Caray, Caray!

Diego and Chucho are chatting in the back room about the Julio’s big fashion show launching his collection. Diego’s got a few more dresses to do. Next talk turns to THE dress design. Diego asks Chucho if It’s true that Julio asked Chucho for the design that Diego threw away. Chucho is all smiles and asks Julio wants to buy it. “Pretty soon, the show will be Julio Corso and Diego Moran!” he chirps happily. Diego wrinkles his nose some more unhappily.

Meanwhile, Julio and Arnaldo are chatting behind a screen, or at least that’s what it looks like. Julio says that he was glad to be at the hospital when Tia Inez woke up, in spite of what Arnaldo’s “family” thinks. Arnaldo is happy that he’s been able to make the time, what with all the work he has. Julio offers him a check to help pay Inez’ expenses. Arnie doesn’t want to take it but in the end he does. He mentions that Inez will be leaving the hospital soon. Arnaldo asks how things are coming along with the fashion show. Julio says great, what with Don Chucho and Diego helping out. Arnie says “So---Diego is turning out to be good!” Julio backs off from a more enthusiastic endorsement, saying that “Diego is a good tailor but lacks creativity. I have him working off and on (not regularly). Arnie says “it’s good then that you have him working here, so you can keep an eye on him.” “ Julio launches into an explanation about how Diego could be better if he hadn’t had things handed to him, if he actually had to work for a living, rather than having a rich woman hand everything to him on a silver platter. Arnaldo agrees.

At Casa Silvana where the fight between Mama Gloria and Silvana over whether Isela should stay or go or sleep on the couch continues. Gloria is flopped on the bed in her old room (Isela’s room) insisting that nobody will pry her off HER BED. Silvana makes the threat to have Isela stay with her in her room, if Gloria insists on taking her room back from Isela. Now Gloria wants Silvana to share her room. Silvana and Isela leave with Gloria shouting after her.

Back to Chucho and Diego. Diego explains to Chucho that no Julio & Diego show is possible since Julio is protective of his brand. People who buy from him want Julio clothes. Chucho doesn’t think it’s fair but Diego thinks that Julio is partly right. He (Diego) still has a lot to learn and needs to “pay his dues” so to speak, before he can have his own name in fashion design. Chucho asserts that the price that Diego is paying is turning out to be high. Diego says, not necessarily. If Julio hadn’t given him the job, perhaps he wouldn’t have ever tried. Plus Julio has offered him access to a computer, design programs and the capability of looking at designs from all over the world. All that plus, he’s given him a job. Chucho still isn’t sure if Julio is helping Diego or making him pay. “Eventually things fall of their own weight” says Chucho. Diego agrees and says “we can start our own business.” He doesn’t know when but someday. In the meantime, Diego wants credit for his designs in Julio’s next collection.

Over at Casa Moran, Lidia is making a fuss over her Mami being back. She insists that she’s left Piero for good since he’s back with Lucia. Clemi is happy to hear this and congratulates her for having a little dignity. Manuel tries to horn in on the compliments by saying that it was he who convinced Lidia to leave Piero—it was you that convinced me, he says to Clemi, turning on the smarm. Clemi is oblivious and happy, saying to Manuel “You’re really changing!” She kisses him. “And you too” she says to Lidia. “I think that you got involved with Piero because he was flashing his wife’s money. But money can’t buy you happiness” Lidia looks a little uncomfortable. Manuel looks off into the distance. Turns out he’s remembering giving seduction lessons to Lucia about how to get Piero back. He gives her a demonstration on how to walk, swiveling her hips, etc.

We switch over to Lucia, who is lying in bed wearing a lace teddy and peignoir set. Piero walks in with a bunch of flowers saying that he’s forgiven her. Lucia plays hardball saying she hasn’t forgiven him and sends him out of the room. As soon as he’s gone, Lucia clasps her hands together gleefully and says “It worked! “That guy’s tips worked!”

It’s the next morning and Arnaldo and Azul are having coffee in the hospital café. Arnaldo is complaining that he didn’t get any sleep the night before. Azul remarks that he’d better get some tonight or he won’t be awake for Julio’s fashion show. Just then, GSD arrives and says that it’s good that they are both there. He wants to talk about the post-hospital care of Tia Inez, especially her emotional state. He remarks that if she doesn’t regain the use of her arm, it will end her musical career. Azul thinks that she’s got to be able to accept whatever happens and learn to live again. GSD says they need to be united in their helping her. Azul wants to know what Emilia thinks. GSD, nervous that Emilia’s name has been brought up pops a ciggy in his mouth. Azul reproaches him—they are in a hospital for crying out loud—and takes it out of his mouth. GSD looks glum and says he told her that he is obligated to be at Inez’ side. Arnaldo chimes in, “Are you sure she understands? In my opinion, that woman hates my Aunt. She wanted us to let her die, didn’t she? “ Azul looks serious and GSD looks depressed.

It’s morning at Casa Silvana. Gloria, wearing a kimono, has gotten up to find Isela and Silvana dressed and Isela serving them both breakfast. Gloria is ticked to find once again that Isela has usurped her role as mom by serving her daughter breakfast. She starts carrying on all over again like the night before when Silvana and Isela get up and decide to head on in to work. Gloria is left alone and she pulls a plate of the abandoned scrambled eggs, tries it and decides it’s good.

At the hospital again, Azul is pushing Tia Inez around in a wheelchair. Azul is trying to jolly her up by saying that she’s got a second chance at life. Inez says that it’s been a long time since she has felt this close to Azul. Inez decides to bring up THAT fateful day when little Azul caught her Aunt and her daddy making out in a dark room. Turns out Azul had repressed that memory and now that she’s been reminded of it, she’s not to happy to recall that it was when her mother was still alive. Azul now understands why their relationship turned chilly. Inez asks for her forgiveness once again. Azul says that she know that her parents had a bad relationship but that she wishes that Inez and GSD had done things differently. Inez agrees.

It’s the site of the fashion show. There’s a lady who is organizing all the models and directing them who looks like Cristina. They thunder down the catwalk like a bunch of elephants. The worst of all is Ceci, who gets to be a model for a day, in spite of the fact that she has had no modeling classes yet. She’s there snapping her gum, looking petulant when the lady and Julio begin chewing her out. I hope that was a run without the collection clothes because what they are all wearing looks pretty sloppy and not too distinguished.

At the hospital, Arnaldo is looking over the bills. GSD asks him what he’s doing and Arnaldo says he’s going to pay part of Inez’ expenses. GSD immediately asks where he got the money and Arnie immediately owns up—Julio gave him a check. GSD goes ballistic.

At the Cantina, Silvana is accosted by Flavio. Flavio tells her that he has something for her that he couldn’t give her last night due to the sudden appearance of Mommy dearest. Before she barely gets out the words “We have to talk” he’s snapped open a ring box. He thinks the problem is that she isn’t taking him seriously. He wants to show that he is very serious. Yes, he’s a bohemian, crazy artist type but he is serious and he wants to marry her! Silvana looks vexed.

