Caray, Caray!

Maldita Alfonsina!! DonLoco curses the damned Alfonsina to his sister. Mariana further reveals that Alfonsina tried to kill her more than once. Alfonsina and Hugo are in everything together.

DonLoco blows a gasket. He gets red in the face, jumps up and pounds the table, frightening Mariana. "They should have done it," he screams to her, "they should have ended you. It's what you deserve after all the lies you've told!"

Emilio, seeing Angel in the mafioso's neighborhood, immediately wants to confront him. Frank, ever the voice of reason, sends Emilio home to wait for Angel and interrogate him there. Frank will remain at the stakeout.

Meanwhile, Angel tries to convince Claudia to out her ugly padrastro to the police. She says even though her life is hell there's nothing she can do about it. She's afraid of what Rosendo will do to Angel. Angel says he's not afraid. (Does the wimp think he can cough Rosendo to death? Maybe he plans to run behind his brother. Oh, or maybe he could wave his hankie at him and frighten him!) Angel kisses Claudia goodbye. As Margaret says, it's a decent kiss, much better than his lamprey of a brother.

Alina and Rodrigo gaze at each other sadly: "Poor Rodrigo," she thought bubbles, "he's devastated by this, I must stay by his side. Oh Emilioooooo, I'd like to know how you're doing." "Ah Alina," Rodrigo thinks, "thank goodness you arrived in my life, and just in time." Poor sap, he doesn't realize that if he hadn't hooked up with this loser and her sick family Thelma wouldn't have kidnapped his kid in the first place.

Elias is with Soledad, trying to twist her arm into getting 'serious' with him. She's worried about what others will think. Well...not actually others, more specifically what Alvaro will think. She's afraid of what he'll do.

DonLoco shakes Mariana and curses her. He always thought she was a decent woman (a woman in one piece), but she dated the foreman behind his back! She shouts back at him, it was her life! DonLoco says her lies caused all his problems. Mariana corrects him, Alfonsina caused his problems, and all his problems happened because he is Sick In The Head. "Yes, I'm loco," he yells as he breaks a chair. He grabs Mariana's throat and says he'll kill Alfonsina with his own hands. She has a moment of fear wondering if he thinks she's Alfonsina, but he lets go and orders her to leave. He goes into a red-faced fury and rants while the guards restrain him.

Cut to Dr. Love telling Malena that right about now DonLoco must really be feeling bad for behaving like such an asshat all this time.

The lucha manager comes from behind the privacy screen on a fact-finding mission. He introduces himself as Pepe Tropicasas. (I thought that was a cool name so I looked around and discovered that this guy really is in the world of Lucha. His name is Pepe "Tropi" Casas and you can read about him here. He was a fair luchador but a better coach. His sons Felino, Heavy Metal, and Negro, are also luchadors.) Dr. Love introduces himself and Malena. Luba, eavesdropping, doesn't recognize them from Escondidaville. She scratches her head...how do they know her?

General Ochoa has told Thelma that he assigned Orlando to Escondidaville because Orlando wanted to help Emilio. Thelma scowls, or maybe she's just sitting there, or maybe she's smiling, I can't tell because she always looks like she's scowling. Ochoa says she looks "pensive." He tells her not to worry, Orlando paid his debt to society. She thought bubbles, "surely he's gone to look for Gaspar. I hope they lynched that idiot and his witch of a mother. That's my only salvation."

Alina tries to console Rodrigo by telling him she has confidence in Emilio's plan. She's clueless. Rodrigo reacts, of course, by saying Emilio's just using all this as an excuse to be close to Alina. She diffuses him, tells him to think of his daughter and nothing else. It's time to call General Ochoa and tell him to go forward with Emilio's plan.

Elias is STILL following Soledad around the boutique trying to talk her into getting serious. Enough already you drip, have some pride, give it a rest, she has too much baggage anyway. But no, he keeps pressing, "Don't worry about what Alvaro thinks, I already told him I love you." Soledad is impactada, "That must be why he called me from jail."

Elias has a flashback of DonLoco strangling him, he realizes he dropped his address book. "Doh!!!" he says, except in Spanish. Then he actually admits this stupid maneuver to Soledad.

Back to DonLoco who is still yelling at Mariana. Why haven't those guards dragged him off yet? Oh, I see, it's because we are all waiting for Dra. Loca to show up. She arrives in time to see her guy in a rage. After he's hauled away Dra. Loca asks a rather shocked Mariana to explain what happened. Poor Mariana's still in a state, he just went crazy, she's his sister, she came because the lawyer asked her to come and confirm that DonLoco was wrong about Soledad and Alina. "But," she adds, "he didn't seem to care much for the truth."

Dra. Loca assures Mariana that his reaction is normal. (?!?) He's going through a rough patch. They are at the precise point where she 1) has a possibility of curing him, or 2) where he will lose his sanity forever. "No puede ser," gasps Mariana, "my brother is completely loco!"

Rodrigo and Alina are in Gen. Ochoa's office. The General tells them they are about to begin radio and TV broadcasts about the missing Gaby, half a million pesos reward, yada yada. Good gosh darn time on the search asshats! Rodrigo frets, he doesn't want Emilio looking for her alone.

Back at Casa Valtierra Emilio asks Angel where he's been. "At the doctor," answers the man with only one excuse. Emilio calls him on it, he saw him in "that" neighborhood. He wasn't following Angel, but rather Rosendo Luna, a mafioso who traffics minors. Angel stops thinking about Angel and is interested.

Singing Auntie sings and dances for a captive audience, little Emilito who is trapped on a bed and can't escape. He sucks his pacifier loudly, probably to drown her out. Suddenly the radio music is interrupted with the announcement about the missing Gaby.

Angel tells Emilio that Rosendo is the father of his girlfriend Claudia. (Already with the girlfriend.) Claudia told Angel that Rosenda "bothered" her constantly. No doubt he's the type who would traffic minors. Emilio gets angry, why didn't Angel tell Emilio his new girlfriend's private and anguished secrets earlier? He needs to ask Angel's help...

Back at the boutique Elias is like a terrier with a dirty sock. He is still bugging Soledad. (Elias, you are pathetic, be a man and leave.) He says he wants to protect Soledad. (Dude, you are the human piñata, born to be beaten.) He asks her if she wants to stop seeing him. She shakes her head No, but not convincingly.

Emilio tells Angel that Claudia's stepfather might be involved in Gaby's kidnapping. Angel should try to get important info out of Claudia. The brothers leave together.

Luba tells Pepe Tropicasas that she doesn't know those two people on the other side of the screen. Pepe says there was another woman there earlier. It must be she who is from Escondidaville.

Two bald, shiny headed villains go into Rosendo's office and tell him about the Gaby announcements. They're freaking out that there is a half million peso reward. Oh wait, the guy behind the desk isn't Rosendo because he says he needs to ask Rosendo what they should do. I think the bald guys might want to find Gaby and turn her in for the reward.

Auntie frets to Thelma about Gaby. Thelma has more important things to worry about than 'that brat.' Even Auntie is appalled by Thelma's hard heart, so appalled that she's going to tell Emilio everything. Thelma reverts to the usual threat, Emilio will throw them out into the street. Furthermore, she's not going anywhere without her son. They'll have to kill her first. This no doubt portends a future baby-napping.

Alina and Rodrigo get into another tiff about Emilio. She tries to leave in a huff but he pleads that he's just worried about his daughter.

Cut to Gaby asleep on a dirty blanket. She dreams of seeing her mommy playing with flowers in a beautiful field. They hug. Big bad guy roughly picks her up and she wakes, screaming for her mommy not to go. Bad guy tries to say something to her, points to a bag on the table. I think he wants her to eat.

The Bros. Valtierra go to the boutique looking for Claudia. Emilio tells Soledad and Coral they believe Claudia's stepdad is involved in trafficking minors. Naturally Claudia overhears and is muy impactada.

We get another lead-in of the mystery woman after the commercial.

Claudia rushes is, "My father is a criminal?" Emilio introduces himself and explains the situation, the police have been investigating Rosendo for a long time. Claudia is beautifully impactada. She agrees to help the Bros. Valtierra trap her stepfather and put him in jail.

Sierra Escondida- Hugo searches Luba's cave. He throws things and cusses because he can't find The Cofre. He calls Luba a third-rate witch and he'll make her tell him everything if he finds her.

Hugo is interrupted by Vera who just happens to be wandering through the cave. She tells him she works at La Rinconada, is he the police? Hugo remains silent so that Vera can run her stupid mouth. She babbles, has he found that pig of a witch? She hasn't seen Luba since she killed Florecita and split town. Hugo is interested in hearing more. As Vera yammers on Hugo thinks it will be difficult to find Luba if she's on the run from the cops.

At Casa Valtierra Thelma continues to work on Auntie, how could she think of betraying her own flesh and blood? Thelma says her aunt has "gone to the other side." Auntie acquiesces, says she won't say anything to Emilio, but she can't imagine what they'll do if the kid tells her dad it was Thelma who stole her.

Alfonsina, still in her "disguise" of peasant duds, wonders what's keeping that idiot Hugo? She figures if she can only get The Cofre in her hands she can get ten times the amount from Don Loco than Hugo did.

DonLoco is in a cell. He rants for his doctora, somebody call his doctora! Mariana's voice haunts him..."Alina is yours, yada yada everything everybody already knows ad nauseum, Alfonsina and Hugo know what's in The Cofre..." DonLoco tells his head to shut up but it continues taunting him in Mariana's voice.

Dra. Loca and a nurse round the corner. The doctora blabs on about poor Alvaro. She says she's not going to sedate him because he needs to confront the truth. "Oh, and nurse, no way am I going to transfer him to a nut house because...(smug smile on the Dra.) I'm going to cure him myself!" Oh Gawd help us.

Thelma and Auntie argue some more. Thelma accuses her aunt of abandoning her at the worst moment of her life. (What about the worst moment of Gaby's life? Thelma really needs to visit the whirlpool!) Thelma storms out and Auntie sobs. Outside the door Thelma mutters "Little by little I'll get you on my side Tía."

The big kidnapper stuffs his face with a burrito while Gaby huddles in the corner. She says she's not hungry but thought bubbles that she's starving. The guy taunts her and she says her daddy's going to put him in jail. He stuffs more burrito in his mouth.

Rodrigo and Alina arrive at the boutique just as Emilio, Angel and Claudia are leaving. Emilio introduces Claudia saying the main bad guy just happens to be her stepfather. Rodrigo wants to go with them, Emilio says no he's too emotionally involved, Rod says yes he doesn't want to lose another loved one due to his lack of control, they eye each other, Emilio relents, off they go.

At the hospital, Mariana walks by a praying Luba. She cries on Dr. Love's shoulder. Luba hears and thinks it must be the other woman from Escondidaville. She eavesdrops as Mariana relates to Dr. Love and Malena that her brother is a real nut case. The DNA proof that Alina is his daughter only served to drive him over the edge. Luba figures she must be listening to DonLoco's sister, Mariana Valtierra.

Alina tells Soledad and Coral that she has a lot of faith in Emilio. She doesn't mention Rodrigo.

Hugo strides through the countryside with his fake cofre. It looks like a lunch box from the Spanish Inquisition and not a bit like the real cofre. Oh, OK, he says it doesn't really look like the original which is made of wood, thank goodness Alfonsina has a worse memory than he. (What, they couldn't get props to make a cofre that remotely resembles the original?) Hugo adds hopefully it will be enough to trick the traitoress long enough to get all his money from her.

Rodrigo, Emilio, Frank and Angel drop Claudia off at the hood. Rodrigo is ready to rush in and bust the padrastro immediately but Frank talks him down. Claudia needs to go in alone. She kisses Angel.

