarks Rosa to Marina as she hangs up the phone, ¡Marisa no lo puede ver ni en pintura! (Marisa can’t stand him, lit: can’t even see him in a painting.)

Daniel and Natalia come down the stairs saying their teasing, affectionate good-byes. Hija, he says, eat your fruits and vegetables!

Zein goes to Cris’s apartment asking for some help. He knows Jade is back in Miami and she and Said aren’t married. He wants a chance to talk to her. Cris has an idea…

The Naz is spinning another of her Just Naz stories for Jadiya and her friends: La princesa Nazira y sus cuñadas educatitas. Erase una vez … Once upon a time a beautiful princess lived with her sisters-in-law, a bunch of useless, exhibitionist odaliques…. The kids have a glazed expression on their faces.

Albieri is on his way out the door – Luisa has just called from the office with some news about Silvia – when Daniel arrives unexpectedly. He wants to know if Albieri gave Jade her necklace. He did, Albieri assures him. What did she say? Daniel wants to know. Nothing, says Albieri. Then, looking carefully at him, he asks: Daniel, are you in love with this girl? No, says Daniel. She likes the other one. The original.

Albieri invites him to come along to the clinic, but Daniel doesn’t want the people there looking at him. He’s going home. Albieri tells him he has no reason to hide, he’s no different from anyone else.

Jade smiles as she looks down at the necklace in her hands.

Albieri’s words must have softened his feelings, because Daniel tells Dora that, as far as testifying goes, he won’t be part of a conspiracy (complot) to put Albieri in jail. Dora tells him that if Leo proceeds with his plan to sue for paternity, Daniel will have to testify. And he’ll have to say very firmly that he isn’t a clone. [Neither Dora nor Daniel seem to understand that their legal counteraction would protect Albieri; it’s Leo’s suit – and Lucas’s too – which would expose Albieri to legal jeopardy.]

Would they write about the trial in the papers? Daniel asks. Because if they do, he won’t go out where people might recognize him and call him a clone.

Silvia is at Albieri’s clinic. No hard feelings, she says. I did what I felt ethically bound to do. Villegas just didn’t believe the clone story. Qué buenas noticias! (what good news!) exclaims Padre Andres, who has been hanging around the clinic a lot lately [And why not? There are certainly souls there needing saving – and has he met Escobar yet?].

Samira tries to comfort her mother but Latifa is inconsolable. She is convinced she has lost Mohamed forever. Then she has a brainstorm: She’ll pull a Rania! She’ll go to Fez and bring her man back home!

But in Fez, Latifa’s man is more determined than ever to take a second wife. He is unimpressed when Alí points out how much turmoil a second wife brought to Said’s home. That won’t happen to him because he, Mohamed, isn’t marrying an odalisca! [Yeah, like Said found Jade and Rania in the “odaliscas” section of Craig’s list, Fez.]

Abdul says Yaser and his daughter Zuleica are good to go. They need Mohamed’s answer. Me caso, affirms Mohamed. I’m getting married.

Alí tries to dissuade him from rushing into marriage out of anger or in reaction to a rebellious child. He is exaggerating the importance of Samira's refusal to wear a veil. He reminds him that: No es obligatorio usar el velo en nuestra religión (It isn’t obligatory to wear a veil in our religion.)

Back in Miami, Ramón tells Gloria about Nati’s miscarriage. ¡Ay, qué tristeza, qué tristeza que Natalia haya perdido a mi nieto! (Oh, how sad, how sad that Natalia has lost my grandchild!)

The sKanks are still out there walking. Hilda has heard that Lucia asked Consuelo to come back to work for her. Consuelo didn’t want to but Rosario made her do it.

And indeed, Consuelo and Rosario are standing in Lucia’s house while that lady tells Consuelo how much she missed her; she had to put up with a parade (desfile) of inept maids after she left. Andrea walks in and is obviously disgusted to see Consuelo. She says: You used to clean my parents’ bedroom every day and every day, you would leave carrying an envelope. What was in the envelope?
Consuelo looks a bit flustered, feigns confusion. She says: ¡Yo sería incapaz de llevar algo de esta casa! (I would be incapable of taking anything from this house!)

Alej is walking up the stairs to Natalia’s room when his path is blocked by Marisa. My daughter needs to rest, Marisa tells him. If you really care about her, you’ll leave her alone. I think you believe I’m responsible for everything that happened to Natalia, he says. I don’t care what you think, she answers, my only interest is my daughter’s well-being. And the overly educado hijo de Gloria, instead of calling out ‘Nataliaaaaa’ at the top of his lungs, turns around and leaves. [And then it hits me: He looks like a young Brando! Stellaaaaaa!] We see him drive away in Pablo’s red pick-up.