Back at the hospital with Inez and Azul—Inez asks about why Azul is marrying Mo if she doesn’t love him. Azul doesn’t want to talk about it. Inez says she does want to talk about it. She knows what marriage without love is like—like GSD and her sister. Azul tries to shut her up. Inez says a marriage without love is destined to fail.

Mo and Andres arrive at the boutique to pick up Azul’s dress. (Wow, that was quick!) They run into Diego who grandly proclaims that he isn’t going to marry Azul. He’ll see to that! Mo smiles and says that as much as he’s tried to separate them, Mo and Azul are together. Diego swears by the memory of his dead Granddad, that Azul will never marry “a murderer like you.” Mo pretends that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about and asks him for proof. Diego says he’ll have them soon. Mo dares him to show them to him when he gets them. Diego says no matter. The one who Azul really loves is me! A fistfight ensues. Gaspar comes in and breaks up the fight. He yells at Diego to get back to work on the collection, they are in a rush! Diego yells that Mo is there to pay for the dress, which is great, since he (Diego) is going to take the bride! He huffs off.

At the Cantina, Silvana is giving the Dear John talk to Flavio. Silvana tells him that she hasn’t been able to forget Diego. Flavio is sad and says that she will always be like a beautiful dream. He tells her to go fight for her man.
At the hospital GSD and Arnaldo are fighting over whether Julio’s check should be used to pay for Inez. Arnie says that it’s a family matter and Julio is family. GSD says no, he’s not. Arnaldo points out that the other day, GSD was just pointing out how Emilia was HIS PARTNER even though he knew it would hurt Inez’s feelings. GSD proclaims that his relationship with Emilia is NORMAL. Arnaldo asks who he and Julio are hurting. GSD insists that they are hurting HIM and shoves Arnaldo aside. Arnie insists on asking how it has hurt GSD.

At the boutique, Gaspar comes back after pushing Diego out of the room and tells Mo that the dress isn’t ready. That they’ll deliver it tomorrow morning, first thing. Tomorrow is Julio’s big fashion show. Mo agrees to this and hands over the cash. When Gaspar leaves Mo and Andres have a conference. Mo wants to be sure that Azul doesn’t come to the shop to try on the dress alone, when Diego is there. Andres agrees that Diego is going to try to make a play for Azul. [This line I couldn’t hear well—I think he said that he is going to rip Diego’s heart out the day of the wedding.]

At the hospital, the bride to be is helping Inez to walk. She’s doing pretty well for somebody who’s been in a coma for several months. Arnie shows up.
Isela and Silvana are chatting at the Cantina. Silvana fills her in about letting Flavio down. Silvana is all smiles when she says she’s going to tell Diego that she wants another chance with him. Just then, Gloria walks in, dressed to the 9s, wearing dark glasses. She makes a crack about the birthing pains she had with Silvana and how Isela has never felt them. Silvana gets up to go and when Gloria protests, she leaves anyway. Isela says that she’ll stay and “settle accounts” with Gloria.

Gloria sits down and the first thing she wants to know is who cancelled her phone sex line. Isela says that Silvana cancelled it because she was tired of answering the phone and getting men talking obscenities. Gloria complains that they should have kept the line because Silvana should have known that she’d be back. She always comes back, because she’s her mother…yaddah yahddah. Isela says she thought that Mother’s are always supposed to be there for you. Gloria huffs that they destroyed her business. They could have consulted her. Isela counters that nobody knew where she was. Gloria starts a list of complaints—Isela has invaded her territory, she’s mixed the kitchen towels with the good linens. Isela says that she and Silvana are friends, that’s all. Isela tries to tell her that what she needs to do is simply be there for her daughter when she needs her. Gloria gets all huffy that Isela is giving her advice about HER daughter. Isela finally rolls her eyes.

Azul is walking and talking with GSD (Arnie is lurking secretly in the background listening in). GSD is saying that he wants to avoid that his son suffer. Azul says that nobody can keep anyone else from suffering. GSD explains that one of the reasons that he can’t accept his son being gay is that he doesn’t want him to end up alone. He will leave Julio some day and, not having any children, he’ll be without a family of his own. Azul disagrees. Nobody knows what will happen, if they will end up alone or not. GSD says that all his life, he will have to bear people rejecting him for what he is. Azul says that the hardest rejection that he has to bear is his dad’s. GSD hugs Azul and looks sad.

Flavio and Isela are talking at the Cantina. Flavio announces that he’s leaving for Cuba. Isela points out that he doesn’t want to go back there. Flavio says that Silvana has broken his heart. And he’s all heart, no head. He needs to go. He thanks Isela who is in tears.

Diego is working on Azul’s dress on a manequin. It looks like a slip with a matching corset. He’s feeling up the dress and squeezing out a few tears. Silvana comes in and says that the dress looks like every bride’s dream. Diego explains that it is for Azul. Silvana says that he is going to have to forget Azul. Diego responds that he will never forget Azul, she’s his one true love.

Arnaldo has caught up with Azul after GSD left. Arnaldo is happy because from what he heard, he knows that his father loves him. He’s just afraid for his son. Azul says “of course” he loves him. It’s just that he doesn’t want him to suffer and he’s a man and he can’t admit that he’s afraid in front of another man. Arnaldo wants to tell Julio what he’s learned but Azul says he should confront his father first. Tell him he understands where he is coming from. “That’s how you resolve things” says Azul.

GSD is with Inez. Inez asks about Arnaldo and whether they are still having problems. GSD explains that he is still having trouble accepting Arnaldo’s homosexuality and that he still blames himself—if he had been a better father. Inez says that he’s too hard on himself. GSD responds that Arnaldo didn’t need a famous scientist father, he needed affection. And now as an adult , he’s seeking affection from another man. GSD tears up a bit. He wishes he had been a better father. Inez is sympathetic.

Mo and Andres are at the restaurant checking out the arrangements for the reception. Mo is complaining that Azul hasn’t show too much enthusiasm for this wedding. He showed her the invitations and she wasn’t too interested. The caterer wants to show him the menu and he waves her away for the moment. Andres reminds him that he has to call Azul to remind her that she has to go to the boutique to try on the dress.

Azul catches the call when she is still with Arnaldo at the hospital. Arnaldo says that she is the most unenthusiastic bride he’s ever seen.

Back at Lucia’s Manuel is there giving more “seduction tips.” Manuel tries to negotiate a car out of her. She complains that she wants to see “definitive” results. Manuel assures her she will.

At the workshop, Diego is still with Silvana and the dress. Diego admits that he made the dress with Azul in mind. Silvana tells him not to torture himself. Diego chokes back the tears and says he’s full of rage and pain that the love of his life is going to be marrying another. He dreamed for years about such a dress giving a dress like this to her. Silvana puts her head on his shoulder. Who should walk in behind them but Azul.