Coral, Soledad and Alina go home and update Adela on the news. Margaret called it again - Coral the food destroyer is starving and asks Adela to make a plate of sandwiches. They have filler conversation regarding what might happen if the rescue goes awry. I think this is supposed to create tension for the audience. The only tension I have is Where In The Hell Is Tonki?????

Dra. Loca enters Loco's sickroom. He asks why she didn't give him a tranquilizer? Does she think it's better that he hears voices? (Is our crazy guy turning into a little addict?) He tells her nobody can understand what it's like to be a monster like him, a damn beast who hurts those he loves most in his life. "Do you mean Soledad?" asks Dra. Loca? But DonLoco's on a roll and ignores her. He tells her about the pain he will live with all his live, "You have to help me Aida, I have to see Soledad and ask her forgiveness." Dra. Loca caresses his hand and we get a multi-dimensional close-up of DonLoco's head.

Advance - Gaby calls her house and reads (to Alina) a ransom note written by the bad guy. Claudia gives the soldiers a tip. Rodrigo and Frank draw their guns and point them at someone.

cordura = sanity
es de una pieza = she's a really decent person
pacotilla = junk, trash
de pacotilla = third-rate

Labels: duelo

Too tired to come up with a catchy title tonight. Too many things happened!

Minerva calls Aaron and tells him, "Get over here right now! Gaviota has appeared. She's here. We have to decide what to do with her. Yes I'm sure. She's your protege, Mariana Franco!"

Sofia and Pilar speculate about tomorrow's meeting. Pilar notes that the wives (Isa, Minerva, and Fedra) aren't invited. Daniela smiles to herself, which makes Pilar suspicious. "For the first time in my life, I'll be happy to attend a board meeting," Dani hints. "I think he's going to give you the best news of his life."

Sofia's car arrives. Frankie, the very classy and discreet amateur gigolo, is laying on the horn. Dani mischievously tells Pilar that Sofia has an admirer. Sofia doesn't deny it as she rushes out to greet him. Dani tells her granny to relax: maybe Sofia won't end up an old maid after all.

Frankie flourishes at the car. Sofia offers to pay; Frankie says before we talk about money, let's test it out by going to that restaurant we talked about last night, and celebrate. He clowns around and says if the car's still broken, they'll push it. Sofia laughs and tells the maid she's going out for a while. Frankie (the compulsive horn-honker) gallantly opens the driver-side door for her, and away they go.

Margarita and someone else are gossiping in the hallway, wondering what's going on, as Aaron speeds past them into the boardroom with steam coming out of his ears. He closes the door and demands an explanation from Minerva and Isadora. Angrily jamming his crazy finger against the side of his head, he scolds Isa for playing along with Minnie's craziness. Minnie scolds him back for hiring "Mariana" without checking her references. That was crazy. And Medina makes three crazy people because he never verified any of her information. So she and Isa checked it out themselves, and it was all false.

Out in the executive lobby, Margarita informs Gavi that the earlier ruckus was caused by Isa and Minnie screeching in the boardroom. Then Aaron showed up and it seemed like he was calming them down. Marg and Gavi wonder what it means. Oñate arrives and asks for Minerva. Marg tells him of the party already in progress. Marg is clearly concerned. Gavi wonders why Oñate would need to meet with Minnie.

Aaron is not yet convinced. Mariana did have documents that checked out. He scoffs at their anecdote about Mariana singing Gavi's song and says anyway, Gaviota's real name is Teresa Hernandez. Minnie points out that those documents could have been falsified. Isa gets impatient and prepares to stomp off and take care of it herself. Aaron tells them to sit down. They meekly comply. Minnie sarcastically mimics Mariana confessing to being Gaviota.

Oñate brings his own two pesetas to the table; he congratulates Minerva on her instincts. The airline told him that Mariana and Rodrigo both came back from Manzanillo on the 31st, on different flights. Isa begins flipping out again. Minnie smugly passes the incriminating evidence for Aaron to inspect.

Minerva points out that this woman, whatever her name is, is very dangerous. Isa mentions tomorrow's meeting. Minerva says it's probably not a coincidence that Medina was preparing Mariana's severance package and that Rodrigo left with Videgarray.

Aaron is coming around, reluctantly. Isa wants to confront Gaviota, but Aaron warns her again. Minerva warns that they don't have much time. Aaron calls for Elvira, who doesn't answer, so he tells Minnie to go get her. (Yes, that's right, a stick is fetching a dog. Ouch, was that rude? Sorry, it couldn't be helped. If it's any consolation, I like Minnie's dress.) Aaron asks Oñate how good are their police contacts. He wants all the information on Mariana they can find - including the dates when she's left and re-entered the country - within an hour. Oñate takes off, eager to please.

Minnie comes back with Elvira (Elvira is charmed that Oñate held the door for her). Aaron tells Elvira to get the distillery boss on the phone. He tells the women that if they can prove that Mariana is Gaviota, they will have an advantage; but they'll need some time. Isa gets up again, impatient for vengeance. Yet again, Aaron tells her to sit on it and let him handle it. He suggests that the women leave - if Rodrigo sees them, he'll be suspicious. Isa doesn't want to go, but she finally agrees to go hang out with Pilar. Aaron asks Minnie to keep an eye on Isa and make sure she doesn't do anything crazy. Minnie scolds Aaron again for not having believed her. He promises to mess up Rodrigo's plans. They kiss like a happy couple and he sends her on her way.

Elvira has the distillery guy on the phone. Before taking the call, he asks her to call a travel agent and get a ticket on the last flight out to Guadalajara, in Rodrigo's name. Elvira is flustered, having been asked to do two things in a row.

In the hallway, Minerva assures Isa that Aaron's idea to get Rodrigo out of the city is a good one. She says it's too bad Isa will have to sleep alone. Isa retorts that she's always slept alone. Just then, the evil Mariana/Gaviota steps out of her office and greets them. The two women glare at her and hurry away. She waylays a man named Rosendo to ask him to copy some papers. Okay, that was random.

Aaron asks the distillery guy for a favor. His cousin Rodrigo will be arriving there tonight. He tells the distillery guy to do what he has to keep him "entertained."

Gaviota comes in just as Aaron is hanging up. She's looking for Oñate. Aaron tells her the candyman left, and asks if Rodrigo has arrived yet. He says he'll wait in his office and wants to talk to him as soon as possible.

Rodrigo is in Medina's office, where Placido is collecting the trash. Placido tells Rodrigo that Medina went home. Rodrigo leaves a note on Medina's desk telling him to increase Mariana's severence by 20%. Nice. (I'll be lucky if I get a free lunch on my last day.) He signs his full name on the note and goes into the hallway, where he is surprised to see Gaviota. They go into her office and he shows off their plane tickets. She says everything's ready except to inform Oñate, but he's gone.

Rod notices that she's flustered. She doesn't know why. He admits to being nervous as well. She tells him that Minnie and Isa were there earlier, looking for Oñate, and they met in the boardroom and Aaron was there, and he's still waiting in his office and wants to talk. Rod tells her to calm down; it'll just be a matter of hours until they're at their island.

Aaron is on the horn again, telling someone named Juli or Yuri to cancel all their appointments for the week. Nope, he's not going to travel. They'll be in touch. He hangs up the phone and paces around nervously for about half a second until Rodrigo shows up, beaming. Aaron greets him with, "Where the hell have you been? It's chaos! The distillery boss called to say that 80,000 tons of agave were REJECTED!" It showed up with less than 16 brix and is too far short of the required standard to produce tequila. Rodrigo is impactado. Aaron says he'd better go take care of this, or they'll lose their client.

Rodrigo stares at him, dumbfounded. He says this trip will screw up his plans and he's not going to go. Aaron shakes the crazy finger and reminds him that producing agave is Rodrigo's responsibility. He has to take care of this personally, or they'll lose an excellent client. (Rodrigo nods angrily, perhaps remembering Aaron's attitude the last time they "lost" a client.) Aaron says that on top of that, they'll have to pay a fine.

Rodrigo says he'll talk to James and Roman and they'll ask around for some replacement agave. Aaron is adamant that only Rodrigo can carry out the negotiations. Plus, to save time, he already had Elvira get him a flight. Rodrigo reminds Aaron about tomorrow's meeting. Aaron pretends to care and says he'll run the company while Rod's gone. He invites Rod and Isa to dinner.

Rodrigo tells Aaron that some employees overheard Isa and Minnie arguing there earlier. Aaron sits down, and in the time it takes him to bend his knees, he comes up with a great explanation: Minerva got it into her crazy head that Aaron's fixing to divorce her, so she came to ask Oñate for information. He wasn't there, so she decided to wait, and Isadora wanted to hang out too, and then they had a "discussion." Minerva reproached Isadora for letting Rod spend so much time with Mariana, and they got to screaming, but luckily Isa is very prudent and convinced Minerva that they should leave before Rodrigo got back.

Now Rodrigo wants to know why Aaron is there. Aaron says that when Rodrigo didn't show up, Elvira called him in to deal with the trouble at the plantation. (Rodrigo: Ask Elvira what time she made that phone call!)

Now Rodrigo wants to know why Mariana wasn't asked to deal with the problem. Aaron gets up (again, it buys him the nanosecond he needs to come up with an answer) and says a problem of this magnitude can only be dealt with by the company's director. Aaron dropped everything to come over and see to it, and Rodrigo should be thanking him!

Now Rodrigo wants to talk to Zarate, the distillery guy. Aaron accuses Rodrigo of doubting his oh-so-trustworthy word, but Rodrigo insists. Aaron looks faintly concerned at first, but it quickly becomes clear that Zarate is playing along on the phone. Rodrigo wraps it up by telling Zarate he'd better be at the hacienda tonight so they can talk.

Next, Rodrigo calls Elvira and tells her to move up the meeting to 4 instead of 2 and make sure to get him a flight back at noon. Aaron tells Rodrigo that won't be enough time to get the agave. Rodrigo says no way is he going to cancel the meeting. Aaron wants to know what it's about, anyway. "All in time," Rodrigo reassures him. He says now he'll have to call Isadora to cancel their dinner plans for the evening (she was going to ask him to sign Daddy's loan papers; he was going to ask her to get out of his life).

Aaron says Isa won't be at home; he heard that she was visiting with Pilar. This surprises Rodrigo.

Meanwhile, back in Guadalajara, James is leading an educational tour through the agave. He tells them, among other things, that it takes the blue agave plant 6 to 8 years to mature. (I think the purpose of this scene was to remind us that James is still part of this novela.)

Pilar's eyes pop even more than usual as Minnie and Isa share their shocking news about Gaviota. They rehash what they already talked about before, and Minnie says they must be planning something. More rehashing of the plan to get Rodrigo out of town and learn more about the homewrecker. Pilar says gee, who would have guessed she's an imposter. "If we'd known that, none of this would have happened." Um, duh?? I guess Don Amador liked 'em kinda not-too-swift.

My TV screen is too small and I'm sitting too far away to be sure, but I think Minnie and Isa just rolled their beady little eyes. Minnie says that's the least of their problems. And everyone called Minnie crazy and they were all so enamored with the efficient Miss Franco. But Aaron will take care of this.

Rodrigo calls for Isadora. She doesn't want to take the call, but Minnie urges her to go on with the game and don't let him know what's going on. Rodrigo gives Isa the bad news about his trip and canceling their dinner plans, while Aaron pours drinks. Isadora takes the news surprisingly well, and hisses after she hangs up. Aaron offers to take Rod to the airport.