Cris calls Jade and tells her Zein is dying to see her. She will swing by later and pick her up. Jade smiles and reflects: Mi suerte volvió! (My luck is back!)

Enrique convinces Lucas that the two of them need a night out. And of all the gin joints in all of Miami – they’ll go to Salamandra!

Said’s servant tries to stop Jade from leaving. Lala Nazira wouldn’t like it! I’m not Nazira’s slave, answers Jade tartly and continues out the door.

When Cris and Jade arrive at Salamandra, Cris goes off to find Zein. Enrique and Lucas are already there. In the crowd, Jade and Lucas see one another. Lucas is filled with joy and hope and visions of Jade dancing: first in Alí’s house while he watched secretly and later in the ruins, when she danced just for him. Jade, he pensado mucho en ti! (Jade, I thought about you so much!) he says happily. Her answer stings:
Yo también he pensado mucho en ti. Cada vez que me acuerdo que no tengo casa, de lo mal que me ha ido en la vida, me acuerdo de ti, Lucas!
(I’ve also thought a lot about you. Every time I remember I have no home, of how badly my life has turned out, I remember you, Lucas!)
She goes on: Do you know how it feels to live like a servant in the house where you were once the owner just for the sake of being close to your child?
He tries to explain things to her but she refuses to listen. Then he tells her he knows she met his ‘copy’ in the ruins. How did that feel? he asks bitterly. She runs out and he follows her, just a beat too late. She has vanished in a cab.

Cris and Zein come onto the dance floor. While they are looking for Jade, they spot Enrique. Did you come with Carolina? they ask. No, he says, with Lucas… And all three realize that Lucas and Jade are gone.

Daniel is looking through a box of memorabilia for a photo of him and little Natalia. He tells Dora and Estela that he went to visit Rosa and met Leonardo’s granddaughter, Natalia, and that got him thinking of his childhood friend. ¡Mira! ¡La encontré! (Look! I found it!)

Lucas returns to Casa Ferrer as grouchy as he left it that morning. It has truly been a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day for our hero. Is he still here? he asks Rosa. If you all like him so much, why don’t you keep him and I’ll leave!

Jade’s homecoming is no more pleasant. She runs upstairs to escape the interrogation of the imperious Naz. She finds Jadiya, Rania and Amina huddled together. The Naz turned out the lights and Rania is afraid of the dark. The Naz sent Jadiya’s friends away. They all seem to be looking to Jade for guidance.

Downstairs the Naz is gloating about how the odaliscas are finally getting along with each other -- even if it’s only for the sake of conspiring against her.

At Gloria’s place, Alej tells Pablo that Marisa wouldn’t let him see Nati. But what he doesn’t get is why she hasn’t called him… unless someone is manipulating her.

That’s not exactly right. Natalia tells Rosa what is really going on:
Es que Alej quería tanto tener este bebé, y yo también.. Eso fue por mi culpa y nunca me va a perdonar.
It’s just that Alej wanted to have this baby so much -- and I did too. This was my fault and he’ll never forgive me.

Gloria is consoling her son but when he says:
Tenía tanta esperanza de que este niño cambiara a Natalia, de que le hiciera bien...
(I had so much hope that this child would change Natalia, that it would do her good...)
…she reminds him that a child doesn’t solve problems.
Sea como sea, yo quería tanto a ese niño, says Alej sadly.
(Be that as it may, I wanted this baby so much.)

Latifa is desperate. She decides to ask cousin Farid – he’s the one minding the store so Mohamed can be in Fez destroying his family’s happiness -- for money so she can go to Fez and surprise Mohamed. He turns her down flat. No es bueno darles sorpresas a los maridos (It’s not good to surprise husbands). When she breaks down and appeals to his pity, he remains a stone. A humorless stone who refers to himself in the third person. Next to this guy, even Mohamed looks like a party animal. [Seriously, Latifa. Go sell some gold and buy yourself a ticket.]

In the final scene, Alí does his best to keep Mohamed from taking a second wife. He is making much too much of the veil issue, he tells him. He reminds him that when a woman is forced to wear a veil, it has no spiritual value.

Abdul bustles in smiling. You’re a lucky man! he tells Mohamed. Yaser is willing to accept you and his daughter Zuleica is happy about the arrangement. Let’s go buy gold for the bride and then we can go to her family’s home and you can ask for her hand!

Credits roll

Labels: clon

Capítulo 161: In which Paula is The Wolf at the Door; The Naz wrangles the Odaliscas; and Natalia and Daniel discover they are soulmates.

