Caray, Caray!

From Friday, Beto has his hands full dealing with the visitors to their apartment as he is trying valiantly to get rid of Isabel who is hiding behind the beads polluting the atmosphere with her own unique perfume which everyone seems to recognize. Monita has come to retrieve some plates to serve Nieves' exquisite mole on, as her keen olfactory endings pick up Isabel's distinctive spoor. To throw her off the scent, Beto admits to backsliding on his recent vow of celibacy. Moni has no trouble believing this but as she leaves she notes that it is the same perfume her mother used. Isabel steps out from behind the beads, but warns Beto that she has unfinished business wit Nieves. She'll be back.

More repeat of Friday with Aldo dealing with Jero who is hiding in his room after borrowing a few items of Coni's clothing that Oscar has requested. He asks Jaqui who has interrupted them to leave and Jero pops out of the closet in which he has been hiding while Jaqui was offering counsel to Aldo. He takes a quick sniff of Coni's blouse which is extruding from the top of his shirt and then lauds Aldo for the way he put his abuela in her place. She deserved that and more for rejecting Jero, the most desirable man around.

Meintras tanto, Beto escorts Isabel to her car. He orders her not to return but she needs to talk with Nieves about the man who abandoned her at the altar who just happens to be Marcos, Coni's daddy. Beto is stunned, "More of your lies." She gives him a card. "Here's where you can find him if you'd like to talk with him." As she drives away Beto holds his head, "¡No, no puede ser!"

Jero notes Aldo's and Estrella's upcoming parenthood. Aldo tells Jero that he doesn't want to discuss it with him but needs to talk to Oscar. Jero just happens to be going to see Oscar next. Aldo insists tha Jero take him along or he will alert Jaqui and Coni that he is there obviously stealing, indicating the clothing of Coni's cascading out of his shirt. Jero reluctantly agrees, Aldo checks and out they slink. Once more Aldo seems to have made a less than wise decision.

Arnie is disinfecting his scissors as Rolu paces. Rolu is concerned that Ximena has not returned an Arnie's concerned about the germs Rolu is stirring up. They quarrel, phone rings. Rolu answers. It's Lalo. "Tell him I'm not here." Yet another budding romance on the rocks? However, when Rolu is curt, Arnie chides Rolu for being rude to Lalo. Maybe a flicker of hope?

Mao walks in on the ladies in Moni's apartment enjoying the mole de olla. Ximena is happy to see him and jokes that he is like a squirrel among the acorns with all these women. Nieves jumps up to fix him a plate. Estrella asks Ximena about married life. Ximena wonders why she is so curious.

Jero pulls up in front of an imposing cold looking mansion that I swear we have seen before in other novellas. Aldo gets out and Jero grabs a pistol from the glove box and secrets it in his jacket. He follows Aldo to the door. Oscar wonders why Jero has brought along Aldo. Aldo needs help and hasn't been able to contact Oscar. "Yeah, have a new cell phone," Oscar explains. Aldo needs fake ID and a fake birth certificate so he can get married. Oscar'll do better than that, he knows a judge who will marry them, now he needs to talk to Jero... alone. Jero gives Aldo the keys, then draws his pistol and confronts Oscar, who pulls out a pistol of his own.

Oscar wonders if Jero's gun is even loaded. "Of course it is." He points out that it was bad manners for Jero to have brought the gun. Jero accuses Oscar of arranging Sal's unfortunate accident in Venezuela. Oscar reminds him of a past similar crime. They both stand there pointing pistols. Dare I say it? A Mexican standoff.

In the kitchen we have another confrontation, but without the guns. It's Jaqui and Katia. Jaqui pounces on Katia warning her not to go blabbing about Estrella's pregnancy. Katia has no intention of doing that and is genuinely sorry for what she has done, and seems to realize that her love for Aldo is hopeless. Jaqui softens and even admits to not having been the best of moms nor Marcos the best of dads. Neither Katia nor Coni learned to take rejection well. Katia doesn't want to be like Coni nor her mom. What she wants is to get out of town.

We rejoin our spatting couple still pointing their pistols at each other. Jero looks a bit ridiculous with articles of Coni's clothing hanging from both pants pockets. Jero accuses Oscar of betrayal in selling his part of the company. Oscar says that he did Jero a favor, he would have never agreed to the sale, the company would have gone broke with Coni and her dad in control, and Jero would have been left with nothing. "There's your half of the money in that suitcase. Check it." Jero does and is delighted. He smiles and confesses that his gun isn't loaded. "But mine is," Oscar smiles malevolently and pulls the trigger of his pistol. Jero cringes as the hammer repeatedly clicks. Surprise, Oscar's gun is empty.

More Katia and Jaqui. Katia wants to go back to Rome and resume her studies in the school there. Jaqui is concerned that it's another of Katia's tantrums, but she assures her it not. She just needs to get away from here. Fine, they'll make the arrangements. Katia kisses her mom's cheek and scurries away to pack her bags. Jaqui rubs her cheek and ruefully observes, "Above all, to get away from me."

"Look, look!" Jero brags as he hands over Coni's clothing, sniffing each piece as he offers it to Oscar. Oscar beams. He explains that he has a plan to get even with Coni. Jero wants to include Jaqui in this revenge. Oscar is amused but they will deal with Jaqui later. Using these and Sal's cell phone with Coni's fingerprints he will frame Coni for the murder of Sal, who by the way is still alive. Jero is speechless.

Jaqui enters Coni's room to tell her that Katia is going to Rome. Coni seems disinterested and suggests that Jaqui go with her. Jaqui apologizes for being a poor mother.

Jero is confused. Oscar explains. Jero is impressed. He almost forgets his money. Oscar reminds him.

Coni tells Jaqui that it's a bit late to be apologizing. Jaqui insists that she will stay. Coni needs her now more than ever. Coni looks... troubled.

Mao and Beto enter the bat cave. Mao had been enjoying Nieves' food when Beto pulled him away. "My mamá spits on her hands before cooking," Beto consoles him. Beto is troubled. He tells Mao of his encounter with Isabel.

Now a sweet scene between Gabi and Moni. Gabi praises Nieves' cooking. "Ah the taste of lard, lipsmacking good." They reminisce over their first encounter when Moni came to work at Groupo Sermeño. Gabi looks great in white pajamas borrowed from Pau. Moni is cute as ever in a short pink robe. They crawl into bed and Gabi tells Moni that she thinks that Loriloca should be told of Sal's demise. Yes, now there's an idea to get this plot rolling.

Beto and Mao are discussing Isabel. Mau is determined to keep Moni from discovering the truth. Beto offers to help.

Gabi thinks that she should be the one to break the news to Lorenza. Moni offers to go along. First thing tomorrow it's off to the manicomio. As the light is switched off, Gabi asks, "What if they don't let us leave?"

It's morning and Mao has brought Alicia and Nieves to the bat cave for a briefing. They are impressed with the place. You know, Mao certainly has a nice hideout. I wonder if he had an interior decorator fix it up for him. They wonder why he's brought them here and why he looks sad. Has something happened to Beto? Monita? He says that it does concern Moni... in a way. "Isabel is alive."

They doubt it then become angry. Mao had to be part of this ruse.

Things don't go well at the manicomio either. Lori is sitting with a catatonic Sal. The nurse tells her that she has visitors. "Must be Oscar." Uh, no. She spots Gabi and Moni and goes nuts. Well, even more nuts. She is convinced that they have come for Sal. We wish.

Mao tells the two ladies that he had a deal with Isabel. Nieves can't believe he made a deal with that tarantula. Alicia, who clearly still has feelings for Isabel objects to that. Nieves agrees. Not fair to tarantulas. They get into a mini side spat. Nieves is livid. Mao looks helpless.

Meanwhile at the nuthouse, Lori has precipitated a near riot. The natives are restless. She acusses Gabi and Moni of coming to take Sal away from her. They look confused and a little frightened. Lori threatens to kill Gabi and cure her of the bad habit of stealing husbands.

At Marcos' apartment the former spouses have a truce. He has gotten airline tickets for Katia. Jaqui assures him that it's for the best, though he wants to be close to both his daughters (actually all three, but Jaqui doesn't know this... yet). With the air of cooperation Marcos decides to unburden himself of another nagging guilt, "Umm, I had a child outside of our marriage."

Alicia and Nieves bickering is interrupted by Mauricio, who asks for them to hear him out, let him explain. They both turn toward him with looks that should tell him, this is not a friendly audience. I have faith that he has the ability to bore them to tears and they will soon agree to anything and be begging him to take them home.

Needless to say, Jaqui does not receive this news with equanimity. She breaks into a wonderful rant comparing herself to Nieves and demanding that Marcos refer to her from now on as Señora Jaqueline. Her seems almost amused by this tirade. They are interrupted by Coni who already knows about his relationship with Nieves... or does she? Jaqui blurts out that he got her pregnant as Beto joins them and challenges him over leaving his mother standing at the alter. Now Coni's stunned, Nieves? Pregnant? She and Beto look helplessly at each other.

Sorry gang. I wasn't feeling too good and was a bit late getting started. Help me out with some good snark for this crucial but tedious episode.