Elvira bursts in - lady, if there's something wrong with your knuckles, you could try tapping at the door with your foot - to tell him that Oñate is on the phone. Rodrigo gets up to leave, saying he has to give Mariana some "instructions." He confirms his return flight with Elvira.

It turns out that Oñate does not have any info yet. Aaron tells him they'd better have it by noon tomorrow when Rod comes back.

Rodrigo gives the bad news to Gaviota. She is vexed. She just called them this morning to confirm that the agave would be okay to give to the client by the end of the month. Rodrigo tells her that Zarate just now said otherwise. Now he has to go find some more, because the stuff they have isn't ready to cultivate.

Gaviota is bummed. He tells her to cheer up. It'll just be a few hours. He'll call her.

She begs him not to leave. She hugs him and cries. She tells him, "I have a bad feeling about this. As if... well, if I say it out loud it will happen." He tells her they're about to begin a new life together filled with love; trust him, it will happen. He tries to reason with her, says he'll call tonight and come back tomorrow and he loves her more and more every day, but Gavi is spooked and does not want him to go. They kiss, and I worry someone will come in and bust them; but I guess at this point, that would be redundant.

And now for something completely different: Sofia has just finished dining with nature's own appetite suppressant, Frankie the Aspiring Grifter. He is telling her that this place (which looks nice enough to me) isn't nearly as intimate as the one he had talked about, but the other one was closed. Sofia doesn't care; she's charmed. But she's also cold and she's ready to leave. Frankie gives her his jacket and calls for the bill.

He suddenly puts on a face that is probably supposed to look seductive. (You know, if I didn't feel so sorry for Acacia, I'd fix her up with this guy, because then they could go off and be weird together.) She asks why he's looking at her that way. He says he's very confused: he doesn't know why he likes her eyes so much. (Maybe because they're worth a couple of million dollars apiece?) Or is it her mouth. Or is the way she looks at him...

Fortunately, the waiter arrives with the bill, so we don't have to hear any more of Frankie's drivel. Frankie studies the bill and reaches for his wallet. Um, guess what? Of course he makes a big show of looking for it and pretends not to know where it is.

After work

Gavi and her mom are packing. Clarita says she's almost done. She's going to put away the TV and the Virgencita and saints last. Gavi tells her that everything else is ready, but Clarita doesn't believe her. Gavi tells her about Rodrigo having to leave. Clarita brushes off Gavi's concern, but Gavi says that when Rod said he was going, she got a chill in her bones, just like the day he left for London. (She doesn't add, "...capitol of England.")

Clarita gives her daughter some air-slaps - woops, no, she says she's shooing away the buzzards. Gavi explains the weird events of the day - Minnie and Isa fighting, later leaving together like nothing had happened, and not answering Gavi when she greeted them. Clarita brushes this off as well.

At the hacienda, Rod meets with Zarate, James, and Roman. Zarate says they got the agaves at the plant at noon, and they looked fine. But the lab tests revealed too-low sugar levels. They look big and nice, but they're not very sweet.

Rod says they have to get more agave. Zarate warns that the crop isn't ready. Rodrigo cuts him off - he's here to solve the problem. He'll inspect the agaves himself tomorrow. Zarate reluctantly agrees and leaves.

Roman says something flippant-sounding that I don't get, and Rodrigo thinks of an agave guy who can help them, or hook them up with others who can. James agrees, and the three of them grab their hats.

At Pilar's house, Aaron is telling the family (minus Rodrigo) about the agave story. And tomorrow, Oñate will have information about Mariana Franco's past. Pilar is confused as to why this information is needed. After all, when he hired her, he already checked that stuff, right? (Oh Granny, if you can't think of something unclueless to say, don't say anything at all!) Aaron says that Mariana seemed like a woman of the world, intelligent - nothing like a lowly migrant worker. She spoke to him in French, and joked with him in German.

Minnie reminds him that Gaviota went to Europe. Of course she learned the language - so she could approach her clients. She makes a little dig at Aaron - she understands how Medina could have fallen for that face, but Aaron too? He pats her leg (a little too forcefully) and tells her that's enough. :-)

Bruno wonders what the consequences of this will be. Fedra jumps to Aaron's defense. (I don't get their marriage. Every time I see Bruno and Fedra together, I always wonder if Bruno lost a bet.) Fedra says nothing has happened yet that they can't still fix. They can call the police! Patricio points out that they don't have anything to accuse her of except a bad resume... for which they could only fire her, at most. Pilar thinks that ought to be enough. Minnie reminds her that Mariana's also going to run away with Rodrigo.

Aaron brings them back to reality - Oñate will have the info tomorrow. Isa impatiently asks what proof does Aaron need - Rodrigo stopped looking for Gaviota when Mariana showed up. He didn't accept his director position for the family - he only did it to be with his vixen.

They hear Sofia laughing at the front door. Pilar advises them not to tell her what's going on until they can resolve the situation. Sofia comes in with Frankie in tow. Sofia is surprised to see the whole family there. She asks if the meeting wasn't supposed to be tomorrow.

Isadora is even more surprised to see Frankie. He gives her that creepy smile, which no one else seems to notice. Sofia tells them they were out testing her car, and introduces Francisco de la Vega. He puts on his smarmiest smile for the family. Sofia points out that Isadora already knows him - he's her neighbor. Isa greets him politely. Sofia introduces the rest of the family. "Ooh, Sofi, I didn't know you had a boyfriend," Fedra says in her kindergarten-teacher voice. (Note: It doesn't sound so obnoxious when it's coming from an actual kindergarten teacher.) Sofia says they just met, and he helped out with her car. Pilar says there are still some gentlemen in this world. Frankie humbly says it wasn't his own virtue, but the good upbringing of his parents. Sofia offers to show him around the house. After they leave the room, Fedra makes a condescending remark about Sofi's enthusiasm.

Pilar asks Isa how well she knows Frankie. Of course, she says "only a very little."

Meanwhile, Dani is posing (clothed) for a sketch by Elvis. She's eager to see everybody's faces tomorrow at Rodrigo's meeting. He's going to renounce his marriage-for-appearance's-sake, he's going to renounce the Montalvo family's rancid morals, renounce the company, the money... hey, Dani, not so fast with the money, okay? ...renounce everything for the love of Gaviota. Elvis laughs and applauds. Dani says she's truly happy because at last, Rodrigo decided to live love at the side of the woman he loves.

Sofie and Frankie are in Granny's arboretum. He claims that his sister is a bonsai expert, and took classes in Japan. Sofi finds this interesting, but something tells me her standards are low. She asks again how much it cost to fix her car. He tells her to forget it, but she won't drop it. He says okay, we can talk about it tomorrow at a very exclusive bar he knows that specializes in vodka, 100 labels from everywhere in the world. His favorite is from an area in the Balkans, called [utter gibberish, I'm sure it doesn't exist].

Sofia says she's never had vodka. Why am I not surprised. Frankie assures her that she'll love it. (I wonder if he's planning on slipping her a mickey, or would that be overkill?) She says okay, but first she has to pay him for fixing her car. He says no, she paid for lunch, so they're even. She thinks not, because that was THANKING him for fixing the car.

He continues to pour on the slime, I mean charm. She totally buys it.

Rodrigo and his posse are hanging out at their favorite bar, but for once they aren't listening to Gaviota. They meet with the agave kingpin, or whatever he is, and explain their problem. He doesn't have even half as much as they need, but Rod is eager to buy it. James offers to take over finding the rest. The agave guy says he'll give them a list of some other agave guys. Then they drink.

Everybody prepares to leave Pilar's place. Patricio takes Aaron aside and asks what else is going on at the company. Aaron puts him off, saying they'll have time for that later. Meanwhile, Pilar assures Isa that everything will be taken care of, and they're all on her side. Minerva takes this opportunity to point out once again that she wasn't crazy or obsessed.

Bruno asks where Dani is. Pilar at least has the decency to refer to Elvis as Dani's novio, the painter. (I can think of a lot of other things she might have wanted to call him.) Everybody finally leaves - except Isadora, who has to go back in for her keys. Pilar offers to let Isa stay at the house for the night, so she won't be alone. Isa declines - just in time for Frankie to bum a ride home with her! Frankie bids Pilar and Sofia a greasy adieu.

Sofia asks Pilar what everyone was talking about. Pilar deflects this and wants to know more about this Francisco de la Vega. "He's my future husband," Sofia answers. Ew.

Outside, Isa scolds Frankie for meddling in her private life - leave her family out of it! He claims it was a coincidence. Isa says she's already familiar with the story. All she asks is that he never come back to that house. He says why, is she starting to feel something for him? He moves in for a kiss. She shoves him away. He kisses her violently anyway. Before long, she gets into it. Then she pushes him away again. He invites her to tell him he's the best lover she's ever had. She complains that he's vain. He starts pawing her again, and she reminds him that they're outside her grandmother-in-law's house. She asks that he not speak while they're in the car. Frankie says maybe he'd better take a taxi - the driver would probably be a friendlier face. She hisses at him to get into the car!

He tells her not to drive fast. Ew. I don't want to know what he has in mind.

Minerva and Aaron are rehashing in their apartment. They know Gaviota can give Rod the baby that will cost Aaron his inheritance. He tells her firmly that Gaviota/Teresa/Mariana's future will be decided tomorrow. Minnie grins with malevolent anticipation.

Gavi and Clarita are ready for bed and thinking about tomorrow. Rodrigo calls. He tells her he's got some of the agave and he'll be back tomorrow just as he's planned. Then he'll talk to Isadora about the separation just before the meeting. He's not sure how long it will take, but they can go ahead to Manzanilla without him and wait for him at a hotel.

Gavi whines that she wanted them to leave together. Rodrigo says at least Gavi and her mom will be there. He'll get there later. She whines that they're already on the last flight. He says he'll rent a plane. He reminds her to leave her cell phone on. She'll go to work tomorrow, don't wait for him, get her check from Medina, and pay off her debts. She's still worried about her car payments.

He predicts that at this time tomorrow, they'll be hugging and kissing. They exchange mushy words, and she tells him that she loves him more than her own life. "Don't forget that, ever."

I guess the big question now is, how long before he forgets?

---

Wednesday
Aaron asks Mariana if she's Gaviota. One thing I'll say for this guy - he doesn't waste any time.

Labels: Destilando

Pastor and Juan continue their “moment.” Imagine if Pastor had seen Juan in those running shorts! Pastor breaks the silence and asks if Juan is there for the job. Juan says that he is and introduces himself to Pastor. Pastor replies that the pleasure is all his. He walks to the other applicants and says that the job has been filled. Juan thinks this means that he should leave and wait for another vacancy, but Pastor explains that Juan is the one who filled the position. Juan recognizes that he’s playing with fire.

Paula gives CL her credentials. CL tells Paula that her mother has told him all this. He offers Paula something to drink, which turns down. He tries his best, even saying that some business deals go better with a cocktail. She still says no. They telenovela stare at each other across the room.

Juan and Pastor walk around an office that oddly resembles the layout of Conceptos. Juan notices the pretty little assistant.

Paula continues with the story of her education. CL says that is all well and good but he believes more in experience then in academics. Paula replies that she doesn’t have the experience but she thinks that she has the qualities that the business needs. CL agrees that she probably does have them. He says that in this business there are two ways to get employment – the easy way and the hard way. Paula asks about the easy way. CL says that to talk about that path, they need to have a drink. She acquiesces and he goes straight for the vodka. It’s perfect for talking about business. Paula looks a little more than unsure.