When the doctor leaves, Marisa goes to her daughter’s bedside. Natalia turns on her: ¿Qué haces aquí? Vete. (What are you doing here? Go away!) I don’t want anyone here. ¡Que se mueren todos! (Drop dead, all of you!)
A stricken Marisa flashes back to an image of a woman in a hospital bed. The woman thrashes violently as two attendants hold her down, and give her an injection. She is screaming: ¡Suéltenme! Lárguense! Marisa, ven! (Let go of me! Get out of here! Marisa, come!) We see a little girl crouching on the floor outside the room, her face buried in her hands. And we see the adult Marisa sink down and cover her ears with her hands.

At Gloria’s, they are frustrated that the police haven’t caught Paula. And when they do find her, she’ll have ‘inhaled’ all the money she stole. Ramón is still a wreck. When Pedro touches him on the shoulder, he jumps and tells him not to come up behind him.

Yes, Paula is very much on the loose, on the prowl like a wounded wolf. And right now the wolf is at the door of the Casa Ferrer screaming Natalia’s name, struggling violently with the guards, while Marisa and Rosa look on. Close the windows, and the curtains says Marisa so Natalia can’t hear her. I don’t understand why this is happening!

Andrea goes to Gloria’s and tells Alejandro that Nati has lost the baby.

Rosa tells Marisa that Alej called and he knows about the miscarriage. Rosa told the truth: that Nati is sleeping because of a sedative the doctor gave her. And what about Leo and Lucas? asks Marisa. They’re sleeping too. Marisa will keep vigil in case Natalia needs something in the night.

At the clinic, Albieri shows Luisa Jade’s necklace and tells her he’s going to return it to its owner.

Julio comes in with some news: The Medical Board has refused to hear Silvia’s complaint. Villegas doesn’t believe the clone story and thinks he’ll look like a fool if it’s made public. Instead of being relieved, Albieri is outraged. He wants his great deed acknowledged. And he suspects that Villegas really does believe him and is denying him his glory. Luisa and Julio try to convince him that Silvia’s complaint would send him straight to jail and would make Daniel’s life miserable.

Or should I say more miserable. Daniel is reading all about Dolly. He tells Estela that the normal life span of a sheep is eleven or twelve years but Dolly died at six. They think it’s because she was cloned from a six-year-old animal. Since Lucas was twenty when Daniel was cloned, he will probably die young too: Es como si me hubieran robado veinte años de mi vida. (It’s as if they had stolen twenty years of my life.) But Estela continues to dismiss the clone story: A ti te cuentan un cuento chino! (They’re telling you a lie/a tall tale).

Dora comes in all dressed up and ready to go see the lawyer with Daniel.

Albieri shows up at Said’s house looking for Jade. As Said looks on suspiciously, Albi says: Yo vine para hacerte entrega… (I came to deliver to you…) Jade is delighted: Mi collar!
You lost it in Fez, right? says Albieri. But how did you happen to get hold of it? presses Said. Albieri has the good sense to fib and say that Luisa found it and realized it was Jade’s.

The kids have been squabbling again. Jadiya was in Rania’s room trying on her veils in front of her mirror and now Rania is like all mad and stuff, helloooo. When Said walks in, Jade has also joined the quarrel. Enter The Naz Triumphant. Said says to his sister: La casa queda bajo tus ordenes! (The house is under your orders/you’re in charge). He is going to Chicago for a day. Jade and Rania glare at one another.

Dora and Daniel are meeting their attorney, Cecilia, at Cris’s apartment. Cecilia starts to explain Leo’s intentions in his demand…

Leo, for his part, is telling Lucas that he isn’t ready to proceed right now. He doesn’t want to hurt Daniel or Albieri and he’s still too heartsick about Natalia to think about the suit. But he’s not too heartsick to blame Lucas and Marisa for Natalia’s problems. Lucas tells him that if Leo does proceed with a demand against Dora, he will lodge a counterdemand against Leo. Do it, says Leo.

Lucas asks Enrique to prepare that counterdemand.

Cecilia, back at Cris’s apartment, explains that if Leo goes forward with his suit, Daniel would have to talk to the judge and Albieri would go to jail.

Lucas tells Enrique that Daniel is not Leo's son: Ese muchacho nació de mí, de una célula mía; eso quiere decir que es una copia. (That boy was born from me, from a cell of mine; that means he’s a copy.). That’s arguable, says Enrique. And, he says, I’m in a difficult ethical position here. Well if you can’t be my attorney, says Lucas, find me someone really good. Enrique promises to call him.