Carlos

Labels: gancho

Here are the plot points:

• Rafa's sister, in her sexy little mini-skirt, gets Rafa's friend Jaime to help her take another load of the wedding booze to the customer Peteta found her. He buys the whiskey and massages her thigh and drools over her. She tries to find a safe hiding place at home for the money. Her mom is kind of suspicious. This sister is telling a lot of lies. Her justification: "But what can I do? This booze may be sacred to Rafa, but he doesn't have time to sell it, and we need the money now." She tells Ma that they can afford to get the TV out of pawn.
  
  
• Rafa has not had any luck selling cars. Today it's his turn to go out and meet possible clients at their offices. On the way out he meets up with Marco and they have a testosterone conflict, shouting in each others faces, basically: "You Medina are an imbecile and you haven't sold any cars and you are going to get fired and I hope you putrify." "You Marco are a kept man and you drive around in your car and make your fiance take a taxi."
  
  
• Rafa has no luck on the beat and even gets his pants ripped by a dog. He does find a "live one," ready and willing to buy cars, but it appears the guy knows Marino. Bummer. Back at Auto Siglo, Rafa gets ripped by Marina for trying to steal customers. That's one of the two sacred things at Auto Siglo, the other being your compadre's women (except Marino has been messing around, we hear...)
  
  
• Marco has come to Auto Siglo to try and smooth things over with Ale (after throwing her out of his apartment and making her take a taxi home alone in the dark of night so he can have sex with a bimbo in purple underwear)... He promises to make it up to her this night. Then Chavez calls to say he's throwing himself a birthday party, with fine whiskey and excellent "female material."
  
  
• Ale is as eager to be loved as a puppy. She tells her doubting friend/assistant Suzanna that Marco was very tender that morning, and now she wants to buy him an expensive white gold pen. "But you can't even pay the light bill." Ale grabs Suzanna's little New Age Buddha and pretends Buddha wants her to whip out a credit card and buy the pen. "You have to invest in a man, Suzanna, you're an old maid because you don't do it."
  
  
• Ale needs a credit counselor, but instead she goes to her boss and begs for an advance. He says no way unless the new salesman Medina does wondrous things in the next two days.
  
  
• Ale's dad decides to drive to the club and hang with his ol' friend what's his name. I refuse to go along with these ikky Alzheimer's jokes. He shouldn't be driving - but he makes it to the club and...
  
  
• Dad sits with his friend over an unplayed game of chess discussing the unraveling of the hacienda finances (unwise investment in costly European machinery on credit, for instance). "We had to sell a lot of cows and the ones we still have don't give much milk, they're depressed." His enumeration of the precious, "intact" treasures of his dead wife are interrupted by...
  
  
• Scenes of Marco and Chavez and a large number of girls in bikinis playing in the hacienda's indoor pool, spending the hacienda money and wrecking the precious items left by Ale's mom - the items the dad says are sacred and have been preserved like a museum.
  
  
• Rafa drags his butt back to Auto Siglo saying it was the worst day of his life.

Labels: dinero

In the first episode, we meet the main characters and see the clash of cultures that will presumably be a big part of the story.

Miami- First, we have Albieri, who will play the role of mad scientist. [It drove me crazy for a while but finally I figured out that Roberto Moll, the actor who plays Albieri, played the evil butler, Walter, on El Cuerpo del Deseo. It was his voice that was so familiar. ] Albieri clones animals and dreams of cloning humans.

He works for Leonardo Ferrer, the head of a large company that imports and exports food.

Lucas and Diego are Leonardo's twin sons. Diego is outgoing and good with women.
Lucas is shy and awkward with women.
Both are played by Mauricio Ochmann. Their father has sent Diego to business school and Lucas to law school with a view towards their taking over his business. However, Lucas doesn't want to be a lawyer. He is interested in music. [The housekeeper, Rosa, is played by the actress who was Eustaquia in Doña Bárbara.]

In a less fancy part of town, we meet Jade [pronounced Ha-Day. That is the Spanish word for the green stone, as well.] She lives with her mother and is trying to be a good muslim girl in a town of mostly naked people who go to bars. Demurely covering her arms, Jade goes to the beach to behold the nakedness of the infidels.

When she comes home, her mother has fallen down and is dying. After few words of advice, Mom's dead and Jade is shipped off to Morocco to live with her uncle.

Leonardo sends for his sons to familiarize them with his business. Lucas is not happy. But guess what - Dad is going to Morocco on business and the boys can go too. Dad also has a girlfriend - Cristina - who the boys have never met.

Fez, Morocco: The twins and Albieri arrive before Leonardo and go for a camel ride in the desert. Then we meet Cristina and her picture is probably next to bimbo in the dictionary.

Cristina comes into the hotel bar and sees Diego. It's lust at first sight and without apparently exchanging a word, they go off and have sex.

Jade arrives in Morocco and is met by her cousin, Latifa and Zoraida, whose relationship to Latifa is not clear. [It took me a minute but Zoraida is played by the actress who played Ester, Soledad's mother, in La Traición.] The culture shocks start for Jade - Latifa is engaged to a guy she has never met. Then Jade sees a procession where a new bride displays the bloody undergarments that indicated she was a virgin. Jade asks what happens if the bride isn't a virgin. She is told that the bride is returned to her family or killed. I'm guessing Jade is going to find out about this first hand.
Jade meets her uncle, Ali. He welcomes her but tells her that his household follows islamic law strictly. She should cover her hair when she goes out. Jade can go to university to become a doctor but then Ali will arrange a marriage for her.

Albieri went to University with Ali and they arrange to meet. Meanwhile, Leonardo notices that the moles (manchas) that his sons have on their shoulders are growing. He wants Albieri to check them out. I assume these moles is going to be used in the future as some kind of identification and not as a warning about skin cancer.

Leonardo introduces his sons to Cristina.

Ooops - social embarrassment. Diego and Christina learn that it makes sense to at least ask the name of your partner before you have sex with them. Diego runs off to his room and tells Lucas that he has to warn Daddy about the loose morals his fiancee. Lucas thinks that they can't do that to Dad and have to find another way to get rid of Cristina. We find out that many years ago Albieri was engaged to someone who died. Lucas locks Diego in his hotel room to keep him from telling their father about Cristina. Lucas decides to go with Albieri to Ali's house.

Jade finds a belly dancing (la dansa del vientre) outfit and is told by Latifa that the bride wears it to dance for her husband and no one else. Jade says that her mother taught her to belly dance and Latifa wants a demonstration. While Ali and Albieri argue about the ethics of cloning, Lucas wanders off and of course he sees Jade dancing and ultimately Jade sees him. [The TiVo cut off before the end of the show so I didn't get any pics of Jade dancing. I TiVo'd the rebroadcast at 11pm and they only showed the first half hour of the program! Grrrr!]

Leonardo comes to Diego's room and asks what the hell is going on with him.

The credits roll.

Addendum for Novelera:

Walter in El Cuerpo del Deseo and Albieri in El Clon

Labels: clon

Hi all,

I thought it was just my own bad luck that a visit to Univision.com landed me with a horrible hard-to-eradicate computer virus which called itself "Internet Security Essentials" and locked up my monitor with frozen warnings of doom if I didn't buy "protection" (like the Mafia protects us).

But today my computer guy told me he has a bunch of Mexican customers who have brought in their locked-up computers with same problem, a computer virus gotten at http://univision.com.

The computer tech says it's not univision's fault, somehow their site has been invaded from elsewhere - they don't mean to be giving us computer worms - but till they get it fixed it is NOT A SAFE SITE.

Anybody else had this problem?

Melinama

Labels: announcements

I'm a little late this week. I was out at a charity event on Thursday night and I was completely wiped out yesterday!

Tonight, Susana Gonzales is "Tere, Desconfiada" (Tere, distrustful).

A woman in a blue sweater stands with her back to the camera. Another woman says, "Tere? Teresita?" Tere turns around. Her neck is covered in blood and she's holding bloody scissors. "En que le puedo servir?" (What can I do for you?)

Credits. I admit, the song gives me chills.

A doorbell rings. A man in a suit, carrying a laptop, puts down the laptop and answers the door. It's Eiza Gonzalez, who I last saw as Lola in Lola, Erase Una Vez. She obviously attends St. Britney Spears' School for Wayward Tarts. She's looking for her mom, who she thought would be with Tere. The guy invites her in. Just so we can avoid confusion later, his name is José and hers is Gabriela.

A knitting shop. Gorgeous yarns, sharp shiny needles. Tere puts skeins of yarn into a bin and looks at the clock. She shakes her head and keeps working. She starts stacking skeins on the shelves. She counts the cash in the till. She sighs. She takes a pill out of a hankie in her pocket and downs it. I think the hankie is done in hardanger. I wonder if she did it herself. She leaves the shop and locks the door. The whole time, she's got a dead look on her face.

José offers Gabriela a "refresco" (soft drink), but she'd rather have coffee. He makes her an instant coffee and asks her to get the cream out of a cabinet. He checks out her ass as she does it. Something fell out of the cabinet and she thinks it got her in the eye. He gets up way too close to see if she's ok. The microwave beeps and he hands her the coffee. She pretty quickly puts it down, sits on the counter, puts her feet up on the opposite counter and says there's a place nearby that serves real coffee. Maybe he could meet her there around six tomorrow? He hears the front door and says it's Tere and her mom. But really, it's only Tere. Gabi's mom went to the store. Gabi supposes she'd better go home. She thanks José for the coffee. He and Tere share a look.