Next we see Mo, on the phone, ordering a hit on Diego.

Azul shuts the door and announces that she has come with her fiancée to try on the dress. Diego says sure, there it is, try it on. More nose wrinkling.

Next we finally see Ivan on the phone with Boris, confirming the hit on Eva. Boris says why wouldn’t it be confirmed? Do it already. Eva is standing there next to Ivan listening. Boris wants him to tell him all the details, the time, the type of explosive, etc.

Clemi is at the office looking at a picture of Diego and Paco together. They reminisce about Paco. She compliments Anibal on being a good step-father to Paco. Anibal says he and Clemi were fated to be together. When Clemi gives him a quizzical look, Anibal reminds her that Lida and Paco were engaged. They would have been suegros (in-laws). Clemi says that she wishes that Lida had married Paco. She doesn’t like Piero.

Eva and Ivan are talking after the call to Boris. Eva asks him why he asked Boris to confirm the command. Ivan says, “you’re his daughter.” Eva tells him that Boris killed her mother without hesitation. She goes on to tell him that all the love in her died with her mother, until Diego opened her heart. She had no feelings.
Piero shows up all smiles with a new car for Lidia. Lidia smacks him tells him he’s shameless and goes back into the house accusing him of sleeping with Lucia to get the car. Piero shouts after her that he got the car with money from a job for Mo, that he’s given her father a job.

Meanwhile, Manuel and Lucia are looking at cars supposedly for Lidia. Manuel chooses the most expensive car (a new Honda Civic?) and when Lucia complains he says that his daughter’s dignity demands it. He also flatters Lucia by saying that a person of her class can afford it.

Back at the boutique, Diego is hanging his head and Silvana is trying to comfort him. Suddenly Azul comes out of the dressing room, in slo mo. Diego is impactado. She humbly thanks him and says that it’s the dress she always dreamed about. Just then Mo comes in and puts his hands on her shoulders announcing that his vision has completely returned. Azul says that he couldn’t have given her a better piece of news. They have a big smooch.

In the Next epi—

• Mo tells someone on the phone that Azul will be his again on their honeymoon. (No waiting until she's ready, I guess.)
• Azul confesses her doubts to Ceci a few hours before the wedding
• GSD breaks the bad news to Emilia that he and Inez will be living together for awhile.
• Silvana confesses happily to Isela that as soon as Azul marries Mo, she’ll get Diego back.
• Diego announces that he’s going to be busting up the Duarte-Toscano wedding.

Labels: amar

Wow what an emotion packed episode..So the translation may be light, but the emotion crosses all language barriers.

We begin with a flashback of Clarita’s fateful phone call to Gavi….Yadda Yadda Yadda…
The Montalvo short bus is coming to pick me up cause looks like Don Amador mentioned me, can you believe it, me moi? In his much anticipated 4 year later will. “Que the Hell, Ma”, whats up with that.
Don’t let anyone, no one & especially those sucking Montalvos in the apartment till I get there.
I will take the first plane home to Mexico City, DF.

Gavi hangs up and Dr. Climate (I don’t remember his name, but he was actually able to work with Gavi and not fall in love) comes running up. Hey it food time, he tells her. Sorry, gotta go involved in yet another personal drama back in DF. Gavi has desk clerk chick try to find an earlier plane. No such luck. Okay time to call Ma. Hey Ma, I am having trouble hookin up with an earlier flight, so wait & by the by am I “Amador’s kid?”, cause hey Ma, “That means I am in love with my nephew”. Ma….Ma….Ma answer me. Gavi gets no answer. I am perplexed would not a si or no have sufficed? Maybe Clarita is like damn it’s my birthday, my party..she is relishing the attention.

Meanwhile, Rod is over at the Pilar mansion, he feels so dirty, have the flashback to the story of Amador’s great Jimadora love & she was a singer too. No Rod, no shower is going to wash that away.

Meanwhile Isa gets a phonecall, No surprise it isn’t Frankie..it is her buddy Sperminator, the fertility doctor. Actually they can’t afford to pay Dr. Sperm to be on so we only get a one sided conversation where Isa tells him, he can’t possibly see Dani Drew young teen detective. Cancel those appointments.

Now in a public service announcement SanMama is reading a magazine with a big ol’ glossy of Hil, cheesing it up in a toothpaste ad..SanMama reads outloud and it is rather painful. Hard to believe just a few months ago she was in that other soap, where she was yet another female psychologist in love with her psycho patient. Ahhhh that is why they call it acting. Anyway Meeester James comes in with some advice. Say now SanWanna you should be happy, you are having a kid. Say why don’t you go to school. Well looks like lil SanMama wasn’t too much into book learning. Mr. James however, with just some Christian compassion is able to get SanMama to talk about what she’ like to do. I believe she would like to design or make clothes, or maybe just bedazzle them. Anyway, it is never too late to start.
Some advice SanMama, Hil is earning big bucks...get the DNA & slap his ass with child support..jes sayin. You can take a lot of classes at Tequila Tech with the money.

Rod comes to get Clara. He arrives at the door with roses for her birthday. Always the gentleman. Clarita tells him she wants to wait for Gavi, but she also has a hair appointment. Egads, Rod will accompany her to the salon and wait in the car. Please I swear he is season two away from Will & Grace. He could have done some awesome dreadlocks for her.

Gavi arrives back at the apartment. Window washer general laborer kid is out in front. Say is my Ma here?
Nah she took off with the guy in the white car. You know that guy that used to stalk you night and day, you know the guy that dumped you, my amigo says that dude is stalking some hawt shrink who wears fluffy sleeveless garden dresses and smells really, really, really nice if you know what I mean. Okay so I added the second part, but you know the kid wanted to say it, his lines ended up on the editing room floor.
Thus said Gavi heeds a Taxi.

Rod is sitting in his car stalking no one in particular, old habits die hard. Clarita comes running out, looks like beauty takes time. Rod has to wait.

Meanwhile, over at the departmento or house or tomb or whatever that place Pilar calls home is, the family is sitting around discussing, every once in a while one takes flight and circles the others looking for signs of weakness. Zopilotes. They start in about what if? Seriously I am expecting them to start pulling up the couch cushions looking for pesos. OMG, does the second will override the first? What are they going to get.. It can’t be It can’t be Oh what a wicked world…what a wicked world. The phone rings it is Rod calling home. Dani answers and he tells her he is waiting outside a hair salon for Clarita. Meanwhile Gavi arrives. Dani greets her with a “What’s up Tia?”. This does not sit well with Gavi, but Dani keeps it up.
I gotta say Gavi is all shades braver than I am, there is no way I would want to walk into that by myself. She did think Clarita would be there, but alas Clarita is trying to clean off decades of Agave dust.

Gavi wants to talk to Videray, but Aaron does one of his finger snapping dismissive gesture, no talk in front of all of us.