As soon as Lucas leaves, Enrique calls Roberto. TWLIM (the worst lawyer in Miami) has to interrupt his golf game to take the call. Enrique explains his dilemma. Even though Roberto’s name is on the document Leo is filing, he, Enrique, actually wrote it. If Enrique takes on Lucas’s case, he can’t continue advising Roberto. That would be like arguing against himself. Roberto is alarmed. He may be a lightweight, but he does know his own limitations. You can’t abandon me! he says.

Pablo may not be completely brain dead. He tells his gym buddies, Alejandro and Pedro, that if what Diana told him about Malicia’s trip is true, she’s history.

At the Clinic, Escobar explains to Anita and Luisa that Fernando is at home and Clara is keeping watch over him. They researched rehab facilities and the good ones are too expensive for them. They don't even have anything left to sell to raise the money...

Caro is home with Clara. Clara goes to see if the paper has come and finds, instead, the wolf is at her door: Paula.

Natalia wakes from her sedated sleep and asks her mother to repeat what the doctor said. With some reluctance, Marisa says:
El médico me dijo que habías perdido tu bebé por las drogas que habiás consumido antes y durante el embarazo.
(The doctor told me that you had lost your baby because of the drugs you had used before and during the pregnancy.)
You mean I can’t have children? asks Natalia. No, Marisa corrects her, but if you continue using drugs, the same thing is likely to happen again.

Rosa greets Daniel happily when he arrives at Casa Ferrer. He’s glad to see her too. As he says: Es mejor ser visto como un espíritu que como un fenómeno. (It’s better to be seen as a spirit than a freak.) She invites him up to Natalia’s room so he can visit his “sobrina” (niece).

Rosa introduces Daniel to Natalia: Es tu tío Diego reincarnado…igualito como era él.
(It’s your uncle Diego reincarnated... he looks exactly like him.) And he knew you when you were a little girl.

Daniel acknowledges that he told Rosa he used to have a friend named Natalia. Marisa insists it must have been some other Natalia. But he’s identical to my father, says Natalia, wonderingly. Marisa leaves in disgust.

Natalia finally seems to be perking up. She says that when she heard about what Albieri had done, she thought it was a joke. Are you afraid of me? asks Daniel. No, says Nati, sit down.
Daniel tells her: Es que la gente dice que yo soy un clon… (It’s that people say I’m a clone.)
And I don’t like it, he says, it scares me. I’m afraid of dying.
Me too, says Natalia. Daniel says everyone looks at him as if he were a freak. I don’t belong to this world, he tells her. (No pertenezco a este mundo.) Me too, she says. I don’t belong to this world either.

The wolf, AKA Paula, forces her way into Clara’s house, plops on the sofa and falls into a dead sleep. Clara is afraid to call the police because they’ll probably arrest Fernando too. And she can’t go to work and leave the house unguarded – there will be nothing left when she comes back. Call Escobar, says Caro.

Enrique to therapist: I started with marijuana, went on to cocaine. And with cocaine, I felt like God…I felt like I was holding God in my hands. And in a very short time, my life had become a nightmare.

Escobar brushes off Clara’s concerns: He can’t leave work. Take care of it yourself. It’s your problem for letting a stranger in the house. I’ll come by after work and talk to Fernando.

Then Escobar turns to Anita and grouses about Clara’s expecting him to interrupt his workday. She must have a real problem, says Anita. Well Fernando didn’t have these kinds of issues when he was living there, he says. Esto demuestra que Clara es un fracaso como mamá! (This shows that Clara is a failure as a mother!)

At Empresas Ferrer, Leo asks Caro where Clara is. Caro tries to cover for her friend saying she was in earlier but felt ill and had to go to the doctor.

Roberto and Enrique continue their conversation in person. Enrique insists he can’t advocate for two opposing sides. Roberto again begs him not to abandon him. The phone rings. It’s Leo asking Enrique to come to his office.

I suppose Lucas asked you to recommend a lawyer, says Leo. No, answers Enrique, he wanted to hire me. Enrique catches Leo smiling at the thought and he is furious. He tells Leo: You’re so smart! You think you hired the most persistent, daring, brilliant attorney – and now he'll be going up against old, alcoholic Enrique!
Oh please, says Leo, don’t make a telenovela out of this. And don’t underestimate yourself. Enrique retorts: You’re the one who shouldn’t underestimate me! [Bitter irony is lost on Leo. He is the Man in the Gray Teflon Suit.]