Moran comments to the medical guy, who is maybe Gerardo, that it was odd the guy was killed that way. Gerardo thinks what's weird is that Moran thinks it's weird. Aranda, the curly-haired cop, says she's surprised he was killed with this"…whatever it is it's in a plastic bag, so I can't quite tell. Gerardo is surprised the two of them work with him. He asks what else they found and Moran shows the bloody scissors.

Tere heats up two plates of dinner in the microwave and brings them into the dining room. José asks when the maid is coming back. Tere says with only the two of them, there's not a lot for her to do, so despite the maid's absence, she'll manage. José asks for the salt and adds some to his plate. Tere thinks it was weird for Gabi to be there because she knew that Tere wasn't going to see her mom today. José gets nervous and changes the subject. He asks if she sold anything, even an "estambrito" (a ball of yarn). She says a couple of ladies came in, but no, she didn't sell anything. Come on, people, support your local "tienda de hilo" (yarn shop). They start getting into an argument. She thinks business will pick up. He's upset because they're not done paying off the house yet and he's also paying for her mother's medical bills. "And on top of that, I can't count on you for anything…not even as a wife." He tells her that the two of them aren't anything. She says she's grateful for him taking care of her mom and as for the "mercería" (haberdasher's; i.e., the yarn store) it's a business and you have to invest in businesses. She reminds him that he's the one who wanted her to have the store as a distraction. It just hasn't been the distraction he hoped it would be and he thinks she's becoming more depressed. He tells her he doesn't care what hobby she chooses, he just wants her distracted, and if it should happen not to cost anything, he'd like that even better.

Later, in bed, she calls a halt to the action.

The next morning, he's asking about his blue shirt. She starts specifying which one, but he gets pissy. She breaks off brushing her hair and goes into his closet to get the shirt, which was hiding under a jacket. As he puts it on, he reminds her that it's someone's birthday, so he's going out for drinks with the guys after the meeting. She's upset that he hadn't mentioned it before. He doesn't know exactly where they're going and he doesn't know if he'll be home for dinner. She clips her hair up.

At the shop, she looks around, fussing with things, rearranging. Eventually she pulls out a project and starts knitting, almost angrily. I bet her gauge is consistently tight.

José goes into the coffee place. Gabi is waiting for him, smacking gum and smoking. He sits down. He tells her he sometimes goes there after work, but she laughs at him. He accepts a drink of her beer. He asks if she didn't go to school. She says she did, but she went home to change. Ew, is that code for "What happened to the uniform?" She's already underage and wearing short shorts and a top that doesn't cover her stomach. Is that not enough for you, Humbert? She asks if he's comfortable or if he's nervous that they'll be seen. He says they aren't doing anything bad, so she rubs her foot against his leg and says he wants to.

They go to a hotel. We are left to assume that the dirty deed was done.

Tere chops vegetables badly and makes soup. She looks at the clock. She takes some meds. Her hands are shaking badly.

Later, she pulls the hankie out from under her nightgown and takes another pill before she goes to bed.

She's sleeping with the light on and he comes home.

He remembers Gabi asking when they'll see each other again. He tries to suggest the following Tuesday, but she gets pissed off and says they'll meet on Friday at the same hotel. He hedges. He's not sure if he'll be able to make it. She tells him he will be able to.

José turned out the light and Tere sleeps on, while he's still awake thinking of Gabi telling him he will be able to.

Tere and another woman are working on some kind of craft project, decorating what I think are tiny baby bassinets. The other woman, who I think is Gabi's mother, is suggesting that if they were doing this at the shop, people would see them and it might bring in business. Tere says she wouldn't have been able to go to the store, she's got a headache that's killing her. Gabi's mom thinks the projects are cute, but Tere thinks they're awful. Gabi's mom suggests that maybe it's because they're baby-themed and Tere never had a baby. She sees the look on Tere's face and apologizes. Tere asks how Gabi is doing. Mom says she's fine, she always does what she wants. The doorbell rings and Tere goes to get it. Gabi, in full-on tart mode, saunters in. She touches Tere's cheek and says she looks tired. Tere blames it on her headache. She asks Gabi what's up. "Are you happy? Are you seeing anyone?" Gabi says she "more or less" is and mom gives her a hard time for not having mentioned it. Tere says there's nothing wrong with going out with someone, "as long as they're not married." Mom makes a face. Tere asks if the guy lives nearby. Gabi says yes and starts laughing at a picture of José and Tere. Tere tells her the picture is about ten years old. Gabi says José (Pepe) looks exactly the same. José comes home and looks freaked out to see them all there. Tere explains that there wasn't enough room at the shop to work on their project. José asks about dinner and Tere says she'll make some now. Mom says she and Gabi need to be off. She'll take some stuff home to work on, but Gabi needs to get home because she's in the middle of exams. Jose, like the idiot he's already proved himself to be by cheating on his wife with a little tart not yet out of school, says "Really? Exams? You didn't tell me." Tere immediately picks up on this and asks why Gabi would have needed to tell him. José says no reason, just talking. Gabi and mom take off.

Back at the popo, Aranda tells Capellan that the team is brining over the rest of the evidence. Gerardo begins his report to Det. Capellan: "The first thing she did was drive in the needle. She did it with enough force to get it 20cm in and through the liver." Det. C objects that a knitting needle can't do that…it would break. Not so, says Gerardo, not with today's ultra-light, ultra-strong ones. "How long has it been since you last knitted?" Det. C takes the needle from him, points it at his neck and says it's been a long time since she last knitted, but she'd like to practice on him. Moran and Aranda grin.

Tere shows off some yarn to a client. The client likes the yarn, but she forgot exactly what color she used to start her shawl in the first place. I do this all the time--not forgetting the color, exactly, but running out of yarn and not being sure a new skein is going to match. Tere gives the woman the skein and says if it's wrong, she'll exchange it. Gabi's Mom comes in and says she finished (with the project, I assume) and asks if Tere did as well. Tere avoids answering and asks where Gabi is, if she's out of school. Mom supposes so. She doesn't ask Gabi where she's going. And she has no idea who the boyfriend is. She announces that she finished 100 of the decorations, but she doesn't want Tere to pay her. She just did it to keep busy. Tere gripes that all she ever sells are skeins of yarn. Gabi's mom reminds her that José bought her the store as a distraction, not so she would become a millionaire. I wish my husband would buy me a yarn store as a distraction. It couldn't go under any faster than I could knit up all the yarn instead of selling it, I'm sure. Tere immediately starts asking about Gabi again, if she seems happy. Mom is wierded out, now, but she says Gabi is strange, like they all are at that age. She laughs at the suggestion that Gabi may be going out with an older man. Tere winds some ribbon back onto a bobbin at lightning speed. Mom says she thinks Gabi likes guys her own age.

Jose sleeps as Gabi smacks him to wake him back up. She angrily says she ditched school today, so he'd better teach her something new. Ew. "Whatever you like best." He's groggy.

Tere is nervous. She plays with her hands, takes out her cell phone, pulls out a bottle of pills and plays with the cap. José comes home. She was waiting for him. She asks if they should have dinner. She's suspicious that he wants to shower now, at this time of day, but he says he feels "dirty." He comments that she looks nervous, so maybe she should just take the pills already.

Tere examines her face in the mirror. José asks what she's obsessing about and says she's beautiful, young. He asks where his wife is. She shakes her head and says she doesn't know. José's cell phone rings. He eventually answers it, but in a shady way, since he can see it's Gabriela calling. He tells her he'll call her tomorrow.

Tere and Gabi's mom put the little mini-bassinets in a big basket in the shop. Mom reminds Tere that yesterday was her saint's day (St. Teresa…there are a couple of them). Tere isn't used to celebrating it, but Mom got her a gift…of skimpy lingerie. Tere says it's pretty, but she doesn't wear that stuff. Gabi's mom says she'd better. One has to keep one's man warm. Then she says it was Gabi's idea. Tere storms off. Gabi's mom also says to thank José for buying one of Gabi's schoolbooks for her. She thinks that José is just playing daddy (riiight, sugar daddy). Mom supposes that Gabi, being the little "igualada" (uppity) girl she is, probably pestered José into buying it for her and he didn't want to say "no." Tere agrees that must be right, but her heart isn't in it.

Gabi didn't get a call back, so she waited outside his house. José says he couldn't call because he was in a meeting. She bullies him into agreeing to meet her at the hotel at 7 tomorrow, even though he says 7 is too late.

José waits impatiently for the microwave to finish heating his food. Tere comes in. He asks her what's up and she returns the question. He claims not to know what she's talking about. She says she wants to know what's up with Gabriela, with him buying her a book, and when did he even see her to give it to her. He says they just ran into each other and she asked him for money for a book, which he gave her, and what's the big deal, it's Tere's friend's daughter." Tere says she's a girl, to which he stupidly replies, "She told me she was 18." Tere says she's seen the way he looks at her and he gripes that she's not a girl, she's a woman. "Excuse me if I like to look at women." He leaves his food on the table and leaves the room while Tere seethes.

The next day, Gabi's mom comes into the shop and announces that she found some fabric for them to use to make the "duendecitos" (little imps, little goblins). Tere is busy knitting way too tight and she slams down her knitting to ask Gabi's Mom if her daughter is going out with her (Tere's) husband. She keeps advancing on Gabi's Mom, and Mom gets nervous and says Tere has gone crazy from taking so many pills and she's sick.