More of this we are not going to accept the crap of this new will. Sofie tries to temper the speculation. Aaron always the gentleman inquires, “Do you know who your Daddie is?” Gavi answers, “No, my mother always closely guarded the secret”. However and I do paraphrase here, “I can not stand the idea that I could be part of this family, we work for a living, we don’t live off others, play the lottery, expect to marry rich men or wait for an inheritance from heaven”, pointed look given to Isa, the Trophy Whore Barbie. Frankie looks a bit uncomfortable. Gavi says she is proud of her blood and no offense Dona Pillar, she don’t want the name. Gavi goes on and says no matter what is left to them, they don’t want it. All in all I think Gavi did a fine job of making rich people look uncomfortable. I do have to insert here that Pilar greeted her and was nice as well as Bruno. Aaron, Minnie, Fedra & Isa were all ready to steal the nickels off a dead man’s eyes. Dani looked remiss, Frankie uncomfortable & Sofie, like Jeez could I have been wrong?

Now for another trip down the road of futility, Cassandra (and I don’t mean to be mean here, just snarky, but that chick always scares me. WTH is up with her make-up, she has the permanently startled look constantly.) is meeting with Dr. Blondie Stoic, trying to find out how his hot and heavy romance is going. Well it is proceeding in a timely manner and extremely slow timely manner. He says Rod has changed and is not longer the maniacal crazed jealous man he once was. Rod & Gavi have not hooked up again. So Dr is sitting on his laurels just waiting to declare himself to her. Cassandra does some pumping up, you are good looking, intelligent, awesome go for it. Oh Cassandra, the Virgin Mary is crying tears of blood over your lies, hey if they use this on little kids, well they can’t tell anything compared to this whopper.

Rod & Clarita arrive. Hey let’s get the show on the road. People offer Clarita a seat, but Gavi won’t let her sit down. Gavi has a tude going, or maybe I am being overly judgmental, if the Zopilotes think you are weak they will swarm on you.

At this point we dismiss Frankie & Isa, the non-Montalvos from the room, they are not blood so get out. The same could be said of Minnie & Fedra, but it would take an enormous shoe horn wedged under each respective ass & a lot of leverage, thus not willing to fight physics, they are allowed to stay.

Now we get this totally awesome Cheese Commercial for Manchego Noche Light. A bit of bantering from our young chef Frankie & the help. She brings him the cheese and he opens the package, slices off a wedge…ummm Muy Rico…(I have had that type of cheese and Frankie ain’t wrong it is muy Rico), here come Isa with NotRod’sBaby’s bottle. Here servant lady, go heat that up while I heat up Frankie. Seriously like that kid needs a bottle, he is like giant baby.

Since the family is distracted circling the Hernandez Clan, this would be a fine time for Isa to start her shrewish, harpy nagging. Hello, I have seen enough TeleNovelas to know, the Amante is always loving, extremely sexually & willing to please, well at least to the dumb guys face. Isa, Frankie ditched his mother he doesn’t want another one. She starts in with we have to ditch the Montalvos before Rod figures out the kid isn’t his & does a DNA & lil Ricky gets cut out of a lifetime of family backstabbing & screwing everyone over. She pressures Frankie, but he just isn’t ready to jump off the gravy train.

We get another “Hey this is what the will would sound like if I was alive”, flashback from Don Amador. Greeting & Salutations, Okay here it is “I leave the hacienda “Los Miercoles” , located in Tequila and said land to Clara Hernandez and in the event of her death to Theresa Whatever Hernandez. It is to be their land and property”. Something about Clara has reached the age of reason 50 anos, Happy Birthday. Clara is the soul of the land, she is a Jimadora, she represents the whole Jimador working people (unfortunately the other jimadors only got a mention and no land). Amador gives this in payment to her. He owed his life to Clara.


Everyone is stunned. I’m stunned he owed his life to her and she got a hacienda, when she was fifty? Dude she hacked a boat load of Agave in that time. Not that I am greedy, but he did say he owed her his life.

Gavi does the Thanks but No Thanks. Rod says that is excellent land. Gavi is, NO we don’t want it. Clara does not look so certain. I could do a serious smack down on Gavi right now. Nobel is nobel, but you are stupid. I’d be doing “Uh Uh Uh, We got your land, We got your land” . This however is not to be confused with the big Hacienda, the Montalvo’s still have that. At least for now.

Now upon questioning Clara begins to explain her good fortune.
Poor Clarita her parents died careening down a mountain on a bus, alas they were poor…to poor to afford color, all these scenes are in black and white. Clara was all alone, but she was a migrant worker and one year she came to the Montalvos…to earn the abundance of pay that those folks at Tara were willing to give their slaves…oooops scratch that, I have my kind-hearted wealthy planter people stories confused. Anyway this was Norma Rae days, Clara was tough enough to become one of the first female jimadors. She was counting her cash and belting out a tune…some guy named Timothy came in said
Don Amador wanted to see her. She stashed her ducats and left. Of course Tim & an accomplice stole her cash. Clara comes back and questions Tim, Don Amador didn’t ask to see her. You can see the black and white wheels turning in her head…Hey she runs into the lil cabana, come out and knocks Tim to the ground she is wailing on him. Don Amador pulls up in a vintage jeep. He pulls her off.
Rod has a flashback to pulling Gavi off a jimador she was wailing on. Oh these women.

Now we are left to wonder, did turn Don Amador’s thoughts to love like it did his grandson?

Stay tuned …
Gavi wants to leave, but not so fast, Pilar wants to know “Just what condition Amador’s condition was in”
Or “Were you doing my husband”
Looks like Rod is on the phone with Erika, does this mean she will call him sobrino? Hey I mean that in a totally playful manner.

Labels: Destilando

Missing Recap 29: Alicia's Palace of Lies
Again with the big prezzie for Marta. She gets all teary and opens it. It's just a bunch of paper, then a card, which daughter reads and everyone else gets all teary. The family hugs. Turns out Paco has just given her 10,000 pesos that he's been saving up forever so she can buy herself a car. Alicia gets off the elevator and hears what's going on. The cuartel all congratulate Marta on her soon-to-be new car.

Fernando and Marcia are at her crib eating. Fernando says he thinks Alicia's just trying to trap Omar with a lie. Marcia tells him no, she's really bun-baking, she tested positive. He's shocked. Ariel calls Marcia and she tells him that Humberto and Teresita will be coming to the big BL Launch Party. He makes a crack about Alicia and Marcia sticks up for her. Meanwhile, Omar calls Fernando on his cell phone and Fern tells him that Marcia confirmed that the preggo test was positive. Marcia's still talking to Ariel and wants to know why he's so interested in Alicia's pregnancy (here's a quarter, buy a clue Marcia!) He gives some lame excuse and they hang up, and we see a shot of him being upset. Fernando asks her who she was talking to, and she tells him Ariel about the meeting. She asks him who he was talking to, and he tells her Omar about Alicia. They discuss it and Fern's still skeptical, pointing out that she's having financial trouble and how well this works out for her.