Juan sits in Pastor’s office. Pastor says they should just get rid of all formality. He casually asks Juan about his job experience. Juan says that he has a lot of experience. Pastor replies that he could see that at once, it’s a natural born physiognomy, and he’s never wrong. Pastor can tell that Juan has faculty, intelligence and a good presentation. Juan thanks him. Pastor says he has a position for Juan. He asks Juan to accompany him on an errand and Pastor will tell Juan about the job on the way. Juan recognizes that Pastor is fascinated with him. Juan turns down the offer. Pastor takes this to mean that Juan isn’t interested, but Juan assures Pastor that he is. Pastor says that he’ll give Juan another opportunity. He asks if Juan knows how to drive. Juan doesn’t, but he says that he can. Pastor offers Juan the job of chauffer. Juan knows that he shouldn’t but he accepts the job anyway. Pastor advises Juan that the introductory course will be tomorrow. Juan tries to weasel his way out of it, but the men come to an agreement. Juan thinks to himself that he’s doing all this for Marely, for whom he would make any sacrifice.

Juan and Pastor continue to wander around the office. Pastor introduces Juan to, Fernando, the man Juan will replace. Juan introduces himself. Pastor tells Fernando that he can go have a torta or something else because Pastor needs to explain everything to Juan. Fernando coldly exits the garage. Juan thinks to himself that he didn’t like Fernando’s attitude and he didn’t like the way Pastor dismissed Fernando. Juan turns to Pastor and sees him looking at Juan in the same way Nidia does. Juan doesn’t like it, but he needs the job. Juan gets into the driver seat. He goes through the buttons on the dash – the lights, the signals, the windshield wipers. Pastor tells Juan that the car is an automatic, Juan has no idea what this means. Pastor asks Juan to come to a dinner party later in the evening. Juan says that he has something else to do, a friend has died. Juan says they can do something another day.

CL gives Paula a little speech about the power of women. They use the most powerful tool of all, sex. He points out several famous women, like Helen of Troy, who used their sex appeal to their advantage. Paula wants to get to the point of how to get “in” in the office. CL explains that a woman should use all her power (emphasis on the all) in order to climb the ladder. Paula’s upset; she came for a job. She asks why he didn’t read her curriculum. He says that he reads it in her eyes. He touches her face, but she pushes his hand away. He asks if she wants to begin at the bottom as an assistant in sales or if she wants to be the commercial director of the company. CL says that he wants things to be clear. Paula replies that she would be happy with whatever position, but she prefers commercial director. CL says he likes ambitious people, now all he needs to know is if she has the qualifications for that charge.

Pastor and Ivonne talk about the new employee. Pastor’s very obviously enamored of Juan. Ivonne agrees that Juan is very handsome. Pastor thinks Juan’s more than handsome; he’s divine. Ivonne asks if there was chemistry. Pastor thinks there were; he saw it in Juan’s eyes. Pastor tells Ivonne how Juan upset Fernando. He draws a picture of two hearts with the names Juan y Pastor inside the drawing. He holds it up for Ivonne to see. They giggle.

CL and Paula toast. CL leans in for a kiss but Paula moves out of the way. She stands and says that she too likes things to be clear. She says that she has all the qualifications, but she’s not going to sell her soul or her body for a job. She dismisses herself from the room, but CL stops her. He tells her that she passed the test. He wanted to make sure she wasn’t like all those women who came to him to find a job the easy way. He offers his apologies. Paula falls for it; she sits down again. He says they will now talk seriously. He offers the commercial director position. CL calls Pastor to come to his office.

Juan stands at the bus stop. He’s worried about the situation with Pastor, but he’s more worried about having to show up to work on Monday and drive that car; he’s only driven a scooter, a bicycle and what I can best translate as a yam cart (un “carrito de camotes” anyone?). Juan sees the beautiful woman standing near him. He walks around her just like she’s prey. He speaks to her to assure that she’s safe with him around. The woman plays disinterested. They make some small talk about where they’re going and where they’re from.

CL introduces Paula to Pastor. When CL tells Pastor about Paula’s position, Pastor begins to protest but is cut off by CL. They excuse themselves to another room.


Tomorrow:

The families celebrate

Labels: Juan

Here comes the bride, or at least a plastic version on a cake topper. It’s the day of dread, Aldo and Lety’s wedding day. Erasmo looks upset; he must not like the cake topper. Lety descends from her room in full bridal regalia. She walks over to her father. He cries and admires his daughter who is now “toda una mujer,” meaning she’s a grown woman. Erasmo tells Lety that while he was in Acapulco he though a lot and that he’s to blame for everything that’s happened. He repressed and overprotected her. Lety tries to console him, but Erasmo says that he did this so she wouldn’t leave him and stay his little girl. Lety assures Erasmo that she’ll always be his little girl and that he has no reason to be sorry. Lety says she’s thankful for her father. Erasmo wisely says that sometimes even love causes pain. They hug and Erasmo wishes her happiness.

At a church that is not the cathedral in Monterrey, the wedding guests await the arrival of the bride and the bride. Oops, I meant groom. Sometimes Aldo’s Farrah hair looks a little feminine to me. Luigi films all the guests, even the cuartel. Aldo is the first to arrive in a white Mercedes. Alicia and Tomas are the first to greet him. Tomas thinks it was a good idea for Aldo to follow Tomas’ lead. He says that Lety and Aldo will be very happy together. Aldo agrees. Aldo looks around the crowd and asks for Fernando. Tomas assures Aldo that Fernando will not show up, considering that the love of his life is marrying someone else. Tomas thinks that Aldo should forget about Fernando, but Aldo is still thankful for Fernando coming to Acapulco. Aldo and his father leave the group to greet the other guests.


The Monterrey Cathedral

Lety arrives next in a carriage drawn by two white horses. Everyone appears to think she looks lovely; they applaud her arrival. Lety doesn’t want Aldo to see her without her veil, so she has her father quickly draw it over her face. Julieta walks over to Aldo and greets him.

The wedding party enters the church and proceeds toward the altar. Aldo escorts Julieta and Erasmo takes Lety. The wedding ceremony begins with the bride and groom kneeling before the priest.

Fernando wanders around a park thinking to himself that it’s the time of the wedding. Lety’s about to become Lety Domensain. He thinks to himself that he lost her and will never have her near him again. He says that even his soul hurts, but he has to accept this.

The “I do” part of the wedding starts. Aldo says his “I do” but before Lety is able to accept, Fernando rushes into the chapel. Everyone looks shocked at Fernando’s desperation. He begs Lety to marry him. Finally, Fernando grows some cajones and confronts Aldo. F – “You know perfectly well that Lety has to marry me, Aldo.” He turns to Lety and begs her to marry him because she loves him. They lived through so much together. Omar, Tomas and two mystery men pull him down the aisle. Fernando again shouts to Aldo that he “knows it perfectly well” and that he loves Lety.

Aldo kneels and asks Lety if she’s okay. Lety tells Aldo that she’s okay and that she loves him. Meanwhile, an entire TV audience holds its breath and thinks to itself, “No, you don’t! Don’t realize it too late!” The priest continues the ceremony.

The men toss Fernando outside. Tomas tells Fernando to leave Lety in peace; Omar has to calm a furious Tomas. Fernando says he says there is no quarrel and seats himself in the carriage and tells the men not to worry.

Lety finally says her “I do” and is declared the wife of Aldo. Outside, Fernando hears the music and rushes into the church. Aldo and Lety lean in for a kiss. Fernando comes tearing up the aisle screaming out “No!” He falls to his knees and is again dragged out of the church. Aldo tells Lety that this is sad for Fernando. They tell each other that they love one another and kiss again. Everyone applauds, except for Lety who pulls away and excitedly repeats the word “no” three times.

Lety wakes up from her dream and asks for Aldo. She realizes that it was just a dream, but she doesn’t know why she dreamed about that.

Luigi escorts his parents out of the hospital. He tells them that he misses them and every time he does a commercial, they are his inspiration. Luigi’s happy that they have a new opportunity to be together. His mother and father promise not to be separated from him again. Luigi puts their luggage in a pink convertible. His father asks if that’s really Luigi’s car. It’s just like he wanted. Luigi says that’s why he bought it, but fixed it up in his style. Luigi says he doesn’t know how to drive. His new boyfriend Esteban drives. Luigi calls over Esteban and presents him to his parents. Luigi’s father is the first to greet Esteban. Esteban graciously says that Luigi talks about them all the time and that he is very proud of his father. Luigi’s mother gives Esteban a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Luigi thanks his parents for accepting him as he is; it’s liberated him. He will now accept others as they are. More hugs!

In the office, Lety doesn’t want to tell Fernando about her dream from the night before. Fernando points out that there’s currently a nightmare about someone stealing $1 million dollars. Lety says that she realizes her dream is such a silly thing in the face of their current problems. Fernando says that nothing Lety has is a silly thing. He asks her to tell him the dream. She doesn’t hesitate anymore and begins her story. Once she gets to the part where Fernando interrupts the wedding he spooks a little and tells her to keep the intimate details to herself. Lety asks if this means that it really was horrifying. Fernando doesn’t answer and just looks at Lety. She wants to know why. He replies that he doesn’t know much about these things but he watched Jaime Mausan’s program and it says that dreams reflect one’s desires. Lety wants to now what he’s saying, but he evades the question. They debate the credentials of Jaime Mausan.

Aldo confronts Carmina. He wants to know why she said she was going to Acapulco to live with him. Carmina explains that she took advantage of an opportunity to have him to herself. His phone rings. It’s somebody confirming wedding details. Carmina looks like she’s about to cry. She leaves the room without saying good-bye.

Alicia enters the passport office and goes straight to the counter, despite the long line. She asks the attendant where to go to renew her passport. The lady tells Alicia that she must go to the line. Alicia says that she she’s in a hurry. Why doesn’t the woman tell the manager next to her to attend to Alicia. The woman replies that he’s not a manager, he’s a director and that Alicia needs to get in line. Alicia bitches the entire way to the back. She has to show the man at the end of the line proof that she’s pregnant. She uses this as an excuse to get to the front of the line again. This ploy seems to work, the director peeks at her passport.

Lety wants Fernando to quit. He says that she needs to accept that she has doubts. He asks her how she’s going to tell Aldo. Lety can’t believe that Fernando thinks that she should tell Aldo. He says that she really should. He gets in her ear and breathily tells her to think about it because to marry with doubts is well…she should think about it. Lety shivers and watches him walk away.

Labels: fea

We open with Nidia and the attorney, Alirio, talking about the will. She is not too pleased with the terms and vows to not give Paula (la opurtunista) a single penny. The attorney says it will be very difficult to not follow the terms of the will. Nidia asks him if there is something they can do. She says she will do anything to get that money. She presents him with a proposition, does her infamous breast hoisting, and tells him that if he can secure that she can recuperate the money she will do whatever he asks. He pants... and asks for her hand in marriage. She acts coy and says "but my husband just died." He says that he has always had a thing for her and if she was his wife she can have whatever she wants, trips, money, jewels, everything that makes her happy. And he says her daughters would be treated like princesses. She agrees and follows with another round of breast hoisting.

Paula comes in from a day of job searching looking dejected. She complains that no one takes her seriously and that most were interested in the length of her skirt rather than her skills and professional experience. She says she will keep on keeping on and invites her mother to dinner.

Back at Nidia's casa, the family is sitting around the dinner table having pizza. Nidia makes sure to point out that Alirio paid for the pizza since their father left them in ruins. And that the pizza might very well be their last meal. Nidia says she wants to sell the house and split the proceeds among her and her daughters and each go their separate ways. Alirio says that cannot happen because one of the terms of the will is that that house cannot be sold until the girls finish their studies. Juan, to score points with Marely, says that he will be the one who will take care of the family. They all look at him blankly. He says that Marely will now respect him and that respect is the first step on the road to love.