José tries to explain to Gabi that they can't see each other so often. People are getting suspicious. He says she's very "chiquita" (little). "You didn't care about my age when it came to sleeping with me." She confesses that her mom asked her if they were going out. "And you know what? Tere's the one who told her, so she already knows." José doesn't think so, but Gabi says they "always" end up finding out. "Not if we do things right." Gabi kicks his shoulder and sulks.

Gabi is walking down the street, minding her own tarty business, when Tere comes up behind her, holds scissors to her throat, slaps a hand over her mouth, and drags her away.

Tere drags her into an alley and tells her to shut it. Gabi cries and gasps. She says she didn't do anything. José told her he was going to buy her a book and he took her to their house and raped her in their bed. Tere pats Gabi on the head feebly, puts the scissors away, and walks away. Gabi keeps sobbing and gasping.

Gabi's Mom tells the same story to Det. Capellan, that José raped her daughter. Det. C asks if they did exams, if they reported it. Gabi's Mom says if her daughter says it happened, then she believes her. Det. C coldly says they can't discard the possibility that her daughter is lying. Det. C says she can order a gyno exam and she doesn't need mom's permission to do it. FYI, that will only tell them if she's been sexually active recently, not whether she was raped.

Gabi and José sit in his car. Gabi angrily tells José that Tere tried to kill her. She demands that he get divorced and send Tere to jail. José doesn't think Tere's capable of doing anything. Gabi says the only one not capable of doing anything here is him. She calls him "poco hombre" (not man enough) and says he can get into a relationship with a "little girl" but he can't confront his wife. José says they'll settle this right now.

He goes to the shop asks "What did you do to Gabi? You threatened her with scissors?" Tere asks him what he did to Gabi.

Det. Capellan shows Gabi's mom a medical report and says a gyno exam showed no signs of rape (because it usually can't) and Gabi's body doesn't show any signs of violence (which doesn't necessarily mean she wasn't raped). Mom is shocked.

José laughs off the idea that he could have raped Gabi. He says that the pills have made her crazy. Tere says Gabi's the one who told her. Gabi who didn't wait in the car like he told her to. José confronts Gabi with having told Tere that he raped her. Gabi starts crying and asking "Why? Why did you do this to me?" Then she calls Tere a killer and says they're both crazy. She calls José a pig and says she should have called the cops. Tere gets upset and José says "can't you see what she's trying to do?" He calls Gabi the crazy one. He tells Tere that she wants to destroy them. "Didn't you tell me to divorce her and send her to jail?" Gabi keeps up the lie and Tere is beyond confused. José is now telling the truth, about her waiting outside the house for him, ditching school. José tells Tere that he'll admit his responsibility, but he won't let "this girl" come between them. Gabi screams again that he raped her. "Oh yeah? Weren't you the one who asked me to show you new things last night in bed?" Tere cries and holds her head.

Detective Capellan tells Tere that Gabi lied. José never raped her. Her suspicions were correct, they were having an affair. Tere, still a bit bloody, pulls out the hankie with the pills and says, "Then it was good I punished him?" Det. C says no, she shouldn't have punished anyone, much less in that way. Tere wonders when she heard Gabriela and when she stopped hearing and seeing her husband. "When did my sight get clouded with his blood?"

José keeps yelling that Gabi is crazy. Gabi keeps crying that he said he loved her, he said she was the daughter Tere could never give him. Tere comes at him with a knitting needle, stabs him with it, and cuts his throat with scissors. And now Gabi's crying for real. The bloody butterfly flies away. Tere turns to look at Gabi, and then at the camera.

"Tere Alamilla was found guilty of brutal murder, aggravated by matrimonial ties. She was condemned to 14 years in prison. Her lawyers tried to declare her incompetent but they failed. Gabriela Ortega was condemned to 11 months in prison after being found guilty of the crimes of perjury and false testimony."

Labels: asesinas

　
Capítulo 92

On another side of the manse, meanwhile, Victoria gets a call on her cell from Fernando asking her to please visit him the next morning. He has a surprise for her. He says he's also a little hurt that she's avoiding him. Vicki makes excuses about her busy schedule, but then reluctantly agrees to make the effort to see him. She quickly hangs up. Poor Nando is still saying his sweet nothings but to a dead line. As he continues to wax romantic, telling Vicki how much he cares for her and doesn't want to lose her, he realizes Vicki has hung up on him. If his tan weren't so dark, Viewerville could see the fifteen shades of red his face turns.

A bit later that evening up in Alex and MJ's bedroom, Alex tells Mary Jo that he's gotten all the paperwork done for their civil wedding ceremony. The blood test is all that remains and they can be married in eight days. She is thrilled. It will be a simple affair. They'll plan the religious wedding afterwards, of course, once things have calmed down. Mary Jo tells Alex she just had a memory about their going to see a priest before to discuss their wedding. He's thrilled that the old MJ is returning! Oh happy day! They hug and cry tears of joy together.

The next morning Vicki visits Fernando. He shows her his surprise: he throws off the cover and then stands up on his own! Oh happy day again! With her help he begins to take a few steps. He tells her that he's going to be the same as he ever was and now she knows that she has no reason to reject him. Vicki is suddenly uncomfortable as Fer pushes the point. She tells him they've had that conversation already. When he's 40 something she'll be 60 something. (The woman has apparently come to her senses and is now ready to sacrifice her lust/love so that he can have a normal life?) He'll still be in his prime, she says, but she'll be essentially drooling and doddering. He insists it doesn't matter to him, but Vicki says it matters to her. She mentions then how well he and his lovely therapist, Irene, get along.

Nando insists Vicki is lovely too, and they've shared some quality time together also; but more than that, they were lovers. He thinks it's just her insecurities and that she shouldn't let those get in the way. Vicki insists that Irene is more properly suited to him [adecuada] and, yes, a better age for him. This is the reality, she tells him, that he is refusing to see. (Was anybody else out there dying for her to tell him that when he grows up and gets to be her age, he'll finally see she was right???) Just then the housekeeper comes to tell them that Irene is there for her session. Nando's frown hits the ground. Vicki says she sincerely hopes he won't give up his much needed therapy sessions. She greets Irene and then gives him a definitive "Adiós."

Irene cheerily tells Fer about the session she's got planned for him (definitely a gal who enjoys her work) and about a rehab center nearby that has a gym with all the equipment he'll need for his sessions. Suddenly she realizes he's depressed and distracted. She asks him what's the matter but he tells her not to worry about it. He has her repeat what she was saying. FF>>

Once Vicki returns home Felipa asks her what happened with Fer. Vicki fights back her tears and says what happened was what had to happen and not to ask her about or mention Fernando to her again. She then has Felipa call Lic. Quiñones. In a shaky voice Vicki tells the attorney to start the proper paperwork because Raquel has agreed to give her legal guardianship of her baby daughter.

Later that day there is a board meeting at Lombardo, Inc. where all the business partners' new and confidential numbers to their company bank accounts are passed out. Everyone is supposed to memorize their number for security reasons and then to destroy their hard copies. MJ is a little nervous since she's unfamiliar with these sorts of things. Alex says not to worry because they'll teach her little by little everything that she needs to know. Vicki assures her it's a good system. Meowra purrs pleasantly and adds that they'll all be sure to be careful with this information. Raqhell chimes in idiotically, obviously forgetting that her twin is there, that "There aren't any thieves at their company." (Viewerville shares a communal snort.)

Wile E. Bruno notices MJ's discomfort with company procedures. He pays a visit to Meowra after the meeting. Meowra says she is done with being a part of his intrigues. Bruno asks if she'd be game if he actually found a way she could avoid getting her hands dirty this time. Her whiskers come to attention and her ears prick up. Bruno starts to explain that his plan has to do with the secret numbers (pin numbers?) in those envelopes they were all given. Rrrreow??

That evening Alex takes Mary Jo out for a romantic dinner to celebrate her beginning to get her memory back. There are long-stemmed red roses lying on the table. Something's up. He tells MJ she has no idea how much he wishes she would remember the first time they made love. MJ smiles and blushes. Alex says it was marvellous for him and that now, after nearly losing her, he recognizes how much he really loves her. She's the woman he'd always imagined he would spend the rest of his life with. Mary Jo smiles and blushes some more as Alex hands her a long-stemmed rose with a huge 3 carat engagement ring hidden in the center of it. He formally asks her to marry him.

Viewerville oohs and ahhs along with MJ. She tells him he didn't need to do this and that she never expected it!! Alex says they were already married when they first met, so they didn't have a chance to enjoy this moment before. All he's ever wanted to do since the first time he saw her was to love her, and uh, he's still waiting for her answer. Mary Jo says of course she will marry him! She wants to with all her heart. (Not that he --or we-- ever really doubted that she would.) Alex looks more than a bit relieved as he moves in for The Kiss that seals the deal.

Across town at another restaurant, Paula and Gabriel are also having dinner together. Gabe, it seems, has been told that he has talent, but needs to improve his technique. So, his newfound patron is sending him to Mexico City to painting school. Paula says go for it. He says he's excited, but on the other hand, he's going to miss seeing her and that makes him sort of sad. Pau sort of matter of factly says they've become good friends and so sure, she'll miss him, too. He adds that there's something else he has to tell her that he never dared to before because he didn't feel he was on her level; and because he knows she likes the good life and such and now that he's going to be selling his pieces he'll be able to kinda, sorta provide for her now. (Yawn.) Pau's eyes go wide as she waits for the rest of it.