Meanwhile, at Alicia's Palace of Lies, she's throwing away the dresses that Marta copied. The doorman announces that Ariel's coming up, and she powders up her face to make herself look pale. When he gets there, she acts good and sick. He gives her hell and she tells him it's her problem, not his. He denies the child is his and she tells him she doesn't want anything from him. He tells her he doesn't believe her, but says fine, he'll take care of her but she has to move to another country, she can't stay here. She asks where, Miami? He says no. She asks Rio de Janeiro? He says no, it has to be a totally different continent. She says Paris! London! Madrid? He says no, some place like Sidney or Pretoria. She says she doesn't want to go to someplace like Africa or Australia or Korea. He says too bad, that's my offer, and leaves.

Back at home, Lety talks to Tomas about Alicia. He says he wants to meet her and Lety teases him about what the meeting would be like. She asks if he'd really take Alicia's child as his, and he says yes. She then shows him the new loan documents and Tomas again tells her that Conceptos is practically in her hands (ok, he says this every darned time! Isn't the company in her hands by now??). He asks her why they had to do the new loan and she tells him Fern had to do it to cover their losses from the Panama caper. They discuss the embargo more, and while she talks we get a shot of a shirtless Fernando (woo hoo!!!!!) unable to sleep. She's saying that Fernando's worried and preoccupied (as well he should be). Fernando remembers when daddy turned the empire over to him. He gets up, puts a shirt on (darn it!) and sits on the sofa still reminiscing, wondering how he can tell his dad what's going on. Marcia joins him wanting to know what the problem is but he tells her it's nothing. She guesses it's Conceptos and tells him the Bella Life stuff will be fine, and gets him back to bed. He goes back to remembering his dad turning over the company and Ariel's threat. He says to himself no Ariel, you'll never be president.

Next day, Saimon and Celso are looking at Fernando's fixed car, and Saimon is once again thanking his lucky stars he didn't get busted for that. Jazmin comes up, pouts and walks away. Fernando comes up and discusses the car with Saimon. Marcia comes up and says car looks good dude.

In reception, the cuartel are discussing the car Marta will get. Fernando walks in and asks if they all shouldn't be working and they agree (hah!), but when he leaves they just continue talking. Saimon joins them and they discuss the car more. Irma tells them they all need to get to work (hah again!), but of course they don't. Alicia comes in and orders Saimon to go get her car and mentions how expensive it is, just to give Marta crap because 10,000 pesos isn't going to get much metal. The cuartel give her the usual garbage.

Fernando and Marcia talk about the launch and the meeting. Fernando wants Lety there, Marcia doesn't. Fern points out that Lety knows about negotiations, contracts, etc., and therefore should be there. Marcia turns harpy. Fernando points out that Alicia's late for work just when, speak of the devil, she gets off the elevator. She hears his comment and starts walking with her back swayed and stuff like she's already 9 months gone. He ain't buying and gives her grief, but she says she was sick. He's still climbing her back, but Marcia pulls him off and tries to get him to stop. He makes a joke and Alicia's expense and Marcia laughs, then asks him again to stop. He leaves and she tells Alicia they need to talk.

Fernando calls for Lety and they discuss how they're going to be meeting with someone to discuss the camera equipment. She tells him that Isabella is there, and he gets excited and has her smell him to make sure his cologne is ok. She likee muchee and follows him all dreamily as he heads out to hit on his own sister. Ooops, I mean the famous model.

Marcia tells Alicia that Omar called Fernando in the middle of the night, upset by the pregnancy. Alicia wonders if that means Omar wants to commit himself to her. Marcia says only in your dreams babe.

Omar comes into the office with his tail dragging. Fernando and Lety run into him and Fern the ever-sympathetic teases him and Lety laughs. Then Fernando manages to cheer Omar up by telling him Isabella's there and they get on the elevator as Saimon gets off it.

Saimon dances by Alicia and she calls him over and gives him money. The phone rings and it's the Little Mermaid. He tells her he's set it all up so she can go and live in Jakarta, Indonesia. He tells her he has a friend there who will give her a job, and she hangs up on him. Saimon dances by again but she ignores him and the ringing phone, thinking about how pissed she is by Ariel's offer. Saimon leaves and she answers the phone and tells Ariel No! He tells her it's this or nothing and she flat out refuses, she wants someplace nicer. Also, she doesn't want to work, he has to take care of her. She hangs up on him again. His secretary comes in to tell him something, but instead he sees Alicia come in with a baby that she introduces as his son. He says it's not his and tells her to leave, but she stays and calls him papa. The secretary and the people she brought in are in his office looking at him when he finally steps out of his fantasy.

Meanwhile, Omar is in his office having his own fantasy moment. He's in bed with Alicia when a baby starts crying. She orders him to take care of it but the baby won't stop crying. She laughs maniacally and he freaks. Sara walks in and wakes him up from his fantasy. She tells him there's a meeting and asks if he's ok, and he asks her to send Alicia in. She does so, but only after giving Alicia crap first. She, Lola, and Marta then head into the bathroom, Marta carrying a bag. Marta makes a big show of the bag to Alicia.

Alicia goes into Omar's office and he says they need to talk. She asks if that means he's ready to accept paternity of his son. He tells her he's not ready to be a father and she reminds him that she hasn't asked anything from him. She plays the guilt card and says she'll just be an unmarried mother. She says something about Paula Maria and says hey, it's my problem, don't worry about it.

Fern and Lety meet with Jackie Palacias (?), the manager of Rodaje.com. She's a pretty woman (hey, isn't this the lady from Yo Amo Juan Querendon?) and Ferni's flirting with her. She mentions the Benny Ibarra video disaster (no one wants to let that go, poor Fern!) and he schmoozes more, then they decide to get down to business.

Alicia tells Omar that she'll love her child no matter what and will raise him alone. Omar starts to say something but she cuts him off and lays it on thick, holding her stomach. She cries and leaves, saying she doesn't want to talk any more. Once outside his office, she dries her eyes and calls him desgraciado. Once again I'm siding with the devil here (Alicia) and worried about my soul, but really, shouldn't Omar have worried about not wanting to be a dad BEFORE he got busy with Alicia? Has no one ever told him about the birds and the bees? Anyway, Alicia heads back to her desk and walks by Marta, who's crouched down behind a desk laughing at her. She pops up and, of course, is in another knockoff. Alicia says go ahead and copy me, I'll always look better than you, and walks off. Marta's upset.

Fern and Lety are trying to convince Jackie to let Conceptos buy equipment from Rodaje.com on credit in return for a contract where they'll be committed to buy from them exclusively for the next five years. Jackie has one of her men in the meeting and he's very strange, the way he just stands hunched over and staring.