Paula and her mom are at dinner. Paula says to her mother not to worry. If she cannot find employment, she will open a taco stand. He mother remembers that Paula's father had a friend who he did business with and owns an important corporation and he might be able to give her a job. His name is Cesar Luis. She describes him as someone muy serious and correct. As she is describing him, we cut to a scene in his office where he is groping and kissing a woman who I am not sure what her name is yet. He compliments her lips and says the only thing they are missing is his.

She whines that she does not want to be "la otra" and wants a serious relationship. He tells her their relationship is ideal. It's just love without commitment and all the messy stuff that goes along with that.

Back at casa Nidia, she compliments Juan. She says there are no men like him anymore. Divinos on the outside as well as on the inside. He says its his pleasure to take care of such a fine family and they helped him too when he needed a place. Alirio is not pleased. Juan says that the girls are princesses and will continue to live as such.

Juan is laying in bed thinking about what he said during dinner. He admits that he has never worked seriously and this will be the first time.

Juan is sitting down to breakfast and Nidia and the red headed daughter are fawning over him, feeding him and cooing. Marely comes downstairs and they ask where she is going. She says she is going to the university to inquire about classes. The other sister tells her they are in mourning. Marely says 'don't make me laugh.' The other sister says she is much too sad to study, especially this semester. Nidia reminds her of the stipulation in the will about both girls finishing their studies and beginning their careers.

Alirio is at Ana's house telling her that Paula's father left all of her inheritance to the barefooted Carmelites. She looks dubious and wants to see the will. He tells her that he does not have it on him at the moment, but will make sure she gets a copy. She says she wants to see the original. He says that Nidia was also upset by the terms of the will and says that she had nothing to do with it. She asks when she will be getting the will. He says he will get it to her as soon as possible.

Juan begins his job search. Paula and Ana are having breakfast and they talk about the will. Ana tells her she is sure that the Cachons are stealing what is rightfully Paula's. Paula says she has zero interest in that money. Ana tells her that she got her an appointment with Cesar for that afternoon.

Juan gets directions from his bus driver friend as well as borrows some dinero. At his first interview, he is asked what languages he speaks. He says English, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, a little bit of German. The interviewer says "great, lets do this in English." And asks Juan how old he is. (after working in HR myself so many years, I know asking someone how old they are is a HUGE no-no. I guess in Mexico HR is different...hmm. or it could have been a test to see if our beloved Juan really did know ingles...) So, Juan gets really flustered and fakes like he is ill. Next interview is comical as well. He is asked something about per capita... Juan thinks the guy is referring to the capital.

Paula goes to church to pray to the santo nino to antocha. She asks for intercession in finding a job and helping her and her mother.

After she leaves, Juan goes to pray to the nino too. He also asks for help finding a decent job.

Paula arrives at Cesar's office. She meets the secretary who he was groping earlier. She doesn't look pleased. She tells P that Cesar is busy and to have a seat. She calls Cesar and tells him Paula is there.

Cesar and Pastor are talking about the kind of person they need for the new position. Experience, education, etc.

Paula walks into Cesar's office and he is smitten and muy impactado.

Juan goes into the office too. There are a lot of people in line waiting for an interview. He greets the applicants and looks official and rattles off lots of things they need. (passport, birth certificate, baptism certificate, identification, shot records) He manages to get most out of line. He runs into Pastor and accididently knocks him down. Pastor looks him over and definitely likes what he sees. Juan comments that the man looked him over like a woman would do and that would be his salvation in getting the job.

Labels: Juan

Zorro is in the Queen’s chamber and she scolds him for daring to enter there. Zorro tells her that there was no other way, would she have met with him at all if he didn’t come to her. She wants to know who he is and Zorro answers that his identity is his precious secret. She questions if he is a thief, someone who’s stolen from the Crown. Zorro admits that he has taken money intended for the Crown, but he gave the money to her poor subjects. He tells her that there are worse things happening in this town—crimes against the people and even murder. She is shocked. Zorro asks the Queen if she is behind any of these crimes, like did she order the murder of Mercedes. The Queen is surprised to hear the name of her long dead cousin. Zorro assures her that her prima didn’t die in childhood, in fact she lived, until very recently, here in the city of Los Angeles. She even had a daughter, Esmeralda. He goes on to add that both women, mother and daughter, were murdered. The Queen asks is he thinks she had anything to do with that. Zorro replies that they will see.

Ricardo taunts Esme in her bodega prison. He tells her it would take a smart woman to pull the wool over his eyes, but he’s smarter than her. There was no way he’d let a gypsy girl make a fool of him. “You thought you would use me like you mother used your father, well you’ll soon be just like your mother, dead.” He goes on and wants to know if she’d like to hear about what happened with her son. Esme just lays there and has no reaction to the vile things that Monty is saying. He demands she cry, he wants to see her cry. It isn’t any fun for him if she doesn’t cry.

El Duco (DJ) wants Pizarro to tell him for sure that Sara Kali is dead. Piza rehashes her prison escape, her being killed and the gypsies taking her body. DJ focuses on the missing body, he knows that’s a loose end. DJ questions Piza some more and implies that he’s not loyal to the Crown. Piza says that he’s a good military man, he follows orders and definitely is loyal to the Crown. DJ let’s Piza go and then says to his underling, who’s name I can’t remember, that they need to keep their eye on that one. They also need to clean up the SK mess, ensuring that there is no connection between her and them. Oh yeah, and we need to make sure that the Queen knows absolutamente nada about this.

Meanwhile, the Queen wants to convince Zorro that she knew nothing about people being murdered. Zorro fills her in on the SK/Mercedes rehash and her claim to the throne, et al. The Queen demands to have witnesses, verification of this claim because anyone could pretend to be royal, but only a woman who can sleep on a pea can prove to be a true queen –okay, she didn’t say this, but she did tell Zorro that she wants him to provide this info to DJ. They talk about Zorro visiting tomorrow, but the Queen goes to get DJ and Zorro disappears into thin air.

Monty finds SAM and tells him to go home—take the night off and spend it with your family. SAM is suspicious and he tells Monty he really doesn’t have much family and proceeds to list off a bunch of relatives. Monty doesn’t care, he tells SAM to go wherever you want, just make like a bee and buzz off. First, though, go get Piza ‘cuz Monty needs him. SAM knows that something is up and worries that it spells doom for Esme (ulcer 1).

In the Fox Cave, Zorro and Bernardo rehash a bit his visit to the Queen. Diego tells Bernie that he’ll have to fill Padre Tomás in on all of this mañana. Diego tells Bernie that he doesn’t think the Queen had any part in getting rid of SK. His gut tells him DJ is behind all of this, and Zorro will expose DJ.

Selenia visits a recuperating Mariangel, who is getting cared for by Agapito. She asks about the baby. Mangle tells her she doesn’t want visitors and how’d she know that Mangle gave birth. Selenia tells Mangle that she knows many things. Selenia urges Mangle to talk to her alone, it is important. Pito is willing to go, and tells Selenia that Mangle needs to eat his medicinal slop. She says she’ll get her to eat it. When they are alone, Selenia tells Mangle that Santiago sent a message.

Olmos and Piza talk in the bar, not face to face but shoulder to shoulder at two different tables. So each man looks like they are talking to themselves. They talk about DJ being in town and him wanting info on SK. They conclude that this doesn’t make things look good for Esme. In fact, Piza adds, the duke being in town probably will lead to Esme’s death, because Monty doesn’t want to be linked to the whole SK mess. SAM finds Piza in the bar and tells him that Monty gave him the night off. Olmos doesn’t like the sound of this.

Mangle tells Selenia to let Santiago rest in peace after all Santiago cheated on her. Mangle starts to go on about Esme but Selenia pulls out her nifty ruby ring and flashes it. Mangle is entranced and Selenia hypnotizes her. The screen flashes, some time has passed and Selenia and Mangle are talking about Olmos. Mangle never knew she had these feelings for Olmos and she can’t wait until she sees him next. Selenia adds that it was always right there in front of her. He should be returning soon Mangle says, with her sluttish smile. Selenia is enjoying all of this.

Diego looks in on his cute baby. He has flashbacks to Esme telling him she was pregnant and how he told her that he fights to make the world better for their child. Diego snaps back to the present and tells his son his name is Alejandro and that someday he’ll continue his mission. Nothing like giving the child some choice in the matter.

SAM tells Piza he’s worried for Esme (still ulcer 1, carried out into a new scene). He begs Piza to help stop Monty from harming Esme in any way. Piza says que sera, there is nothing they can do for Esme now. SAM urges Piza to think about protecting the daughter of the true queen. Piza knows that with DJ in town, things have changed. He tells SAM he’ll try but he won’t make any promises because it really is all out of his hands.

Monty ties up Esme’s hands and tells her that the end is here. He rips off her necklace and tells her she won’t need this any more. He drops it on the floor (for sure I thought he’d go try to sell it for some cash, money must not be as tight as I thought).

Diego has a dream of Esme asking for his help and then flashes to Zorro begging Esme to come back. The dream ends with Esme asking Diego to help her. Diego wakes and asks for some sort of sign from Esme.

The Queen is a big gossip. She tells DJ everything about Zorro’s visit and their little conversation. DJ is ticked. He orders the guards to be doubled, that thief came to steal something. The Queen says all he took was her tranquility---she tells DJ about Zorro saying that Mercedes lived in LA. DJ tells her it is all lies. Still, the Queen wonders how they all could die like that. DJ tells her that fate is capricious. The Queen orders that Zorro not be harmed as long as he doesn’t mean to harm them. I don’t think DJ will be following that order.

Diego leaves the hacienda and Dolores is worried about him (ulcer 2). She asks Alejandro (the elder) where Diego could be going and Alej tells her that he’s going to look for Esme. Dolo seems perplexed by this and Alej explains that Diego thinks that Esme’s alive and he’s searching for proof. Alej thinks this is just an emotional search so Diego can come to terms with the death.

Monty tells Piza they need to get rid of Esme. Piza tries to talk him out of it, but Monty won’t listen. She’s said nothing about Zorro’s identity and with Sara Kali dead, she’s of no worth, so get rid of her. Monty tells Piza to complete the job without a trace and bring back her heart as proof she’s dead (because he’ll run some DNA tests just to be sure).

There is a full moon and Renzo is playing his violin. He’s sad for Esme and Ana Camila (NAC) comforts him. She tells him that life will give him a second chance. He just doesn’t know, all he wishes for is something to make him feel again, because without Esme he feels very little. NAC makes a move, she kisses him and he responds. When the kiss breaks apart, she apologizes, she got carried away. He says now you’ll have to forgive me, and he kisses her. (I might add a little YEAH!!—it’s good to have a little romance back in the show and another plus is that a brooding Laisha was no where in the scene, so at least the moment wasn't ruined by her pouting mug).

Sara Kali asks Suzi and Jonas to help her. She plans to go to the Queen and eventually go back to Spain. She wants to take Esme’s body with her when she goes. Jonas says he knows she’s buried in the cemetery. He’ll make sure they get the body.

Piza tells Esme it is time to go, the Queen is here and things have taken a different direction. Esme asks Piza about where her son is, Piza tells her he’s dead. He finds Esme’s necklace and gives it back to her. She smiles a distant smile and says this is all she has left of her mother.

PT and Diego rehash Zorro and his visit to the Queen. They talk some about SK and how the Queen will hopefully seek some justice for what was done to SK. Diego tells PT that Zorro can seek the justice, but PT adds that if Zorro does it, it won’t be justice it will be vengeance. Diego says he won’t be able to heal until Monty and Fernando pay for what they have done.