The Reign of the Naz begins. She sends the odaliscas – Jade, Rania and Amina – to cooking school. Lesson one: How to prepare carnero for your man. No la confrontes, (Don’t confront her) Amina warns Rania. And the three march meekly toward the kitchen, like three lambs preparing to dress the mutton.

When Lucas gets home, Mama Rosa tells him to go to Natalia’s room – he’ll find a nice surprise there. Lucas stops at the doorway when he sees Daniel and Natalia together. This is what he hears:
N: ¡Qué divertido! Eres mi papá pero de mi misma edad! Lo máximo!
(What fun! You’re my father but you’re my age. The greatest!)
D: ¿Te gusta?
(You like that?)
N: Sí, sí, me gusta – Papá!
(Yes, yes I like it, Dad!)
They hug.
D: Sabes, es divertido tener una hija de mi edad. ¿Qué papá te gusta más, el viejo o el joven?
(You know it’s fun to have a daughter my age. Which father do you like more, the old one or the young one?)
N: Me gustas más tú! (I like you better!)
D: Hija! (Daughter!)

Credits roll.

Labels: clon

Ramoncito gives up the dough in the cash register to Fer and Paula. When Gloria comes in to find out what is keeping him, he faints.

The haul is $475 and our strung out thieves are already calculating how much it will buy. (I guess Paula's decision to give up drugs was short lived.)

Gloria tries to get some information on the perpetrators from Ramoncito but he is too scared to speak. Finally, he identifies one of the robbers as Paula, a friend of Nati's.

Alej confirms that he knows Paula. Gloria wants to know where she lives but Alej says that he doesn't know. They sleep in the parks, on the streets wherever they are when the sun goes down ('donde le agarre la noche,' literally, 'where the night grabs her'). The police have come and Ramoncito is back in stride. He identifies the perp as a friend of Natalia Ferrer, the daughter of Leo Ferrer. Alej tries to warn Marisa about what has happened but she won't take his call. He calls Andrea who is at TOPIM (the only pool in Miami) and tells her what happened.

Also at TOPIM are Diana, Pablo and Pedro. Diana tells Pablo that not only did Malicia not go to Paris on business, she went as Rogelio's vacation companion after Rogelio broke up with his girlfriend. Pablo refuses to believe it. Diana replies that it is true, '¿Ya entiendes por qué no me la trago, Pablo?' Do you understand now why I can't stand (literally, swallow) her?

If Malicia's ears are burning in Paris, it's because Clara and Carolina are calling her names in Miami: 'Es que esa mujer no es mala, es perversa,' That woman is not just bad, she's evil, says Carolina. Clara is sure that she did it on purpose (a propósito) and says that she is 'diabólica'. In stumbles Fer saying that the police are after him.

The police have come to Casa Ferrer, too. Marisa says that it must be a mistake. Her daughter doesn't hang out with people like that (this is the same Marisa who went to the scary drug place to find Nati). When the officer says that the employee in the bar identified her, Marisa suggests that Nati is well known from the social section of the papers. Then she lies when the officer asks if her daughter is at home. When the officer asks if Nati was the girlfriend of Alej and says that the robbery took place in his mother's bar, Marisa punts to Leo. She has Rosa call Leo's office and tries to get the police to go there.

Fer has shut himself up in his room.

Leo calls, who else, Roberto, TWLIM (the worst lawyer in Miami) and tells him that the police are at his house. Leo can't believe that there is any justification for the police to interrogate someone just because a friend of theirs committed a crime. Leo asks for Clara but she isn't back from lunch. 'What, does she think this job is a hobby ('pasatiempo')?' asks Leo.

Clara tells Carolina that she can't take it anymore. She is afraid that Fer's problems will cost her her job. She can't concentrate at work, she can't sleep. Every time the phone rings, she thinks it might be the police saying that Fer is dead or in prison. Carolina tries to comfort her.

Marisa tells Rosa that it isn't fair that Nati's name should be on a police report about a robbery. Rosa advises her not to lie. She says that everyone will find out everything eventually. Marisa replies that she is doing it for Nati's sake, not hers.

Another party at Casa Alí. Abdul is promoting the second wife to Mohamed. Her father is a powerful merchant and if Mohamed marries the daughter, they will be partners. Alí comes over and advises Mohamed not to make rash decisions.

Meanwhile, Latifa is, what else, crying. Amin accuses Zamira of causing Mohamed to seek a second wife. The children start fighting and poor Latifa runs out of the room.

Back at the party, Abdul's chosen bride has arrived [I'm not going to bother learning her name until I'm sure she is sticking around]. Mohamed thinks that she is pretty.