Gabe smiles oafishly and hands her some jerky post card that has "Will you be my girlfriend?" scrawled on the back of it. (Oh. My. Gawd.) Pau smiles nervously--but it's really hard to tell why. She is either A) extremely flattered or B) terribly embarrassed at the way this guy comes across. (I vote for "B".) Pau says she'll have to think about it first. He really hopes she'll give him an answer before he leaves in the morning for Mexico City. She doesn't commit. (Uh, Gabe, that should be your first clue she's trying to let you down gently.) He says he would like to leave with the hope that when he comes back home he will be returning for his girlfriend. He wants her to be that girlfriend. (Pau, the pickin's are not that slim. DON'T DO IT! Give him a peck on the cheek and pray daily to the diosito that he finds somebody at school right away and forgets you even exist!) Pau smiles broadly but says nothing.

Mary Jo and Alex return home late from dinner. First they check in at the nursery and ooh and ahh at the babies. Alex says it's such a marvel that the two of them actually made such a perfect little critter as Tony. MJ says their entire love story was destined to succeed, even though neither of them thought it might. Alex says no, he always thought she was out there somewhere and that eventually he would find her. It was like a magic spell or a charm [sortilegio]. "Yes. A love charm." The two kiss. A minute or two later Alex is taking off his shirt for her (and us). Soon after that... well we know what comes after that. 'Nough said..... Mary Jo willingly, though modestly, gives herself over to her one true love again. FF>>

The next morning Gabe says good-bye to Pedro, Chucho and his big sis. (Viewerville notes with great relief that Paula didn't stop by for a last minute farewell hug or smooch.) Chucho is near tears and tells Gabe not to forget them. Meche is bawling like crazy and Gabe reminds her that it's not forever. He gives her an envelope with money to buy some nice clothes and to find a house for the two of them. It's time they moved out now that they are able to, he says. Chucho and Pedro say it's not necessary and that they like things just the way they are. Gabe reminds them that that was the agreement when Pedro first let them stay there, and he'd always promised Meche "a little roof" of her own.

Chucho gives Gabe his blessing and sees him out the door. Pedro and he try to comfort Meche and tell her this is all part of life and that nobody can stop the young ones from flying away. You can only wait and hope that they come back some day, says the grieving Chucho. FF>>

At the same time, Fernando and Irene arrive at the gym for a therapy session. They're going to start in the pool. She sincerely promises to be there to hold him up and to support him...always..... They spend the entire morning together while Fer works on various pieces of equipment and she lends lots of cheerful encouragement. At lunch Irene tells him that he's improving rapidly. Fer wonders why he seems to be her only patient. She tells him he is a special challenge for her, but more than that, she says as she puts her hand meaningfully over his, he is also her favorite patient. Nando is flattery-might-just-get-you-everywhere-since-I-seem-to-be-on-the-rebound impactado.

That night a conscience-stricken Fer makes one last attempt to call Vicki. Vicki refuses to answer. Felipa tells her that whenever a cell phone rings you never know if it might just be the last time. Vicki clicks her cell off and sighs. Her fling is flung.

The next morning Lic. Quiñones is at the manse telling Vicki what he told the judge: that Raqhell had a health problem and that the father of her child died. The judge had no problem whatsoever giving Victoria legal guardianship. Vicki is still worried that the baby won't have a paternal influence in her life. Lic. Q. reminds her that Roberto would and could be that if she allows him to come by and visit from time to time. Vicki smiles and says she's going to call Bobo with the good news. They decide then to register the baby with Raqhell's last name.

At Lombardo, Inc., Bruno is now telling Mau how easy it will be to do what they're planning. It's all a matter of a click on a computer key and wufff! Ready! She really wouldn't be doing anything bad that way. She already has helped Mary Jo before to get her checking account and credit cards set up, he reminds her. All she has to do is go to the bank again with Mary Jo and then memorize the account number from MJ's open checkbook. Afterwards, Mau will give him the numbers and he'll take care of the rest from there. He'll transfer the company funds from the computer to MJ's account and then erase any trace of the transaction from the system. Simple as pie.

Mau figures that then the partners will think that Mary Jo is trying to embezzle funds from the company and will accuse her of fraud. Alex should become "disenchanted" with Mary Jo at that point. Meowra's still got cold paws and doesn't know if she really wants to help him or not. Bruno tells her it's their last chance to get MJ. "Are you in or not?" Mau nods. She is in. (Viewerville considers the fact that Meowra has used up 8 of her lives already. So, either she hasn't learned a thing from Bruno's legion muck-ups or she's become an adrenaline freak.) Bruno says that now all they have to do is wait for the opportune moment and then strike.

Back in Toluca, Don Emiliano pays Porfi a visit. He's amazed at how well his buddy seems lately. Porfi says that seeing MJ and his great grandson has made all the difference. The one thing that the disagreeable Elena did for him was to tell him that MJ was actually Cristobal's. Don Emi suggests it could just be another one of her long list of lies. Porfi insists the baby looks just like Cristobal did at that age. Emiliano reminds him that all babies look like all sorts of people at that age, but Porfi says it doesn't matter. They're his granddaughter and grandson because that's the way he wants it, period. Even if they were not he'd want them to be, and that's enough for him.

At the Lombardo manse, Alex returns home early and finds Mary Jo in the nursery. He tells her the results of her DNA test. (Duhn-duhn-duhn-duhhhhhn!) Yes, she and Paula are sisters and Pedro is their true father. Mama was lyin' like they thought. Alex calls up Don Emi to let him know about the results also. Emiliano says he'd figured as much and that Elena was lying in order to blackmail MJ so she could get some of the inheritance money out of her daughter. Alex says he and MJ don't know what to do because Porfirio still thinks MJ is his blood relative and that MJ doesn't want to hurt him; but on the other hand, there is the matter of the will and Porfi cannot leave money to a person who doesn't exist.

That night Mary Jo tells Pau the DNA tests proved they were really sisters after all. Pau is thrilled not to have to tell their papi something else that's painful. They giggle and tease each other and then MJ asks Pau how things are going at work. MJ wonders what Pau actually does there. Pau explains that she is in "technical support" and works with failures in the computer system. Mary Jo hasn't a clue what that means, but it sure sounds impressive.

In another part of the house, Alex is having a chat with Vicki about what's still necessary paperwork-wise for the wedding. Lic. Q. is handling all of it, he says and assures her he will have it all completed beforehand. As for the guests, they want only the family there. As for witnesses, they thought to have Fernando and Vicki. Vicki is uncomfortable with that and figures that Fer would be too, so Alex suggests having Dr. Hernan instead. She agrees and he leaves to head upstairs to bed. Vicki stays to read her e-mail. Suddenly there's a new one from Fernando. Vicki weeps as she reads:

"Victoria: We've talked before about your qualms [escrúpulos] over what other people might say, and about the age thing, and all of that, but I thought that you had gotten over it [superar]. Later, after my accident I thought that you didn't want to be tied down to a man who was an invalid. But, I am getting better, I swear. Irene comes every day to take me to the rehab center. I swim and do numerous exercises. I also know that you want me to get involved with a much younger woman, but I cannot. I swear to you that I cannot. If that is truly what you want, then alright. Perhaps I'll find another woman; perhaps I'll marry and might have children. But, you will never stop being the love of my life.

Yours forever,
Fernando"

Vicki breaks down and sobs. (Does this give a whole new twist to the definition of "mama's boy" or what? Woe to the woman who has to compete with frumpy old hags to be sexy.)

The next morning at Mengele Manor, Jorrible Jorge gets after Elena to continue her emotional blackmail of her daughter and forcing MJ into agreeing to share her future inheritance with them. Elena immediately calls the Lombardo manse looking for Mary Jo. "--Well, have you considered our little chat?" Mary Jo says yes, but that she wanted to be sure first before she did anything. She and Paula had DNA tests done and it turned out that in fact they were sisters and that what Mommie Dearest told Don Porfi was a lie. Elena swears it was the truth. (Ok. What as a nurse and assistant to the Son of Mengele don't you get about the results of a DNA test being undeniably accurate?) MJ politely disagrees and says tests don't lie.

Elena tries to fudge it with another fabulous fib that Pau was also Cristobal's daughter. Mary Jo finally gets impatient with her and tells Mama to stop making things up. "--That was not what you told Don Porfi! Even if it were, the only father for us both is and would be Pedro Samaniego!" Elena nervously asks if MJ is going to tell Porfi. MJ says she'd rather not in order not to hurt him, but Alex feels that they might have to anyway. She then cuts the conversation short and says there's no reason to keep talking since she now knows that Mama does nothing but lie all the time. Click!

Elena tells Jorrible the bad news. "MJ and Pau took a DNA test and now know the truth that Pedro is really their father." Jorge looks menacingly off into the distance and says the time has come to make a decision.....

Across the way again at Porfi's place, Don Emi and Porfi are having another chat. Porfi notes that Don Emi is looking worried and distracted these days. Emiliano says he's just worried about him. He doesn't like the idea that his friend should be disillusioned if MJ proves not to be a blood relative. Porfi says the more he's thought about it the more he has realized that blood ties are not that important. What is important is the bond of affection he and MJ share. He knows that Mary Jo loves him and he loves her greatly, too.