Piza takes Esme out to the woods. It reminds me of Snow White, not the Disney version, but the Grimm’s Brothers version, where the woodsman has to bring her heart back in a box to the evil queen. Esme tells Piza that after she’s dead she’ll make sure to avenge her son’s death. SAM shows up in the nick of time. He holds a gun to Piza and orders him to put down his weapon. Piza obliges, but tells SAM he’s going to get them both in deep doo doo, Monty is sure to have them both killed now. Just then Olmos shows up, two pistols in hand.

Fernando visits Mangle and wants to know where her baby is. She says Diego took him home while she rests. Fernando senses she’s acting strange and questions about Olmos. Mangle says that Olmos was a hero, he delivered the baby and save her.

Olmos tells Piza and SAM that he’s got plans for Esme and Piza says he’s got to get her heart for Monty. SAM says no way to them both. Olmos orders that weapons get dropped. Esme tells SAM to not risk his life for her, and he listens. Olmos tells Piza he’ll take both of them off his hands and Piza agrees as long as Olmos makes them disappear for good. If he doesn’t, Piza tells Olmos he’ll find him and kill him. Olmos doesn’t like to be threatened and tells Piza that he’ll kill him, so GO!!

Diego talks to Alej about things needing to change in LA. Alej agrees and Diego says he’s the man to do it. Al doesn’t seem to be convinced, so Diego says that he’s not the man his father thinks he is.

Pizarro finds a heart somewhere to give to Monty. Monty is convinced it is the real deal. He’s gleeful, this is all that’s left of her. He tells Piza that he should be rewarded for a job well done.

Olmos meets up with the slave traders and tells them it is two for the price of one. END OF EPISODE (ulcers 2)

Labels: Zorro

We left Emilio at the Bus Station, just having lost sight of the kidnapped Gaby, with the police following closely behind. He yells that they have to find her before she gets on a bus. [Actually he says camion, not autobus which I thought would be truck, but a camioneta is a van so maybe camion can also mean bus?]

Dra. Loca, Sleazy Lawyer and Don Loco are in a meeting room in the jail. Don Loco and Dra. Loca both have tears running down their cheeks, at the magnitude of Don Loco’s pain at discovering that he’s been wrong all along about Alina and Soledad. Don Loco asks out loud how he could have been so cruel to his own daughter. SL says what’s done is done and can’t be undone. The only thing now is to salvage what he can out of this situation. Dra. Loca says she doesn’t get what he is saying. SL says we can now prove that he was out of his mind and can’t be judged as a criminal, but as mentally ill. “You’ve said it yourself! Now I can appeal his sentence so that he doesn’t have to serve his time in jail, but in a mental hospital.” He puts his arm on Don Loco’s shoulder, DL shrugs it off and looks balefully at Dra. Loca.

Back at the bus station, Emilio is racing on and off buses, frantically looking for Gaby. A security guy runs up and says that a bus did leave and a girl matching Gaby’s description was on it!
DL is has been brought back to his cell. He’s not on board with SL’s plan to put him in a mental hospital with a bunch of lunatics. SL tells him to relax, he has a plan and he wants DL to be patient and not wreck it. DL tells him he can’t possibly know what it feels like to know that he has behaved like a monster, destroying the love of the only woman he’s ever cared for and making his own daughter curse him.

Over at the hospital, Ricardo and Mariana are trying to make Malena more comfortable. Malena is going to be discharged tomorrow and they can all finally blow town. Mariana reflects gravely that if she hadn’t come here and tried to tell her brother the truth, she would never have risked all their lives. Ricardo says to not think about that now. Tomorrow they will get out of there but first he has to help the woman in the next room with her son, who needs a kidney. He describes her as a poor woman, with folk beliefs, in miracles [or Milagros? Those healing charms?] “She heals people, like me!” Mariana exclaims that she once knew a woman like that who took care of her mother.

We pan over to the other side of the privacy screen and there is that woman, Luba, hunching over poor sick Gaspar. Gaspar is murmuring that he wants to see his little cub. Luba tells him that he has to get well. Gaspar says yes! So that he can play with his little cub and swim in the river. Luba gets up and tells him that she wants to speak to the doctor who will help them. Just as she’s about to cross to the other side of the screen, she hears Mariana telling the others that she’ll never forget the woman’s face or her name “Luba!” Luba is impactada—that woman knows her real name!

Back to the jailhouse with SL and DL “Now more than ever, what you’ve got to do is think of yourself” says SL. DL disagrees. “All these years I did nothing but think of myself and look what I got!...I lost my family and let my thoughts consume my soul…no, I cannot even forgive myself. “ SL says he doesn’t know how he can move forward. DL says he needs to see Mariana, to speak to her and clear up a lot of things. He grabs SL’s shoulder through the bars, earnestly and not violently for once.

On the streets of Puebla, Emilio rides with a state police trooper chasing the bus that carries Gaby and her captor. [Gee whiz those cars are tiny! I think the campus parking cops where I went to college had bigger cars! Emilio and the policeman barely fit in this toy car. ] Emilio dramatically suggests that they cut the bus off at the pass. The police guy says no, it would unsafe for the rest of the passengers. He’ll just put on his lights and pull the bus over. The bus driver still doesn’t stop so the police car crosses the center line and passes the bus. [Good thing no oncoming traffic on this narrow road! Also a good thing that everybody on this road seems to be doing about 10 miles an hour. Now where in Mexico do they do that?] The cop signals to the bus to pull over but apparently since there is no shoulder, they have to drive for awhile before they get to a place where the bus CAN pull over. [Going 10 miles an hour. Some chase.] They stop the bus, they give a cursory look around and decide that the little girl that they see on this bus is not Gaby. Meanwhile, a black and white local police car drives up.

Back at the hospital, Luba is still worried about who that woman is who spoke her name. She’s worried that it’s someone from SE who will tell the police and they’ll nab her and Gaspar. She’s got to see find out who this lady is. [Great worried facial expressions from Ana Martin here.]
At Rodrigo’s apartment, Rod is talking to Alina. He’s afraid because they haven’t heard anything. Alina tells him not to despair. Tina butts in to add that she’s been waiting by the phone and nobody has called. Alina continues with her Pollyanna act by saying that if they haven’t heard anything that is good news because it means that she’s probably lost and that nobody has kidnapped her. [Huh? Whatever] The doorbell rings. It’s Emilio. He’s come to give them an update. They spotted Gaby at the central bus station. Alina starts to ask why they didn’t bring Gaby with them. Emilio explains that she and her captor got away. Rodrigo starts screaming at him about why they didn’t stop them, etc. Emilio just looks tired.

[commercial break—we are treated to a brand new transition featuring a very odd looking woman who looks sort of like Alina but older, with a much rounder face. Great, that’s just what we need in the final windup, yet another new character.]

Emilio is in the middle of a big and unsatisfactory explanation when we return. He says that Gaby has been captured by a child trafficking ring and that now these people know we are after them and they have the advantage. The important thing is that they are still dragging her around. Rodrigo is flipping out, “You had her so close!” Again, Alina tries the Pollyanna thing. “At least she’s OK!” Rodrigo flips out some more—“OK? OK? Can you imagine how scared Gaby must be, having to spend the night with that vile wretch! “Don’t get mad,” says Alina. “I’m with you.” “You should be happy Gaby is alive.” [Ugh!] Emilio says that Alina is right. [Double Ugh!] Rodrigo apologizes and says that his powerlessness and desperation make him say things he doesn’t mean. Emilio says he understands. He adds that he thinks that Gaby and her captor never made it out of the city. He clarifies after being asked that there was a watch put on all the busses leaving the city and nobody with those descriptions has made it out. Tina interrupts to say that at least they now know that Gaby is not lost. Rodrigo says ruefully that now that her captors know they are looking for her, they’ll try to hide her.

Over at Coral’s boutique, Soledad is worried about Alina, who still hasn’t called. She’s worried that this situation will only intensify the situation between Emilio and Rodigo. Coral sounds a little fed up. “They are all adults, they know how to resolve this situation.“ Coral says. [Bravo, again, Coral!] She tells Soledad that they should go to lunch and then they have to acquire some more merchandise since the store is doing so well.

Emilio, Rod, Alina and Tina are still in Rod’s kitchen. Tina is fretting that if Gaby’s captors try to hide her how will they be able to find her? Rod asks Emilio if he has anything to go on. Emilio answers that he is following a line of investigation. He thinks that the guys who he was tracking before, the ones who beat him up, are involved. Rod asks him what he plans to do. Emilio says he has a plan, but that he’ll need Rodrigo’s cooperation to make it happen. Can Rod give him that assurance? Rod clenches his jaw.


Over at Casa Valtierra, the phone rings and Thelma goes to answer it. It’s General Ochoa. He’s looking for Emilio. Thelma says she hasn’t seen him, she thought he’d be at the base by now. Ochoa tells her that Emilio joined the search for the missing little girl. Thelma tells the General that she’ll look for Emilio and have him call. Thelma puts down the phone and thought bubbles that that brat [escuincle] ought to have been delivered to Rodrigo by now. Anyway it’s not her problem. Her problem now is Orlando. [Wow, this is cold, even for vicious old Thelma!]

Ochoa is in his office and there is a knock at the door. It’s Orlando now dressed in his uniform with his hair slicked back, looking more like an officer and less like beetle bailey, busted down a few stripes as he was previously. He’s come to present himself formally to the General, for his new orders. The general has nothing for him at the moment, so Orlando suggests that he could go back to SE to wind up the final oversight work on the road construction. Ochoa points out that that is Capt. Valtierra’s job. Orlando says yes, but since SE dredges up bad memories for Emilio…Ochoa says pointedly that Orlando was responsible for a lot of those bad memories. Orlando agrees. He says that for that reason, he’d like to spare Emilio the horror of reliving those days. Ochoa sees the logic. He agrees to let him go. With a click of his heels and a snappy salute, Orlando is gone. Once outside the office, Orlando says to nobody in particular, that now he can go to SE, grab up Gaspar, and put him in front of Thelma. [Oops, so far it’s not looking like that’s going to happen. And too bad too—it means that Orlando will be delayed in getting his important news to Emilio. Why should Emilio believe Gaspar over a DNA test? Or even Gaspar over Orlando for that matter? Will I have any hair left from tearing it out after this show?!!!!!]
Sleazy Lawyer is at the front desk of a hotel. He tries to find out if Mariana is staying there. The clerk actually has some ethics and says that he can’t tell him. Even when SL offers him a wad of cash and he still doesn’t budge and threatens to call security. No matter, SL says he’ll find someone whose price he can meet. He picks up a newspaper and pretends to read it. Who should come wandering in at precisely that moment but Ricardo who is asking for the hotel bill for himself and Mariana. SL sidles up, introduces himself and says that DL wants to talk to her. Ricardo says that Mariana has no interest in talking to him again. SL tells him that DL deserves another chance. He’s seen the results of the DNA test and knows that Mariana told the truth, that Soledad didn’t cheat on him and Alina is his daughter. Ricardo is somewhat impactado.
Back over at Rodrigo’s apartment, Rod, Emilio and Alina are all sitting talking about Emilio’s plan. [By the way, was there ever an odder collection of ornaments on a coffee table? Two glass hockey pucks and a bunch of eggs? What’s up with that? I guess they aren’t going to tell us what the plan is because Emilio is already asking Rod if he is going to agree to it.] “It’s like putting out bait for the animal who took the little girl. We could get her back faster than you can imagine.“ [Boy, I am really not following this. What is he going to do, make Rodrigo stand on a street corner dressed like a little girl?] Rodrigo is worried that the plan will fail and so is Alina. Emilio tells them that if this plan fails they will make others. The police are already interested in this ring and they won’t let this opportunity pass them by to get them. Alina is on board with the plan. She thinks it would be good to bust this ring so that not only Rod but other parents can find their children. Rodrigo, pantywaist that he is, says “If Alina agrees to the plan so do I.” Alina wants to know how they will know that the plan is working. Emilio tells her that he’s going to have Frank conduct surveillance of their headquarters and report when they have Gaby. He’d go but they already recognize his face.