Back at the house of feuding wives and ex-wives, Said has brought some veils for Rania. In comes Jadiya and demands to take first pick of the veils. Said lets her while Rania fumes and Munir wails. Jadiya tells Jade that Said gave her the best veils and gave the leftovers (sobras) to Rania.

Said tells the Naz that there is more peace on a battlefield than in his house. If he was expecting sympathy from the Naz, he is mistaken. She replies that he must like discord having married so many odalisques. She says that Said and Mohamed are like people who have a beautiful bowl of fruit in front of them and go right for the one rotten piece. Then they complain about the whole bowl instead of throwing out the rotten fruit and selecting another piece. Said admits that he chose badly but he says that it is too late. He is married and has children. He can't go back in time. The Naz offers to train (domar) the odalisques if he puts in her charge of the house for one day. Said replies that he will do it.

Dora and Miguel are at the club. She reports on the lawyer Cristina found for her. He reiterates his offer to pay the fees. She says that it will only be a loan. What Miguel did for Osvaldo comes up and Dora tells Miguel that she never realized in all the years that she has known him, what a great guy he is. He moves in for a kiss but Dora pulls away at the last moment and says that she has to leave.

Dora comes home and tells Estela that she and Daniel have to meet with the lawyer. Daniel doesn't want to fight with Leo. Dora begs him not to ask her to give up the fight for her rights as his mother.

Even the worst lawyer in Miami seems to have more on the ball than Leo the successful businessman. It apparently comes as a surprise to Leo that Dora could oppose his suit and file a counter suit. Roberto points out that Leo is trying to change Daniel's birth certificate and any mother would oppose that. 'But she's not his mother,' protests Leo in his incredibly tiresome refusal to see anyone's point of view but his own. 'A judge will decide that,' replies Roberto.

Marisa comes down [just once before the end of this novela, I want to see her dressed like a normal person. She's a 40 year old woman for God's sake!] and asks to speak to Leo. Leo tells her that the police will handle the investigation of the theft with discretion. Rosa comes in and says that Nati is not feeling well. They all go to Nati's room. She is having abdominal pain and is afraid that she is losing her baby. They call the doctor.

Paula calls Clara's house and asks to speak to Fer. Clara tells her to leave her son alone. Paula says that she is coming over to the house. Clara threatens to call the police. Paula replies that if she is arrested for the robbery, she won't go down alone. 'Do you want to see your son behind bars?' asks the unlovely Paula.

Poor Clara doesn't know what to do. Carolina says that she is there for her.

Back at Casa Ferrer, the phone rings. Rosa answers and says Paula is on the phone. Nati insists on speaking to her and tells her to come over.

Lucía and Andrea discuss the strange behavior of Consuelo, the maid who quit. They seem to want to investigate it further. [Hellooo! since when do rich people care about why the maid quit? There are always more maids out there.]

Roberto comes home and tells Lucía and Andrea that Nati is having a miscarriage. Lucía wants to go and support Marisa but Roberto tells her that is the last thing Marisa wants.

The sKanks blather on about how little they will miss the neighborhood when they move up in the world.

The doctor comes to see Nati. Lucas watches him go up the stairs. Why isn't he involved in this family drama?

Leo tells Lucas that he ran Enrique down for so long for being a drug addict and now his granddaughter is following in his footsteps. Marisa comes in and orders Rosa to tell the guards not to let Paula in.

Paula is outside.

Nati loses her baby.

More bickering of Mohamed's children while a party goes on at Gloria's. Zamira calls Fez [which is on telenovela time, since if it is evening in Miami, it's the middle of the night in Morocco] and gives the phone to Latifa. She tells Mohamed that if he takes a second wife, he won't see her or his children again. Meanwhile, Zoraida is filling the wife candidate's head with lies about how badly Mohamed treats his existing wife and children. Latifa is very pleased with her strategy and when Mohamed calls back, she orders her children not to answer the phone. Back in Fez, Mohamed has decided to take a second wife.

The credits roll.

Labels: clon

Capítulo 159: A night of lies, damn lies and … more damn lies.
In which Malicia delivers the death blow to Clara’s romance; Rogelio’s been taking Dumb pills; Marisa’s been taking Mean pills; and Fer and Crazy Paula pull a knife at Gloria’s Bar.

As promised, Jade takes Samira aside for some girl talk. She repeats what Zoraida told her when she first came to Morocco to live:
Cuando uno es la parte débil, hay que evitar.
(When you are the weaker party, you have to avoid (direct confrontation).)
Samira listens respectfully but still rejects the veil. And Jade smiles and says ruefully:
¡Ay Samira, si fueras mi hija, no serías tan parecida a mí!
(Oh Samira, you couldn’t be more like me if you were my own daughter!)