The cuartel try to cheer Marta up and discuss liposuction. They try to convince her to have it, and tell her once she does Alicia won't be able to insult her any more. Marta says she doesn't have the money, but they are insistent. Meanwhile, Paco's down in reception with roses and an envelope full of money that's supposed to be for her car, but you know where's it's gonna wind up going. In another meanwhile, Alicia's in the bathroom primping, telling herself she's glad she's not really pregnant because it would ruin her figure.

Marta and Paco go into the conference room to chat. He gives her the money and they get mushy and the cuartel, who are listening because there's no privacy anywhere in Conceptos, once again get teary. Marta hugs Paco and cries and he leaves, and the cuartel all congratulate her on having such a loving husband. PM continues to talk about the liposuction. Meanwhile, so I don't have to create another separate line, Lety and Fernando are still negotiating at Rodaje.

Luigi and Marcia walk into the lobby talking about Fernando. They see Saimon bring a plate of green apples (that must be what she gave him the money for earlier). Luigi wants one but Saimon tells him no, they're all for Alicia because she's pregnant. Luigi freaks and guesses it's Omar's. He calls him an imbecile and how could she! She tells him well, I was in love. He says ok fine, but is Omar going to accept responsibility? She sadly shakes her head no. Just then Omar walks by and Luigi grabs him and gives him grief about Alicia and the baby. Omar manages to get away.

The cuartel are still trying to convince Marta about the surgery. She doesn't really want to do it but they keep pushing.

Fernando and Lety walk into reception talking about how the negotiations went. They go upstairs and he talks about how sexy Jackie Palacias is just as Marcia comes up. She tells him Bella Life wants Conceptos to organize the event to announce the launching of their campaign. Marcia walks away to talk to Alicia and Lety points out to Fern that if Rodaje.com doesn't provide them with the equipment, there won't be a campaign to promote.

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Missing Recap 30: Apples and hot sauce
The cuartel try to convince Marta again, Fern and Lety talk about the negotiations again, Marcia tells Fern about Bella Life again, and Lety points out the obvious again.

Marcia comes back and wants to know what Fernando and Lety have been up to, Fern tells her nothing. She tells them the production meetings have been going well and they want to start filming and when will the equipment get there? He makes up something and promises Luigi will be happy with what they got. They kiss and Lety makes a jealous face (Fern's not in love with you yet Lety, you don't have a right to be jealous of him kissing his fiancée).

Lety tells him she's being trying to contact Carolina Angeles but she refuses to accept any of Fernando's calls. Fern tells her to try again. In Carolina's office, the secretary answers the phone and when she tells Caro it's Fernando calling, Caro again refuses to take the call. Lety tells Fern, and he's not happy. He says he'll go down there personally to talk to her, calling Omar to join him. As he leaves he runs into Lola, who says she needs to talk to Lety. She tells Lety there's a code red meeting in the bathroom. Lety has a lot of work to do but goes ahead and goes to the meeting anyway because naturally gossip and other crap are much more important than actually working to earn that paycheck.

Fernando sees Alicia eating an apple with hot sauce (sounds good to me) and makes fun of her and gives one her apples to a kid that's sitting there in the lobby (not one of the cuartel's kids, for a change). Omar comes by and Fernando teases him about the pregnancy, gives him one of Alicia's apples, and calls him Papa as Omar hears a baby cry in his head. Fernando then gives both Omar and Alicia crap. Just then Jazmin and two models walk out of the elevator and start crawling all over Omar, who's enjoying it, you can tell by all the snorting he's doing. Alicia's watching it all, still eating her apples and hot sauce (damn, that sounds good! Am I preggers? No, I just love hot sauce). Luigi comes in and makes the models leave. Fernando teases Alicia about "THIS is the papa? Sucks to be you!" Fern and Omar leave as Fern cries like a baby.

The cuartel head to their meeting room, laughing. Sara whips out some shoes for everyone, I think I mentioned earlier this was another evil anti-Alicia plot. Everyone pays her, then the liposuction gets mentioned. Irma gets mad and tells them they shouldn't be trying to get Marta to waste her money on this since the only reason she wants it is so Alicia won't make fun of her any more, and the money's supposed to be for a car. The rest are still trying to convince Marta that liposuction is the way to go.

Fern and Omar get to Carolina's office and start teasing the secretary. She tells them Caro's in a meeting, so they say they'll wait for her and start being obnoxious in front of the other clients sitting there. I'm not sure how they think being obnoxious is going to help, but this is telenovela world after all and they do make a good comedy duo, not to mention an excellent sandwich, though I'd make a much better filling than Lety!

The cuartel are still trying to convince Marta, I don't care and fast forward.

Alicia goes into Lety's office looking for her, but of course she's not there. The phone rings and Alicia answers it, it's Jacqueline Palacias. Alicia says she'll take a message.

Back to the big important cuartel meeting, the feas ask Lety for her opinion about Marta getting lipo'd and she replies that she never thinks about such things because she doesn't like artificial things. She says if someone falls in love with you it should be for who you are, not some prefabricated body. PM asks her if superficial beauty is so bad if it helps make men fall in love with a fea. Sarah asks Lety if she'd have the surgery if she had the money. "Imagine if Tomas saw you transformed" she says. Lety begins to daydream about how Fern would react if Lety became beautiful. From her point of view we see her go into Fern's office, and he's shocked (happily) at how she looks. Marcia comes in and doesn't realize at first that it's Lety and is jealous of the new woman Fernando's got in his office. He tells her relax, it's just Lety, and Marcia is shocked. Alicia comes in and it practically takes a pry bar to levy her jaw off the floor and back into place she's so shocked by Lety's new look. Marcia tries to talk to Fernando but he's ignoring her, busy staring at Lety. PM wakes her out of her fantasy as Alicia comes in, gives her crap for being there instead of her office, and tells her about Jackie's phone call. She gives the rest of the cuartel crap as always, and especially picks on Marta calling her fat. Alicia leaves, laughing, making Marta decide on the lipo. Lety says she has to leave.

Marcia asks Alicia what's going on and Alicia whines about how Lety wasn't in her office and poor Alicia actually had to answer her phone. She tells Marcia it was Jacqueline Palacias and Marcia gets all thoughtful, remembering how she heard Fernando call her guapa. She asks where Fernando is, and Alicia tells her he's at Carolina's office.

Carolina comes out and Fern and Omar do all kinds of stupid tricks to try to convince her to work with them again. They sing (apparently a song by Jose Jose called The Desperate), beg, and have a pillow fight with the pillows from her waiting room sofa. They make her paper flowers, which she throws away. She tells Fern that when Conceptos got discredited, she did too.

The cuartel and Marta are still going on about the lipo and she acts sexy, happy with the idea of how she'll look once it's done. Sorry, once again I am forced to fast forward through this exchange.