SL is explaining to Ricardo all that has transpired since Mariana last saw DL. He begs Ricardo to help him convince her to go back and talk to DL.

In jail, DL is trying to sleep, but instead is having orange flashbacks of the letter and the day he took Alina to the cave. Also Alina confronting him and insisting upon her mother’s innocence. DL begs Alina from heaven (he thinks) to forgive him. [Ave Maria playing in the background] He reflects that he was so afraid of sharing his Father’s fate as a cuckold that it blinded him. He asserts his love for his daughter. He knows that although Alina can not longer do it, Soledad must hear him and he won’t be able to continue living if she doesn’t forgive him. Tears are streaming down his cheeks for the close-up.

Coral and Soledad are back at the shop. Coral points out that Alina spent the night at Rodrigo’s. Soledad says yes, she was waiting by the phone. Coral cuts to the chase and says it’s a good thing that Emilio doesn’t know that Alina spent the night there or he would have shown up to drag her out of there. Soledad makes some noises about how Emilio knows that Alina is “a decent girl.” Coral says yeah sure but he doesn’t trust Rodrigo. Soledad mews some more about how Rodrigo is a gentleman while Coral just rolls her eyes at her dimwit business partner. At least she can pick clothes. Just then the phone rings and Claudia goes to answer it. It’s Angel, he wants to see her. Claudia says no, it’s better if she not see him. Angel insists and suggests it’s because of her stepfather that she doesn’t want to see him. Claudia says no some more and then hangs up on him. [Gee she’s wearing a lot of makeup today!] Angel says out loud that he’s not going to abandon Claudia. He knows that she needs his help!

Frank jumps into Emilio’s car. He tells him that General Ochoa told him to report to Emilio, wearing his civvies. [I said civvies not skivvies…down girls!] Emilio fills him in on the plan. They are going to follow the child-trafficking gang around. He wants Frank to spy on them because he (Emilio) can’t, he’s already been identified by them (and beaten up). The gang runs out of the HQ, including Mr. Shiny Baldpate. Emilio engages the car to tail them.

Meanwhile, we finally see Gaby in a small cell like room sitting on a cot. The mute giant guy is asleep on another cot. She thought bubbles that maybe now is her chance to escape. She gets up and tries the door. Locked. She goes over to the MGG and sees the keys. She tries to take them and he stirs. She tries again and gets them. It takes her an eternity but she finally finds the key that fits the lock and runs out. The sound of the door wakes up the MGG. He gets up and runs out after her.

At a café, Mariana and Ricardo are chatting with SL. Looks like it’s in or near the hospital because there’s a nurse sitting behind them. He’s trying to convince her to talk to DL again. “Only you can clear up some of his remaining doubts” says SL. Mariana is dubious because DL isn’t going to like what she has to say. Also there were a lot of people who fed his jealousy. “He’s going to want to seek revenge on those people and commit more crimes” frets Mariana. [What a goody two-shoes you are, Mariana. Don’t you kinda want to see Alfonsina and her pal Hugo maybe burn to death in a shack?] SL says so what, they deserve it and anyway, is it fair that Alvaro was taken advantage of by these people? Mariana is adamant. “Alvaro should have believed his own wife, before anyone else. Justice will take care of those other people. NO, I’m not going to talk to my brother.”

At Rodrigo’s Tina and Alina are talking. Tina still feels guilty about losing Gaby. Alina comforts her. I wonder where she is. Blah blah blah.

Back to the café, Ricardo points out that Mariana was nearly killed by “those people.” SL is surprised after he is filled in on the attempted murder. He thinks that this is an excellent reason that they should talk to Alvaro and report this to the authorities so that justice can be done. Ricardo says they’ve already given a statement to the police. SL grins and says, in effect, “you don’t know how this works.” “If Alvaro denounces them, it will carry more weight with the police. “ [Maybe somebody can help me with this phrasing here. Why should they believe a jailbird over 2 innocent people?] Mariana isn’t buying what SL is selling anyway. She wants to leave town. Ricardo jumps in to say that SL has a point, Alvaro should know who his tormentors were. And that if he accuses them of all the bad things they did to him as well as to Mariana et. al. they are more likely to end up behind bars and faster too. Mariana finally relents.


Gaby is still on the run, she runs through a market and very intelligently upsets some apples on a stand to slow the MGG down. He trips and she continues running.

Over at Coral’s Boutique Claudia is leaving for the day. Soledad lets her go and says she has a whole bunch of paperwork to do. Coral is going to eat [for a chick as slender as she is, she sure likes her vittles. What’s she going to do now that she no longer burns off all those calories with dancing and sex?] and go to the salon on her lunch hour. After she takes off, a red rose is thrust into Soledad’s face and a voice asks her if she’d like to go out to eat. It’s supposed to be mysterious and romantic but instead it’s dorky because the voice is Elias’ and we know that it’s him immediately. Soledad is pleased anyway and puts the rose in a vase but says she’s busy and can’t go. Elias tries to convince her that they can order a pizza and he’ll help her with the paperwork. Soledad hears DL’s voice in her head warning her that if she goes with Elias, sooner or later, he’ll wind up dead. Soledad takes Elias’ hand and tells him she’s grateful for all he’s done for her but she’s been thinking…they should distance themselves from one another. [Brief Elias impactado here.] She’s been thinking that this…friendship…is creating other feelings…that will only wind up hurting both of them. Elias interrupts to say that she knows how he feels about her but she cuts him off. She tells him that she doesn’t want this friendship “so pretty and clean” to end up badly. “I feel so bad but I have to ask..to beg you that we distance ourselves…that we separate ourselves.” A tear rolls down her cheek.

Elsewhere, Angel is accosting Claudia. He needs to talk to her. Claudia is equally insistent that he leave her alone. Angel tells her he knows that her step-father is hitting on her. Claudia is impactada.

Alina is alone at Rodrigo’s apartment, napping on the couch. She dreams of Emilio’s mariachi serenade. She murmurs “Emilio, I love you so much.” Just then [a little too late to hear it] Rodrigo comes in and sees her sleeping. He kisses her and she wakes up. He tells her that he is so happy that she is by his side during this terrible time. She puts her head on his shoulder
.
Back to poor Gaby who is still running, spilling things, trying to get away from the Mute Giant Guy. Somehow nobody is noticing any of this. A huge black man, dressed like a friggin pirate is chasing a schoolgirl who is dumping stuff all over the market and nobody is noticing anything. What are they all smoking weed or something? Gaby manages to get out the door and she scrambles inside some kind of oil can. MGG arrives and is perplexed not to see her. Just then another guy comes with a dolly and loads up the oil can. Gaby jumps out and yells. MGG is right there and sees her.

Back to Angel and Claudia. Claudia tries to deny that she knows what Angel is talking about. Angel tells her that he overheard her talking to her mother. Claudia tells him that she doesn’t want him to get involved. Plus, she’s afraid of her step-father. If he found out that she’s been talking to him, he could attack her or hurt her. Angel tells her that she can’t risk her life like this. She has to report him to the police. Claudia says she can’t, she can’t win. And her mother is blindly in love with him, she doesn’t believe her. Finally, she relents and rests her head on his shoulder. Angel tells her that he loves her promises to help her. Claudia admits she loves him too and she comments that he is so different from all the men she has ever known [like her step-dad and all his sex criminal friends.] She feels that he will protect her. BIG BESO. And it’s a OK one, no sucking face, although a little off kilter.

Back to poor Gabby. MGG is enraged and grabs her out of the can. When the guy with the dolly tries to intervene, MGG makes nasty guttural noises and waves a knife at him. Even if this guy is high he must think that this is not right. MGG runs away holding Gabby.

Next we find ourselves in General Ochoa’s office. Where Thelma is there, still dressed skankily in her sheer top and spangly necklace. She tells him she still doesn’t know where Emilio is but she wants to find Orlando. He came to see her the other day, she says innocently but she wasn’t there and she wanted to know what he had wanted. She’s looked for him at his apartment, etc. But she can’t find him. Ochoa tells her that Orlando has left for Sierra Escondida.


Finally, we’ve made it back to the hospital. Luba is talking to the lucha manager next to Gaspar’s hospital bed. Luba is frantic because she heard a woman mention her name. She’s still worried that this woman will tip off the police to her whereabouts and make her leave Gaspar’s side. The fight manager says maybe she’s mistaken about who she was referring to. As if there were any other “Luba” Luba points out. It’s not exactly a common name, apparently. The fight manager tells her to calm down. He’ll find out who those people on the other side of the screen are.

DL is in his jail cell remembering Soledad telling him that she doesn’t love him anymore. DL is awash in guilt telling himself that he gave Soledad plenty of reasons to hate him. “I was stupid, I hurt the woman who I loved the most. Why was I so blind?” Tears fall from his eyes. From the darkness, a guard announces that he has a visitor. “A visit at this hour?” asks DL. The guard lets him out and they walk down the hall.

Over to Gabby and the MGG. He throws her back in her cell. She tries to argue with him but MGG motions with his knife at his own neck like next time she tries to escape he will kill her.
At the jail, Mariana is talking to Alvaro. [Damn, I thought they would surprise us and have Alfonsina and Hugo standing there] He is holding her hands. [I thought that wasn’t allowed.] She tells him she is there only because SL asked her. DL remarks that that is the only good thing that SL has done. DL wants to know a few things. Mariana goes through the whole “Soledad was innocent” routine. But she confesses that she herself was a coward because she never had the guts to tell him that she was in love with Jose Gomez, and that they had had a child together. DL says that alas, none of that can be undone. He tells her that he never believed that the DNA test would prove him wrong. I have wronged my wife, and even more, my daughter. Mariana reaches out to comfort him.

Emilio and Frank are still tailing Rosendo and his gang. They are now on foot and see them go into an alley neighborhood. [OMG, it’s Starsky and Hutch! Look at those clothes and tell me they don’t scream 70s cop show!] Frank asks if he thinks Rosendo lives there. Emilio says they’ll find out. [Hey, I thought that Frank was supposed to be doing the spying?]

Back to the jail again. DL is still trying to figure out why Alfonsina would lie about the letter and the bracelet in Jose Gomez’ bed. Mariana tells him that Alfonsina confessed all her crimes to her, when she thought she would never speak again.

Back to Emilio and Frank. They see someone coming and they hide around the corner. It’s Angel and Claudia. Apparently he’s decided to head right for the flames by walking Claudia home to her jealous stepdad. Emilio sees Angel and is impactado or as much as Pablo Montero can muster. “What is my brother doing here?” he asks.

Mariana continues her blistering accusations of Alfonsina. "She knew perfectly well that the letter that Jose Gomez had written was for me." She goes on to explain that Alfonsina was always trying to wreck his marriage because “she was obsessed with you.” “She wasn’t content with being your lover.” She tried to kill me so that I wouldn’t talk. “That woman made a fool out of you.” What’s more , “she has some kind of box that has a dark secret of some kind. She’s going to try to blackmail you with. “ “You are in her power.” Don Loco curses Alfonsina’s name and swears he’ll kill her. Superslomo closeup of DL and scary music!!!