Pablo and Malicia are saying their good-byes. She wants him to say he’ll be faithful to her while she’s cavorting in Paris – on business, of course -- with Rogelio. He says:
Mientras tú no estés, no voy a hacer reír a ninguna mujer.
(While you’re not here, I won’t make any woman laugh.)
[Pablo is at least as slippery as Malicia, but not nearly as slimy.]
Pablo goes to get his car to drive her to the airport. As soon as he is out the door, Malicia calls a taxi. [Apparently her broom is in the shop.]

Carolina was sure Rogelio would call before leaving for Paris. Why would he, says Clara, when he’s with that slut! (la zorra esa, literally ‘fox’)

Malicia has taken the cab to Salamandra. She wants to leave for the airport with Rogelio. Rogelio wonders aloud if he should call Clara. Malicia thinks not. She’s heard that Clara is getting back together with her ex- (and the father of her son), Escobar. In fact, Clara “se metió contigo para darle celos a Escobar.” (she got together with you to make Escobar jealous.)

Pablo gets back to Alicia’s ill-gotten apartment and finds a note saying she took a taxi – if she saw him again, she might not be able to leave! And the note concludes:
Te amo más que nadie en el mundo. (I love you more than anyone in the world!)

Hilda and Karla are at Gloria’s and dreaming of birth announcements and social pages and lawsuits. Miss K injects a tiny note of reality. Their lawyer has said that even if they manage to get what they are after, it will be a while before they see any money. Maybe they should be careful with their expenses. Yes, agrees Hilda, it might take a month…

When Andrea and Alejandro arrive, Karla gives him a jealous look. Andrea tells Alejandro to write to Nati and she’ll make sure the letter reaches her. Alej wants to visit Nati but no one will tell him the name of the clinic. He doesn’t understand – he’s the baby’s father!

And at Casa Ferrer, somehow Marisa has intercepted the letter. Rosa tries to convince her to give it to Natalia --
¡Llévasela! Se va a poner muy feliz! (Take it to her! She’ll be very happy!)
Marisa tears up the letter. Leo comes downstairs and is ready to go with Marisa to the Rehab Center to visit Nati. Lucia arrives unexpectedly. Marisa makes up a story about visiting a sick friend of Leo’s.

While Marisa is with Lucia, Leo takes Rosa aside and asks why she didn’t tell him Daniel had been there. When he hears that Daniel left abruptly after arguing with Lucas, Leo gets mad at Lucas: He should have more consideration with the boy!, he says. He’s an adult!

Albieri is at home when he gets a call from someone named Villegas. Villegas wants to see him and Albieri says he’ll be there within the hour. Then Albieri tells Luisa:
Lllamó Villegas. Lo sabe todo.
(Villagas called. He knows everything.)

Roberto finds Escobar at the clinic and informs him that his demand against Malicia was denied by the judge. The apartment is a lost cause. [Well, maybe if Escobar had a better lawyer…]

At the Rehab Center, Natalia tells Marisa and Leo that she has had time to think things over and she is ready to go home. But why didn’t Alejandro come with you? she asks. Her mother says:
Estará ocupado con sus cosas.
(He must be busy with his stuff.)
Then Leo repeats his job offer:
Mi propuesta sigue en pie. Quiero que vengas a trabajar conmigo.
(My offer still stands. I’d like you to come to work with me.)
Natalia could be his personal assistant. All three seem to like the idea.

Latifa no vino. Le ha dado muchos disgustos a Mohamed.
(Latifa didn’t come. She has caused Mohamed a lot of heartache.)
This is how Mohamed answers Zoraida when she sees he has come alone to Fez.
Alí is planning a welcome reception for Mohamed in the evening and Abdul has invited the businessman Yaser. Out of Alí’s earshot, Abdul explains that:
(Yaser) va a traer a su hija para que te conozca.
(He’s going to bring his daughter to meet you.)
Mohamed is less than enthusiastic.

Zoraida pleads with Alí to keep Mohamed from taking a second wife. Alí defends polygamy [although some of us may remember him saying on another occasion that, if he had to do it over again, he would have married only one wife.] But Zoraida insists:
A ninguna mujer le gusta compartir a su marido.
(No woman likes to share her husband.)
Furthermore, if Zoraida had a husband, she would make sure the marriage contract specified that he could take no other wives.