Omar and Fernando are still begging and tell Carolina about the Bella Life commercials and how much the contract is for and how important it is. She gets an O/F sandwich and now I have to be jealous of both her and Lety, but then Omar snorts and I think "never mind". Eventually, after some hand kissing and other stuff, she gives in to their begging and agrees to work with Conceptos again, but she'll only work with Luigi and Marcia, she won't work with Fern and Omar. They agree.

More fast forwarding by me as the cuartel are STILL discussing liposuction. Fern and Omar walk by and they scurry back to their desks like little non-working vermin when a light gets turned on.

Fern calls to Lety and she tells him that Jackie called and has agreed to their terms. Fern's very happy and moves in for a hug. She gladly throws her arms wide open, but he brushes past her and hugs Omar, and Lety's not so pleased. Fernando says he's happy because they got both Rodaje.com and Carolina. Lety gets loud happy and Fernando tells her to calm down, then Omar also gets loud happy and she tells him to calm down.

Jackie and her incredibly odd henchman (henceforth known as IOH) come into reception. Saimon begins to drool over her and dance around her because he's popping WAY too many speed pills and can't sit still. He leads them upstairs as PM calls Lety to let her know they're there. They run into Alicia and Saimon introduces them to her and turns them over to her. She rudely makes them wait as she goes and announces them while the cuartel wonder why she's there and who the guy is. Lety tells Alicia to take the guests to the conference room and naturally Alicia gets all indignant that Lety is giving her orders. Fernando asks if the pregnancy is affecting her hearing and repeats Lety's order to take them to the conference room. She tells him to stop yelling at her because it upsets her son, as she clutches her still-flat stomach. Fernando probably rolls his eyes with disgust, but if he does I miss it because I'm doing the same. She leaves and Fernando teases Omar about her. Omar snaps back with a smart comment about Fernando and Lety. Lety looks hopeful, but Fernando just looks at her for a minute, then bursts out laughing. She's hurt but pretends to laugh as well. (Now in the recap comments people always give Marcia hell for clinging to Fernando when he didn't love her, but at this point one has to wonder why Lety continued to cling to Fernando after a comment like that. But anyroad...).

I guess Alicia assumes there's some kind of hanky panky going on with Fern and Jackie because she's incredibly rude when she leads them to the conference room. Lopez comes up and sees Jackie and lick/squeaks his head in lust. Marta asks to talk to him, but he'd rather swoon over Jackie, but Marta convinces him and they go to his office.

In the conference room, Omar is flirting with Jackie while IOH stand around staring weirdly (after nearly removing Fernando's arm shaking his hand). Fernando clears his throat at Omar and Omar hears the sound of a baby crying in his head. Everyone sits and Jackie says they accept Conceptos' proposal. IOH pulls a contract out of his briefcase and gives it to Fern, who tosses it to Lety to read.

Marta asks Lopez for some vacation time to have the liposuction. At first Lopez just laughs and wants to know who will do her work. She tells him Lola and Sara have agreed to help out. He then decides that with a few less pounds Marta might not look too bad, so he grants his permission.

Alicia gossips to Marcia that Fernando is in the boardroom with Jacqueline Palaces. Luigi comes up and complains that he still doesn't have his cameras and Marcia says she'll talk to Fernando about it.

Lety tells Fernando the contract's good and gets right up in his face as he's trying to sign up. Once again he has to ask her to step back and give him some space. Jackie and IOH get up to leave and Fern kisses her cheek just as (of course) Marcia and Luigi come in. Fernando introduces everyone and Luigi tries to make a joke with IOH, but he just stands there staring like a zombie, freaking Luigi out. Fernando tells them about the negotiations for the cameras and Luigi's happy. Jackie, IOH and Luigi leave and Marcia gives Fernando crap about the new lady. Fern asks if she's jealous and she says yes, and Fern tells her don't be, it's just negotiations. He tries to kiss her but she tells him he smells (I guess like Jackie's perfume?) and stalks off. Fernando, Lety and Omar go back to Fern's office. Fern tells Lety that even though the company is getting better, the embargo with Filmo Imagen has to continue.

Next day Lety goes to the bank to ask for a loan of one million eight hundred thousand pesos in the name of F.I. The manager tells her that exceeds the amount of the company's capital, but Lety shows him the letter from Fernando guaranteeing the loan based on the total value of Conceptos. The banker still looks unsure and Lety gives him a begging look. Back at work, she comes in and tells Fernando they got the loan. Fernando's happy that they can now proceed with the commercial, and says Luigi's happy with the camera they chose. Lety reminds Fern that Conceptos is now into F.I. for 2 million pesos and Fern tells her she's always a pessimist. He shakes her hand and thanks her for everything and leaves, and she Tan Divinos.

We get a montage of the work being done on the commercial while Lety voice-overs in case we miss anything.

Now it's a new day. Saimon and the cuartel are talking about Marta and Sara makes fun of Lopez. Alicia is at her desk and gets upset by one of her bills about her car. She shows it to Marcia while whining. Fernando overhears her as she works up a tear and describes the horrors of the microbus. Fernando makes fun of her as Omar tries to slip away, but Fernando pulls him back. Alicia pretends to be feeling faint and Marcia takes her to the ladies room. Fernando tells Omar he needs to take care of his future wife as Omar continues to deny the baby's his. They walk away, Fern teasing him the whole way like he's holding a baby. There's a funny comment when Omar brushes impatiently by Fernando and Fern tells him to be careful, they don't want the baby to fall on its head and end up like Ariel.

Back in the office, Lety's worrying about all the debt Conceptos has incurred with the banks and now Rodaje.com. Lety's also concerned that all this stuff is public information, someone could find out about it and there could be a big scandal. As always, he just tells her to calm down.

The rugrats are all at work again and everyone's wishing Jaimito happy birthday. PM asks her son what he wants as a present, and he tells her he wants Saimon to be his papa.

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Missing Recap 31: Less of Martha to love
Fernando teases Omar again, Lety warns Fernando and is pessimistic again, and Jaimito wants to be Saimon's little bundle of joy again.

Fernando, Lety and Omar are chatting and Omar recommends a lawyer who can represent F.I. in the embargo process. Lety agrees to set up a meeting with the guy. Omar leaves.

Marcia helps Alicia back to her desk while she whines about her poor baby (poor for real I guess). Omar overhears their conversation and Marcia asks if he's ready for the upcoming meeting, he says he is and heads back to his own office. Carolina comes in and asks what's wrong with Alicia and Marcia tells her (after hearing Alicia complain about the cuartel sharing her deep dark secrets, here's Marcia also telling the whole world about it!). Caro is happy for her, then she and Marcia head to the conference room where Marcia can dish the real dirt on the whole sordid story. Omar comes up and gives Alicia a check. She tells him she doesn't want his money and he's only trying to assuage his own guilt for not making a commitment to her, but he says he's just trying to help her out. She tells him again she doesn't want it, he whines a little bit and leaves, leaving the check behind. As soon as he's not looking, Alicia gives her now famous smug little smile and kisses the check.