Don Emi asks if that means he's has finally written his will. Porfi says he had it done a while ago and just made them all think he hadn't. Don Emi says well, supposing that Porfi put the name of his heir as Sandra Betancourt, who is dead, or Mary Jo Betancourt on it, and that since her real name is Samaniego, that then Mary Jo wouldn't be able to claim whatever he leaves her. Porfi says well, she'll just change her last name. Don Emi suggests there is her family to think about. Her father is just a humble, everyday sort. Money isn't everything for some people. Also, people have feelings. MJ might not like hurting her daddy that way. Anyway, she's already married to a wealthy man who has his own set of sensibilities [carácter]. Porfi could risk losing her affection by asking her to do that.

Porfi thinks it through and decides to give MJ a call. During their conversation he asks when she's coming to visit him. She explains she's had tons to do around there for the civil wedding ceremony which is only a few days away. Porfi gets upset thinking she lied about being married. MJ explains they were married and got divorced but are remarrying now. She says she'll leave that story for another day because it is too long and involved. Porfi chalks it up to their being crazy youngsters. Mary Jo invites him if he thinks he's up to it. He says thanks for thinking of him, but he's not able to travel now. He asks her before they hang up what name she's getting married with. She says she's marrying under her legal name, Samaniego. Porfi makes a mental note.

Meanwhile, Irene keeps coaching Nando. One day they're in the pool together and she dares to kiss him on the lips. He starts to object but she asks him to give himself a chance. They kiss again. (If you can't be with the one you love, love the one your with.--My apologies to Steven Stills.)

Across town, Vicki and Raqhell have a meeting with the judge over guardianship of little Victoria. He agrees to give Vicki legal guardianship due to the ill health of her biological mother. Raqui agrees and says she knows that Vicki will be a better mother than she would be; that Victoria always has been. Mother and daughter make their peace and Vicki promises that Raqui can visit with her baby daughter anytime she wants to. Raqui doesn't look that thrilled with the idea.

A few more days pass. Finally it's Alex and MJ's wedding day. Meowra, LIs, Katia, and Raqui are chatting it up with the rest of the guests. Fer and Irene are an item now. Fer introduces Irene to Lis. Afterwards, gossipy Katia tells Lis that she is sure there is something serious going on--like Fer and Victoria are quits--because Irene doesn't seem to be just his therapist now.

Inside the house in the kitchen, we see the hired help preparing the eats for the party. Felipa, Zeke, Art and the housekeeper gossip about how easy the premade hors d'oeuvres were to get ready. Simple, yes, but not as delicious as the ones Felipa would have made herself, says the housekeeper. (Yawn.) Felipa now has two dogs she's playing with. FF>>

Bruno calls home to tell Vicki that he read in a newspaper that Alex and MJ were getting married at the house today. Vicki says yep, that's right. Bruno says great, but why wasn't he invited? Isn't he considered part of the family any longer? (This is too easy. I won't bother.) Vicki explains that since the last few times he's been anywhere near Alex all they've done is fight and this is one day they wanted to go smoothly. Bruno wonders how they could just kick him to the curb so easily. He understands, he says, but then they've got to realize why he is so bitter towards them when all they've ever done is push him out of the way like that. Click!

As Bruno broods he tears the newspaper he's been reading to shreds and grumbles to himself. "Let them get married! They won't have the pleasure for long."

The time has come. The wedding starts as Alex and Mary Jo walk towards the judge through numerous flowered, metal archways to say their vows. A few hundred or so of their "closest family and friends", mariachi band and singer all cheer them on. The ceremony ends and they sign the book. Vicki and Hernan sign the book. A number of what might be Alex's old girlfriends--or cousins--then also sign as witnesses. (As Viewerville checks the crowd, it's hardput to find a single male guest there other than the judge, Fer, Chucho, Pedro or Dr. Hernan.) Alex and Mary Jo seal the deal with another kiss and then greet their guests with very broad grins. It may not be happily ever after yet, but at least this time it is legit and Bruno--thanks be to the diosito--is nowhere in sight.
　

　

Labels: sortilegio

Permalink posted by Jardinera654 @ 1:18 PM 132 comments

Alternate Title: Scents and Sensibility

Lurking. Who among us has never experienced the guilty pleasure of watching, listening, but being unobserved? Oh, we know it’s wrong. But we didn’t MEAN to pick up that telephone extension. And of COURSE we wouldn’t listen through a door! Maybe we’re just shy, and that’s why we read blogs faithfully, every day, but can never quite bring ourselves to put our thoughts out there in the world of cyberspace, for anyone to read. You say you never lurk? But isn’t watching a telenovela a little like lurking? We can observe the characters as they reveal their innermost secrets. We see them in private moments of sensuality. And there’s no guilt! And if we’re secretly watching some characters, and THEY’re secretly watching or listening, doesn’t that DOUBLE the pleasure? You bet it does.

When last we left our lovable characters, Nieves had polished off a super-sized tub of palomitas (popcorn) after movie night with Beto, and was going to do her business, when her darling criatura opens the door to their apartment, turns on the lights, and finds a slimy snake lurking in the shadows. Her name? Hisssssabel. Beto is so scared he can’t quite turn off the gas, and Hissy holds her nose at the smelly result.

Over in Coni’s room, Jacqui is telling her, in lurid detail, just how bad a lover Jero is. Apparently he cries after making love, and whines like a little mouse. Little do they know, but the mousey is in their housey (more precisely, in the dressing room, lurking and listening). Coni tells her Mom, “He never did that with ME”. With you? Yes, replies Coni, we did it, twice, and it was horrible. Jacqui can’t believe they’ve shared the same pain. Jerry’s like a dog, and was done in two minutes. He’s the worst lover in the world. We’re then treated to the downtrodden face of the worst lover in the world.


Outside, Aldo is sitting with his Dad Mauricio in the car, explaining the Estrella situation. He fills in Mauricio on what Katia did, what the boys Benjamin and Esteban did, and how he wants to handle problems himself. Mau tells him that violence never solves anything. But when Aldo asks Mau what he’d do if Monita were threatened, Mau admits he might bust some heads – if Monita didn’t do it first!

Watch out for Oscar, is Jacqui’s warning for Coni. Jerónimo’s just a puppet (un títere), but Oscar is bad news. Coni agrees, Oscar’s been demanding his money, but she had no problem blowing him off (lo mandé a la fregada). Her Mom doesn’t think she should have such a cavalier attitude. She tells Coni that Jero thinks Oscar may have been the one who offed Salvador, and for once in his life, Jerry could be right. So what do YOU think, daughter? Could Oscar have ordered the murder of Salvador? Could HE be behind the accident in Venezuela? Coni’s silence is deafening.

Isabel isn’t leaving until she talks with Nieves. Beto says no way, seeing you alive would kill her, she’s sure you’ve checked out (he says you hung up your high heels). Isabel realizes that Beto already knew she was still alive, and Beto agrees, his soul brother Mauricio doesn’t hide anything from him. In fact, he knows ALL about what Isabel did. Hissy hisses back, I didn’t come here to listen to any putdowns, least of all from someone as insignificant as YOU. Ouch. Outside, Nieves is just about to enter her apartment when Alicia intercepts her, and convinces her to talk a bit more about Cesar. They go off for some girl talk.

Mau’s bonding with Aldo is winding down, they’re at the door now, and Mau tells him the lawyers are trying to obtain some visitation rights for Mau. He really misses the girls, and is glad Aldo’s watching over them. Aldo (laying the groundwork for his upcoming declaration of independence), tells his Dad he loves caring for his sisters, but there’s a lot more in his life, shouldn’t he be able to concentrate on other things, too? Mau gives him an answer he probably didn’t want to hear. You’re still a year away from the age of majority (so Aldo is now 17), and of course you need to finish high school. Right. They hug and Aldo goes inside.

Gabi and Paula are sitting at opposite ends of a very long table in Moni’s apartment. Gabi has the strangest feeling. It’s like a premonition. Salvador’s trying to contact her. Paula’s into it, sure, Sal’s calling from the Great Beyond. Enter Estrella to give Gabi a hug, then Moni, then Ximena. There’s a group hug, which makes Gabi feel a bit better. Paula asks Gabi to repeat what she was feeling, and it’s like a tightness in the chest (opresión de pecho), she just feels that Sal is calling to her, begging her to help him. Xime’s enthused, she’s heard that after people die, their souls wander the earth, not content to move on until they’ve taken care of all pending matters. Let’s see, she continues. What had Sal not done? Marry me, answers Gabi wistfully.

Well? asks Jacqui of Coni. Do you know something about Salvador’s death? Ummm, no, of course not, in fact, I don’t even care, and, ummm, what’s more, I’m tired, I want to take off this dress and take a bath, okay? Fine, they’ll talk later. Coni heads towards her dressing room, as Jerry moves from the dressing room into the closet, sneaking behind some dresses. Coni enters barefoot, and Jerry secretly watches her enter the bathroom,


then quickly exits without her knowledge.

Xime thinks Gabi should try to contact Sal, to liberate his soul, so he can go towards the light. Estre’s skeptical, doesn’t believe in these things. Gabi says she’s always been skeptical (escéptica) too, but this is so real, there has to be an explanation. Well, Xime just happens to know a witch (una bruja), she’s really maraviguau, knows all about these things, and Gabi asks, can you take me to see her? Estrella wants to go, too, to find out about her future, is she making the right decisions? Moni doesn’t think Estre should trust her decisions to a bruja. Paula wants the bruja to cast a spell over Cristian to get him to pop the question, nothing else’s working on her stubborn boy. Moni doesn’t believe in all this stuff, but you know what? She’s going too, sisters together!