Advances for next time: DL swears revenge and cries some more, Elias presses his case to Soledad some more. Rodrigo and Emilio argue over Alina some more.

Labels: duelo

Wow I haven’t been this tense since I spent fifty minutes waiting for Tony Soprano to get whacked in the Sopranos finale…

Our episode starts out with Rod (who looks awfully fine in his sweater) and Gavi sharing tacos & besos in an eatery…I love you…no I love you more…we will live on our Island of love…I must work…you can sell coconuts…yadda yadda yadda…then once the whole family is on board we will settle at the hacienda & be happy forever…This land is your land…this land is my land…this land is our land! Every Saturday night we will go to the cantina and Wow, the locales with you singing Gaviota…I bet the locales can hardly wait. I hope Rod plans to buy plenty of rounds….
(Mean while somewhere in DF a dog howls and Pilar sits up…not fully alive, yet not fully dead..)
Okay I made the Pilar part up.
Seriously, if I was another patron in the house of fine Tacos, I would soooo know Rod was boinking his assistant, secretary, amante, whatever, cause this is TeleNovela land not the freakin Twilight Zone, it would never cross my mind that this guy was a repressed sixteen year old with his first love. Dude get a room.

Sofie is out in front of Rod & Isa’ s apartment…her SUV won’t start and after Frankie looks under the hood & pops off a battery cable…it really won’t start. Frankie offers to be Sofie’s taxi, which is kind of okay since he has been giving Isa some pretty good rides. Sofie tells him she is Rod’s sister and TWB’s sister-in-law & thus the keys to a possible fortune as well as all the Tequila you could ever drink.

Clarita & Dona Jose are sitting around the Gavi household eating and discussing Rod & Gavi’s amor…How someday they will all head to the hacienda..in Tequila. This prompts Dona Jose to question Gavi beinging the new La Patrona…Clarita worries, I’m not really sure why, I think it may having something to do with the locals accepting the Clarita family as the new Patrons. Well anyway, Clarita will be glad to get back.

Now Frankie & Sofie arrive outside the Palace of Pilar, where Sofie says she lives with Granny & her sister. Frankie is all flirty with her, swooping in like he is gonna kiss her neck etc…He will contact a mechanic and call her. When he asks to call her, she whips out a business card, ah Sofie…(I know she lost it to some guy named Wellington Wadsworth Wellington III, back in finishing school), Frankie continues to flirt and in payment for taking her home he asks Sofie for a little beso. She gives him a chaste kiss on his cheek; she is just so damn grateful for any attention that she is just short of peeing her pants and falling on the ground to get her stomach scratched, yes she has become my terrier. While standing on the sidewalk moonstruck, in her little chunky loafers, black hose, skirt and sweater, with her little satin navy blue tie up granny blouse….I am having a "Where the boys Are", flashback, oh Sofie dream on…you will get stuck but it won’t be with his Sigma pin.

Gavi gets back the house & tells Clarita, the plans are set…they are to take off for the Island of Love..and Rod will take care of getting all the stuff packed up, they are only to take their clothes. Clarita is all upset that they have to leave her awesome new Big Screen Television…but Gavi promises all will be taken care of, (somewhere in the distance you hear an anvil fall).

Isa is pacing in the living room wearing her little satin red robe, a great favorite of Aaron, Frankie and Hilario, however not so much with Rod. "What are you doing up?" he questions her…Well I called the office and no-one answered…They have the usual minor MariAnna Franco word scruffle and Rod blows her off and Isa is left to look perplexed and alone in the living room.

Next Day at Work & Rod is toiling Away

Next day, Rod tells the HR stoolie to draw up papers to cut MariAnna her final check, plus a little bonus…he tells stoolie guy to keep it on the quiet. Gavi comes in and Rod tells her the plans are in the works, she & Ma are to go to the isle, he will dump Isa over dinner & fill the family in tomorrow…(I am seeing a flaw here…he if dumps Isa tonite, gee the news tomorrow will be like an Uber surprise right, cause you know Sofie is on speed dial)

Anyway, he calls Elvira in and has her take a memo: Attention: "Hola Sr. and Srs. Mexico and all the ships at sea." Big family junta tomorrow and yeah, the topic is a surprise…
Isa/TWB is at home talking to her father, the news about Rod forgiving the debt, Pa urges her to get Rod to sign the papers and get them to the bank as soon as possible. Isa promises Pa she will talk to him tonight.

Primo Aaron comes in to the office to see, Primo Rod…the salutations, the hugs, geez this family is tight.
Rod tells him to cancel his trip to Miami, Aaron is none to happy about this. Rod says there is a meeting tomorrow and he needs Aaron to be there. As Aaron’s one eyebrow is going up you can see his Crapdar is going off and he is a bit, not a blatant full muy impacted, but a subtle muy impacted. What the hell are you thinking Aaron wonders. Rod won’t give Aaron any details. Rod pulls out the contracts and starts reading hem and Aaron’s eyebrow is now in full arch.

Now Gavi is in her office having one of her heart to hearts with the Virgincita, which is good for Gavi, but probably a bit much for the Virgincita…oh tonite Rod will give the news to Isadora, she will suffer…but our love is true. I bet the Holy Beings, just hate this kinda stuff, "yeah I know I’m kinda committing a sin, but if isn’t too much trouble will you bless it and I’ll never sin again?" Anyway, Gavi hopes Isa is spared too much suffering, Ahhhh little Gavi, I think Isa will be able to find something to distract her.

Aaron comes outta Rod’s office and asks Elvira where Onate is, Elvira doesn’t not know, Aaron orders her to have Onate call Aaron at home.

Onate is busy at the Aeropuerto, totally creeping some poor counter attendent girl out. He wants the list from the 31st of Dec, as he is doing crazy ass Minerva’s detective work for her. The girl won’t give up the info.

Elvira, who I might add is wearing some scary "Oprah said don’t" blue eye shadow and she happens into the HR stoolie’s office, of course it takes about two nano seconds for her to scope out MariAnna Franco’s file open on the desk, with very little arm twisting she gets the info outta HR guy.

Aaron arrives back at his apartment and tells Minerva that the trip is cancelled and he has to go to a Rod meeting with the family the next day. Of course she thinks she is going and Aaron is like no way, my BSC bride. See I don’t understand why Aaron keeps crazy ass Minnie around, hell Michael Jackson spawned kids with less trouble and way less commitment. Words are spoken, ugly word and Minerva grabs up her little purse and leaves.

Rod calls Isa and invites her for dinner, "Me, seriously you want to break bread with me?", Isa is thrilled. "Yes, I want to talk to you". Isa is thrilled. (She has on seriously bedazzled jeans…glimmering crystals everywhere)

Knock Knock….Oh no it is crazy ass Minerva at the door; she starts in on MariAnna Franco, "the Husband Robber", please you are preaching to Isadora, the husband boinker…well Minnie spreads the venom, thick and green, Isa doesn’t want to hear it…Minnie is trying to convince her that Rod & MariAnna, were together…Isa is trying to fight it off, but like screaming fire in a crowded theatre the panic is spreading…this is increasing my panic too. OMG, Isa cries Rod is gonna abandon me….ahhhhhhhh.
Minnie tries to calm her down…nice after thought. Minnie calls Eliva looking for Onate who is still stalking the poor girl at the airport. Eliva tells Minnie that they are cashing MariAnna out…"Que the Hell?" our two besmirched wives query. Off they go.

Meanwhile over at "Gigolo Gardens", some guy named tossing Frankie around the hall…No it is not his pimp. Why it is Esteban, the real owner of the apartment and said automobile…Frankie convinces him that he was just watching over things while Esteban was gone.

Sofie and Dani are climbing some gigantic flight of steps that would rival the Aztec Pyramids, this is giving us a view of "The Club". You know the club, that place rich people go and they just call it the club, cause if you were one of them you’d know it and there is no need to waste syllables on the rest of us, the people who might wash the towels there. Dani is teasing Sofie about the new guy…Sofie giggles, she is quite smitten, she says he is handsome. Dani asks, "As handsome as James?" "No," Sofie says wistfully, "handsome in a different way". I rolled my eyes so hard at this, I had to tap my head to get them to drop back into place. I am totally Sofie running out to by the fun-pak of "Lety Glitter Pens", Dear Diary, Francisco with a heart dotting the i.

Videgaray comes by to tell Rod that he has purchased the land on the Island of Anvil, oooops I mean the Isle of Gaviota, 10% down and the rest later…Rod is soooooo excited. He packs up his little briefcase and stops off to tell his little Gaviota, it is smooth sailing from here on in, just gotta go dump Isa, send Pilar into life support, (well that won’t be much of a stretch). They hug, they kiss, they make me want to write bad checks…anyway if the blood wasn’t pounding so hard in their ears right now, you know they would hear it, you know the anvil sound…Rod takes off, leaving Gavi’s door partially open.

Gavi is sitting at her desk belting out the Gaviota Song; no she isn’t humming or doing that kinda whisper voice thing, no she is belting it out. Minnie & TWB are coming down the hall, if Gavi wasn’t crooning so loud, she wouldn’t have heard the squeal of TWB’s boots coming to a halt. WTF? This is a Super Terminal Case of Muy Impacted. TWB recognizes the voice…it is her, MariAnna is Gaviota. TWB is so taunt with outrage, that it is only an act of God that keeps one of those giant crystals from flying off those jeans and impaling Gaviota. "You are crazy," Minnie says, "It is a popular song, I hear it all the time."
I am laughing like yeah, strangely when you are sitting in your apartment or at Pilar’s that song always in the background, ya think?
***The song might be in Spanish, but all I am hearing is "I hear the train a comin´it´s rolling round the bend" Wile E. Rod, that Acme Train is coming thru the tunnel ***

Minnie, for once does the prudent thing and drags Isa off to the Meeting Room, they close the door. Minnie is trying to calm her down. MariAnna can’t possibly be Gaviota, Gaviota was some migrant worker who shoveled Agave, what was her name? Teresa Hernandez? Well see now…Isa is all shades of hysterical, everything must be falsified cause Isa knows that voice, good gawd she had to listen to that freaking cassette often enough. Good point Isa. They call HR stoolie and have him bring the MariAnna Franco file of deception.

Poor, poor Rod is busy telling Videgaray how awesome life is gonna be, not hearing the anvils over the sound of the traffic in Mexico City.

Minnie and Isa are grilling HR stoolie so hard, he is about to cry like a little girl…at every question, he thought bubbles….yes he remembers her stories about her European work and schooling and how she was gonna get him references and letters…In the midst of ripping him a new and unnecessary orifice…it comes to light that stoolie guy passed MariAnna through so quickly on the orders of Aaron. They boot stoolie out.

Minnie grabs the phone and in her best English, calls the numbers…nope nada, no one has ever heard of MariAnna.

Gavi is having a snack with her friend Margarita and telling her how grateful she is for all the help Margarita gave her, Margarita is like you make it sound like it is over….

Minnie and Isa are having it out in the meeting room, this almost turns into a "Girls Gone Wild" wrestling match…It is so loud Gavi & Margarita hear the noise. There was less screaming in Gone With the Wind as Atlanta burned. Elvira is banging at the door… Minnie says everything is fine…and locks the door, Isa is so one hard slap away for her own good….

Minnie calls Aaron and tells him that MariAnna is Gaviota….now Aaron is Muy Impacted….
& I don’t know about you, but I am muy Impacted…I so want a Isa/Gavi slap down.

Stay tuned….

It looks like the family is gonna have a Gavi-vention tomorrow and try and save Rod from himself…

Labels: Destilando