Albi and Luisa are talking about Villegas, apparently an old colleague and rival of Albieri’s and now an important figure on the Medical Board. They never got along and Villegas always thought Albieri was mediocre and dull (apagado). Albi needs to find out what Villegas actually knows. Luisa’s advice:
¡Niégalo todo, Albieri! (Deny everything!)

As soon as Albieri leaves, Luisa calls Julio. Is it a good sign that Villegas called? she asks. Julio doesn’t know, but he doesn’t think Silvia has made the formal complaint to the Medical Board yet or he would have heard about it.

Albieri is sitting before his old rival Villegas. Villegas expresses some reluctance to ask the question, but finally comes out with it:
Albieri, ¿es verdad que tú hiciste un clon?
(Albieri, is it true that you made a clone?)
And Albi, with a look of supreme satisfaction, says aloud:
Sí, yo lo hice, hice un clon humano y tiene veinte años de edad. Pero no me crees, tú no me crees capaz.
(Yes, I did it, I made a human clone and he is twenty years old. But you don’t believe me, you don’t think I’m capable of it.)
Villegas says he’ll need the weekend to think it over. They’ll meet again on Monday.

When Albieri leaves, another man enters the office. Villegas tells him that Albieri is a very eccentric man; he needs to verify his story so he doesn’t make a fool of himself in front of his colleagues.

Back at home with Luisa, Albieri laughs at Villegas’s dilemma. Albieri thinks he may get away with it because his nemesis is too arrogant to believe the truth. But he is torn because he does desperately want recognition for what he has done. And he can’t stand being underestimated.

Daniel tells Estela that Jade loves Lucas, not him.

And Lucas complains to Cristina that Jade seems prepared to love someone just because he looks like Lucas. How would you feel, he asks Cris, if you met a twenty-year old clone of my father? He’d be a stranger to me, she says. I didn’t know him then. Okay, what about this, asks Lucas:
¿Qué pasaría si ahora apareciera un clon de mi papá en la edad en que lo conociste? – ¿a cuál escogerías: al clon o a mi papá?
(What would happen if right now a clone of my father appeared, a clone the same age as my father was when you met him – which would you choose? The clone or my father?)
Cristina swallows hard. Al clon, she answers.

Daniel wants nothing of Jade’s, he tells Estela. He is going to return her necklace.

Jade ruminates over her vida sentimental with her cousin. (Maybe she is trying to get Latifa’s mind off Mohamed.) She shouldn’t have gone to the ruins… The shadows of Lucas did make her feel happy… she’s not afraid of Lucas but she is furious with him… when she accepted Zein, it turned out he had forgotten her…

Not exactly. Vicki and Zein meet by chance at the pool. Vicki knows that Zein was hurt when Jade didn't call him (Well, she did call, of course. But only we and the nameless hussy in his bed know the truth!) Zein is surprised to hear that Jade is now back in Miami and that she didn’t marry Said.

Daniel appears on Albieri’s doorstep, Jade’s necklace in hand. I need you to give this back to her, to Jade! he says.

At Casa Ferrer, Rosa speaks her mind to Marisa:
¡Fuiste muy cruel! No has debido romper la carta que Alejandro escribió a Natalia!
(You were very cruel! You shouldn’t have torn up the letter Alejandro wrote to Natalia!)
Marisa continues to scapegoat Alej as the source of her daughter’s problems. She is determined to keep him away from her.

At the Rehab Center, Natalia’s therapist tries to persuade her to stay longer, but she has decided to leave.

Enrique: I was afraid when I left the clinic. I had to learn how to protect myself from drugs and how to rebuild my life.

Marisa and Lucas pick up Natalia and bring her back to Casa Ferrer. Rosa and Marina greet her warmly. Marisa gets up to leave the room. Her purse is on the coffee table. Marisa glances at Natalia and then quickly picks up the purse. And Natalia notices.

Rosa offers to phone Andrea or Alejandro – he called so many times for you! – but Natalia asks her not to call anyone.

Enrique: The people around me had been hurt and now they were expecting me to relapse. I could see it, I could read it in the subtext of everything they said: How long before he relapses?

They’re partying at Gloria’s but Alej is feeling sad because Nati hasn’t called.

The three sKanks are there too. Consuelo is up there shaking it and Karla would be too but Hilda is afraid she’ll get elbowed and their investment will be damaged.

Two scuzzy black-clad figures appear abruptly. They push through the dancers to the cash register where Ramón is taking orders. Fernando’s hand is under his shirt and he points his finger, like a gun, at Ramón. Paula pulls out a very real knife and says: Dame todo el dinero. (Give me all the money.)

Credits roll

Labels: clon

My score on plot advancement for tonight episode was o - same old, same old.

Labels: clon