Nieves is finished talking to Alicia, and is just about to enter her apartment (again), when she’s intercepted by Paula, who tells her Gabi is here, in Moni’s apartment, and Nieves goes to give her a hug.

Inside Nieves’ apartment, Beto and Isabel are arguing. You have to leave, he says. Not until I talk with Nieves. There’s a knock on the door, and it’s Alicia. I think she says Nieves gave her the blue donkey purse, and she wants to pick it up. Isabel is surprised that Alicia’s in town. But there’s no way Beto’s going to let Alicia know Isabel is alive. What can they do?

Isabel lurks (I mean hides) behind the beads in Beto’s bedroom, as Alicia comes in, and sees Nieves isn’t there. Beto says she’s at Moni’s. Alicia is just about to leave, when she smells something. In fact, it’s perfume. Beto grasps for an explanation (as Alicia accidentally knocks her earring off, and picks it off the floor, in an unscripted moment I found hilarious, as the actors ignored it). Beto says he bought some perfume for his Mom, to cheer her up, what with Cesar leaving and all. Alicia recognizes the perfume as the one Isabel used to wear, she gets all misty, it’s almost as if Isabel were here (we see her behind the curtain).

Beto’s really nervous, but Alicia talks on and on, tells Beto that many people think she has no sense of humor, but really, she can be quite funny! (this scene is a scream, as we all know the actress playing Alicia is the real life mother of the actor playing Beto). Beto tries to usher Alicia out, but Alicia is laughing, she just HAS to tell Beto this terrific joke!

Let’s see, once they were in Moroleón, and they had to go to the D.F. Uh, no, maybe it was shopping. Wait a sec, ah yes, the doctor’s. She’s snapping her fingers, trying to remember, as Beto’s frantically urging her to just tell the neighbors, they’d really appreciate the joke. No, wait, now she remembers. They got on a bus, and ha ha ha, she can’t stop laughing, you’ll never believe it, a woman was so fat she took up two seats! And when Isabel saw her, she got right in front of her, and, and, (she fans herself, just can’t stop chuckling), she said in that very serious voice of hers (we see Isabel, not amused at all, behind the curtain), she said (Alicia imitates Isa’s low, expressionless voice), “Ah, Alicia, if they had told me that today the tickets were two for one, I wouldn’t have paid for yours!” She laughs uncontrollably, but it turns to a cry, she can’t help it, she wails, I miss her so much! She was my best friend, we were so good together. Beto, who has remained totally straightfaced throughout Alicia’s tirade, FINALLY convinces her to go over to Moni’s house.

Out from the shadows comes Hisssabel. “Alicia hasn’t changed. She’s still as corny and ridiculous as ever. You can see how I couldn’t stand her. There were days I wanted to choke her. She just never shuts up.” Beto shakes his head.

Back to lurker number two (Jerry). He’s trying to sneak out of the house, but he hears footsteps, and ducks into a corner. Luisa and Jacqui enter from opposite sides, Luisa starts to tell Jacqui about Andrés. After they leave, Jerry ducks into Aldo’s room, just as Jacqui and Luisa come back. Luisa goes off to bed, and Jacqui goes to open Aldo’s door, but it’s locked. Aldo doesn’t say a word, but he and Jerry stare at each other, and the door. Jacqui says she knows he’s in there, wants to talk about Estrella.

We know have six ladies at that table, Gabi, Nieves, Moni, Xime, Paula, and Estrella, all conveniently sitting on one side so we, the audience can see them at the same time. Nieves is patting Gabi’s hand, SHE’s just experienced the same loss. You mean, Don Cesar died? asks Gabi. Nope – left her, says Alicia, entering to make a lucky seven of our luscious ladies. Nieves laments that it’s the same, her Cesarín left, without even saying goodbye. Sure, interjects Paula, but there is one difference. Cesar’s not dead. Alicia joins with the criticism of Nieves, and the two start going at it, until Moni calls a halt, if you two want to fight, take it outside. Gabi is grateful for all this support though, without it she’d be sinking into an abyss. Xime thinks this is poetic, in fact, she’s going to use it in her next love letter from Lalu to Arnie. She gets out her white feather pen to take notes.

For some reason, Aldo wants to talk with Jerónimo, and with Oscar, but that’s not happening right now, since Jacqui’s insistent with her knocking. Jerry goes to hide in the bathroom, and Aldo lets Jacqui in. She assures him she’s not like Coni, and will never tell Coni any of this. Estrella had asked her to help, and she’s ready to. Aldo wants her to butt out.

Beto can’t believe how cold Isabel is, to treat her best friend the way she does. He also remembers the day Isa abandoned Monita, who sat on the stool (la banqueta) outside the door to the vecindad, waiting all day for her mother to return. She suffered for years. But somehow, she overcame that, and is strong. You should be grateful for that. Isabel disagrees, Valentina should thank ME. This infuriates Beto.

The seven sisters are bubbling with excitement -

Let’s all cook the same thing! suggests Moni. Xime wants to go out – they could all get daiquiris. Gabi’s not in the mood, but Nieves remembers she made a mole de olla (like beef stew in a pot) that’s really yummy (de rechupete), and it’s enough for all of them. She goes off to get it, as the others will set the table. Gabi wants to help, but they tell her to stay put, she’s the guest of honor.

Hissy explains why they should all thank her. By her leaving Valentina, that made her the strong young lady she is today. But, she says, picking up an apple, “the apple may be juicy, but that doesn’t mean it can’t spoil.” The snake bites deeply into the apple.


Outside, Nieves approaches her door for the third time, only to be called by Monita. Inside, Beto hears this, rushes over to Isabel, and grabs her from behind, clapping one hand over her apple-filled mouth to keep her quiet. He hustles her behind the beaded curtain as Nieves enters, looking for some plates that Moni needed. She calls out to him, and since there’s no answer, assumes he’s in a cantina, so much for his plan to be a priest. She leaves with the plates, and immediately Isabel, who has been struggling with Beto, elbows him in the ribs, breaking free, breathing heavily.

Aldo tells Jacqui he doesn’t want to be part of her family, doesn’t want her to be his granny. That’s good, replies Jacqui, because I’m much too young to be your granny. I can be like a young aunt, or an amiga. Besides, I don’t agree with what Coni is doing at all. I think you kids should be with your father, I know how much you’ve been suffering. And you know what? Life shouldn’t be about suffering. It should be about enjoyment, laughing, living intensely, life is like a big party. Aldo gives her a reality check. He and his sisters have lived in pain. Their mother died when Danni was a baby, they struggled to live in the orphanage, and only by Mauricio’s love have they been able to be a family. Jacqui understands, but thinks Aldo and Estrella aren’t ready to have their own family, that’s why she agreed to help Estrella. She knows a discreet gynecologist – No, interrupts Aldo. Estrella was confused, we’re having the baby. Jacqui doesn’t think Aldo’s looking at the situation over the long term (a largo plazo), but Aldo feels Jacqui is wrong, he IS being responsible, and he and Estrella will have the baby.

“How DARE you put your hands on me!” yells Isabel to Beto. All men are the same, they’re all PIGS who want to dominate women by force. Beto shows her how she hurt his finger when she elbowed him, but as he approaches, she screams for him to get away from her. Don’t worry, assures Beto, you’re not my type. But the snake splits venom, keep your disgusting hands away from me, no me toques, no me toques!

Jacqui tries to reason with Aldo. She was only twenty when she had Constanza, and was too young to be a responsible mother. She started viewing her children as obstacles to her life, and look what happened. Aldo thinks Estrella isn’t like Jacqui at all, but Jacqui disagrees. A child would ruin all of Estrella’s dreams.

Beto is pleading with Isabel. I didn’t mean to hurt you. But try to understand, if my Mom saw you alive and kicking (vivita y coleando), the shock could KILL her. Hissy responds that she WILL talk to Nieves. Beto says you’re scaring me, I’m sweating, look, smell this (he raises his arm). Hissy has a fit. You stink, I can’t stand your rotten smell! No, shoots back Beto. You’re the one who’s rotting, in your soul, in your heart. I will not let you see my mother, so leave! Fine, agrees Isabel, I’ll leave, but I’m coming back, because Nieves and I have unfinished business. Beto goes outside to see if the coast is clear, and guess who pops up? La Monita.

Moni wants to go inside to get some pots for the mole, but Beto won’t let her pass. He repeatedly stands in front of her, telling her things such as he knows all about pots for mole, they’re shaped liked boobies (I think that’s what he said), he can get them. Moni wasn’t born yesterday, though, how come you’re not letting me in Nieves’s apartment, Beto? Well, you can’t go in. Why, do you have someone in there? Some girl? No, oh course not. She tries to dodge him, but he keeps jumping in front of her, as she gets madder and madder.

Moni then looks over Beto’s shoulder, points, says look who just arrived!


Beto falls for it, looks, she punches him, and rushes past, opening the door as Beto winces in pain (he’s really getting a ribbing today). By this time, Hissy’s back in behind the beads. Moni doesn’t see anyone, so why didn’t Beto want her to come in? He says he let out a big one, didn’t want the smell to gross her out. Moni’s skeptical, doesn’t smell anything, wait a minute, she does. She smells perfume. Now she KNOWS there was a girl.

Aldo is firm. He knows the risks, but he and Estrella are ready to face them. Jacqui insists she’s just trying to help. Then why don’t you help yourself? Your own daughters need you. They’re both vipers, bent on getting what they want without regard to any other people’s feelings. Why don’t you put your own house in order? These wise words hit Jacqui hard.

Beto tells Moni he was with a girl, picked her up on the corner, but he didn’t pay, he just made out with her (la ligué, this is slang for made out with or had sex with someone, the word literally means to tie or bind, I guess it’s sort of like how kids in the U.S. say they’re “hooking up”). Moni is shocked, wasn’t he going to stop with the women, didn’t he want to guardar el silbato? (which means put away the “whistle”). Ah, but the flesh is weak, and I’m a macho billy goat, you know? Fine, says Moni, go with whomever you want, but what’s with bringing them back to your mother’s place, have you no shame? Well, he doesn’t have the dinero for a hotel, and by the way, when he brought the girl here, he had second thoughts, and the girl left, but not before she left her perfumy smell all over the place, of course. Moni starts to try to get a look behind the curtain, but Beto talks her out of it, he’s alone, doesn’t she trust him? Moni does, but wait a minute, that perfume reminds her of the one her mother wore. Ah well, she’ll go, but watch it with those dames, Beto.

The lurker emerges from her lair, telling Beto, I hope this shows you that I’m not interested in Valentina’s knowing that I’m alive……at least, not YET.

In another part of town, Jacqui has left Aldo, and Jerry the jerk can stop his lurk. He congratulates Aldo on putting Jacqui in her place, she deserved it, after leaving HIM, the most sought after (codiciado) bachelor in town. Yeah, says Aldo, according to whom?

Beto walks Hissabel all the way to her car, he’s not taking his eyes off her. She insists that his mother and she have to talk, about the man who left Nieves at the altar. Sure, Beto’s heard that story a million times, but what’s that got to do with you? More than you can imagine, she hisses. Did you know, Beto, that that man who loved your mother so much, is Marcos, the father of La Momia? You could knock Beto over with a feather.



And Monday looks great again. Oscar and Jerry have guns and money, and Gabi and Moni visit the manicomio. Will they see Salvador?

Vocabulario:

Un títere – a puppet
Escéptico(a) – skeptical
Una banqueta – a stool, can also mean the sidewalk or pavement, maybe that’s what it meant when Beto was telling Isabel about Moni’s waiting
De Rechupete – delicious, yummy, scrumptious
A largo plazo – over the long term
Vivita y coleando – alive and kicking, colear can mean to wag one’s tail
Ligarse – to make out, or to have sex (literally to bind oneself(ves)
Codiciado – sought after, coveted

Labels: gancho

I just sent an email to all recappers, past and present. If you don't get it check your junk mail folder. If you do get it please respond - I'm checking schedules for upcoming Corazon Salvaje and upcoming whatever-follows-ENDA.

If I don't hear from you I'll assume you want to be removed from the roster.

Also, if you get two emails on two different accounts please let me know what one to delete!

Thanks -
Melinama

Labels: amor, announcements, salvaje

Marco hides his hoochie in the bathroom just in time for Ale to walk in and start seducing him. He squirms and claims he has an early appointment the next day. Ale is not to be dissuaded. She dims the lights and smooches him while the lingerie model stifles her giggles.

Rafa is finally home after a long day at work and tells madre and hermana he didn’t even sell one car. He frets about making the electric bill but Leonor tells him it’s already been taken care of; Julieta paid for it. Julieta says she got a very good-paying job as a secretarial assistant at her college.

Leonor catches Julieta in a lie. “Didn’t you say you were in the library?” Julie stammers that she’s working for a secretary in the library. Rafa worries her job will affect her studies but Julie assures him she can keep up. She wants to do something useful for the family. Rafa is adamant that Julie’s only responsibility is school but he thanks her for helping out.

Someone knocks on the door and Rafa, knowing it’s Vicky, rushes off to change clothes for their movie date.

Marco is still trying to push Ale way and again says she isn’t well enough. Ale asks if he’s upset that she surprised him. Of course not! Marco lies. He can’t wait to live with her and have her every night. He hugs her and then rolls his eyes.

Meanwhile, Rafa is trying his hardest to swallow Vicky’s face as they fumble down the sidewalk for a taxi.

Ale is insistent on spending the night with Marco, a concrete statue compared to Rafa who can’t keep his hands (or mouth) off of Vicky. Too bad there is no cold shower as intense as Vicky’s brothers pulling up to the curb to harass them. Tweedle-dumb and Tweedle-dee invite themselves on the date and offer to drive the novios to the movies. Reluctantly, Rafa and Vicky get in the truck.

Ale tries to pull Marco towards the bedroom but he stalls by saying the room is too much of mess. Ale doesn’t care and rushes through the door. She clumsily sits on the bed and invites him to join her.

In the car, Vicky plots with Rafa to lose the tagalongs as soon as they get to the theater.

Marco says he’s afraid of hurting Ale. Ale is hearing none of it but does fall off the bed when she leans over to kiss him. She still isn’t put off and keeps on kissing but Marco flat out says no. Ale wilts. “You don’t want me?”

Marco says Ale is the most beautiful woman in the world; of course he wants her. He’s just afraid of permanently hurting her. Ale tells Marco to call her a cab. He offers to drive her home but she refuses. She calls for a cab and glares at Marco when the attendant calls her Yomi Serrano (the hoochie’s name).

Marco fast-talks that Yormi is a client who stopped by the day before. Ale doesn’t look like she believes him and scrambles for the door.

Vicky and Rafa arrive at the theater but their plot to lose her hermanos backfires when they dash off to buy the tickets.

Marco attempts to convince Ale he turned her down because he’s worried about her. Ale is more worried about them as a couple. She starts to cry and wonders whether he wants to marry her anymore. Marco gets down on his knees and promises Ale he adores her.

Ale cries she’s afraid Marco doesn’t want her and will go looking for other women to satisfy him. Marco tells her he is incapable of being with another woman. Ale leaves and Marco thumps his head on the wall, probably worried his gravy train just left the station.

Yormi, Marco’s bimbo, comes out of the bathroom and guesses that Ale is his novia and not a business partner like he said. She isn’t the jealous type (or the modest type) and Marco wastes no time in crawling into bed with her.

A short scene of Rafa and Vicky having a miserable time watching the movie while the hermanos are having a blast. Another short scene of Ale sobbing in the taxi as it pulls away.

The hermanos drop Rafa off and ask him to pay them back for their movie tickets. He does and has a fit about it once he gets in the house.

A strange cartoon clock tells us it’s 5 A.M. when Rafa gets a wake-up call from Ale. She asks why he’s slept so late and Rafa is outraged at her inhumanity.

A little later in the morning, Leonor surprises Rafa with ham and eggs for breakfast. She bought groceries with the money Julieta brought home. Julie wanders in and Rafa asks just how much she made at her job. Leonor says it was 700 pesos. Rafa is floored and says a job like that usually only makes 150 pesos.

Julieta says she does other work too; besides, she only brought home a tiny bit of the 300,000 she earned. Rafa is frustrated and says he is the only one who is going to take care of the bills. (This was a little hazy. Please correct if need be!) He calms down and leaves for work.

Susana asks Ale how it went with Marco and she says it didn’t. Susana is suspicious but Ale says Marco is a faithful man. Ale blames herself; he doesn’t want her because she is injured and unattractive. Susana tells her to get a grip and Ale changes her tune and says it’s all Rafa’s fault for making her so repulsive.

That very moment, Ale starts berating Rafa but he takes it in stride and tells Ale she may be tough but she is very beautiful too. She softens a little but then snaps at him to get to work. He isn’t to receive any phone calls that aren’t work related. All she wants him to do is make “money, money, money”.

Ale hobbles back into her office and gripes to Susana about Rafa having the nerve to call her pretty. Susana just laughs.

Vicky calls Rafa at work again. He hides under his desk to answer it and she screeches her usual complaints. She talks about them getting married again but Rafa says he doesn’t have the money to go through with it yet.

Ramiro ducks down and asks Rafa if there’s something wrong. He hangs up and explains about the phone call and why he has two bottles of whiskey under his desk. Ramiro leaves and Vicky calls back. She wants to try their date again over the weekend in a hotel in a different town.

Rafa hides the whiskey in a desk drawer and asks Ramiro not to tell anyone about them.

Julieta stashes several more whiskey bottles in her bag and is nearly run over when Jamie rushes in the house. He’s concerned about how legitimate her job is but Julie says she doesn’t have time and tries to leave. He grabs her bag and sees Rafa’s whiskey in it. Busted!

Rosaura arrives to work late and gives a phony excuse. Marino admires and converses with his “Employee of the Month” photo. Ale holds a business meeting and scolds everyone as per usual.

At the butcher shop, Vicky pokes at a piece of meat while whining to her padre. She wants to look for a job with her friend Janet over the weekend. (Her cover for leaving town with Rafa.) Her padre agrees but only if her hermanos go with her. “And Rafael better not be there or disrespect you because he has no idea what I’m capable of.” He stabs a nearby chuck of meat for emphasis.

Avances: Rafa is chased by a German Sheppard and gets stuck in a tree (?!?!), Marco tries to make nice with Ale, and Rafa and Marco scuffle.

Labels: dinero