The choreographer is working with the dancers while Luigi watches and he's unhappy with how it looks. He's trying to get some work done, but Irma comes in and tells him he has to go to yet another meeting (you have no idea what's in store for you in the coming months meeting-wise, Luigi!). He whines but eventually heads out. Jazmin stops him and asks him to let her dance in the production, but he tells her she's not a good dancer and he only wants to use professional, experienced dancers.

Juana brings her niece in to join all the other kids in reception, and the mothers discuss what to do with them. I have some ideas but doubt they'd like them much...

Jazmin begs Irma to help her convince Luigi to allow her to dance in the Bella Life promotion, but Irma tells her not to bother her and don't even thing about trying to interfere with the production, because if she keeps bugging them, they'll let her go.

Saimon takes the little brat monsters, I'm sorry, I mean the adorably precocious children, to play in a warehouse where old costumes are kept, and you just KNOW total havoc will be wreaked. Juana's niece, turns out, follows in old Auntie's footsteps and has the gift of clairvoyance. The girl tells Saimon he has a big heart and is capable of loving many women, but right now he loves a woman that doesn't return the feeling.

Even though Sara and Lola are helping him, Lopez is lost without Marta. He's screeching, they're making fun of him, and Lola tells him Marta will be back tomorrow. Meanwhile, the kids are playing, dressed up in costumes and face paint and stuff, and the talented niece thinks she hears Lola yelling. She tells everyone about some herbs she's carrying around with her (signs of a possible future profession as drug pusher maybe?) and something about using them to calm Lola down.

In the meeting, Marcia tells everyone that Carolina will do the publicity for the B.L. Launch, and Caro tells when the invitations will be going out. Omar is dumb enough to ask Luigi how the preparations for the spectacular are going, and Luigi gets all offended and says he's working on it so of course it will be marvelous. Caro hands out the potential menu and mentions all the booze that's going to be there and it sounds like a helluva party woohoo!! Fernando's unhappy about the cost. He yells for Lety and Marcia makes a rude comment. Lety comes in, takes the menu and drink information from Caro, and leaves. Luigi whines that the studio is too small for his dancers to work in and he'd like to have them rehearse someplace larger and again Fern reminds him they have to keep costs down. Marcia says she's starting to worry that Fern is always talking about the budget.

Sara and Lola are talking when Irma comes in looking for Jazmin. As always Lola freaks at the slightest mention of the little family-destroying ho, so why Irma is dumb enough to tell her that Jaz is trying to convince Luigi to let her dance, I'll never know. Irma apparently has also had enough because she cuts her off.

Back at the meeting, Marcia still wants to know why Fern's so hung up on money. This give Carolina an idea on cost savings, and Fern thanks her, I guess because she's the only one supporting him when Marcia and Luigi aren't. Caro asks why Fernando doesn't have Lety in the meetings when they talk about budgets and Fern cuts right to the chase and tells her it's because Marcia and Luigi refuse to work with her. Lety comes in with information for Carolina and Marci, shamed by what Fernando said, asks Lety to stay.

Naturally the children make a complete disaster with the costumes and makeup they find. They also find bags of fake snow they can break open and get everywhere. Their parents come in and Lola orders them to remove the costumes and makeup and clean up. Naturally the kids don't listen and Saimon just joins in on their fun. Meanwhile, Marta comes into the office looking pretty trim, and she shows off to Alicia. The mothers are still yelling at their kids and PM is blaming Saimon. Sorry, I can't take it and I fast forward.

Sara, Juana and Irma ooh and aah over Marta's new svelte figure. Lola comes in and literally screams with happiness at seeing her. Lopez comes in and walks right by Marta, saying hello guapa. He stutters when he realizes it's her. He drools as he leads her to his office.

Back at the meeting they're still talking about the dancers. Lety makes a suggestion that Luigi doesn't like, but Fernando backs her up so Luigi agrees. Lety then asks to be excused, she has something important to take care of. She reminds Fernando that they have to meet with the bankers tomorrow. Marcia also reminds him that tomorrow Teresita and Humberto get in from London. He asks her to meet them at the airport because he has an important meeting.

Lety goes to her office and calls Tomas and asks him to go with her to talk to the lawyer that will be representing FI, and he agrees. Fernando, Omar and Carolina come into Fern's office and Fern yells for Lety. Caro gives him grief about the crappiness of Lety's office, but he tells her he tried to give her something nicer but she didn't want it. Lety comes out and, as always, gets just right into Fernando's face, and the way she stands at attention it looks like she's shoving her boobs at him. Once again he has to tell her to back off and give him some space. Carolina tells her goodbye and leaves, then Fern, Lety and Omar sit down for the usual rehash about the embargo and how Lety's still uncomfortable with it. Again he has to talk her into it, and she leaves. He and Omar then continue to chat about it.

At a restaurant, two lawyers are sitting and drinking, and Lety and Tomas greet them. They're they lawyers Omar recommended and they don't inspire Lety with much confidence, but she goes ahead and starts explaining about the embargo.

Back at Conceptos the kids are cleaning up and I really don't care about their conversation, more crap about how to calm Lola down. I'm recommending a bullet to the brain, but no one listens to me (her brain, I mean, though if I have keep listening to this storyline, I could mean mine as well).

Back to Lety and the lawyers, she's telling them that they need to avoid a scandal at all costs. They demand a ridiculously high fee and Lety and Tomas start to walk. The lawyers drop their price so they stay after all.

More kid stuff, Saimon comes to get them, yawn.

The choreographer is still working with the dancers. Jazmin is in the background mimicking their moves. Luigi's happy to see that Fatima Bosh, Fernando's former one-night-stand, is one of them. He tells the dancers they can all go home, then calls Jazmin over and tells her to stop hanging around and she leaves, upset.

The kids are rubbing herbs on Lola's legs while she sleeps. Jaz comes in and says crap, Lola gets mad, and I guess the old herb trick didn't work so well. Jaz leaves and Lola yells at the kids.

I guess to help Televisa pay some bills, we now have a commercial moment as Irma brings in some red apples while Luigi is trying to come up with a commercial for Garnier Nutrisse. The commercial has to do with one of their red dyes, so the apples give Luigi an idea: "the temptation of color".

Marcia, Fernando and Omar are leaving, Marcia giving Fern crap about Jackie Palacias the whole time, when Fatima comes in and plants a big fat wet one on his cheek right in front of her. She goes ballistic on him as Fatima leaves. Marta walks by and Marcia compliments her on her new slim bad self while Omar teases Fernando about Fatima. He mentions Fernando's ethics for giving him crap about PM when he himself was doing the nasty with the dancer. Fernando tells Omar there's no comparison between the two, and Omar quips back with a comment about Marcia. Omar's phone rings, it's a woman, so he walks away to take the call. Marcia and Fernando leave; Omar continues to chat with his little chippy, snorting all over the place, and suddenly he realizes Alicia's listening. He gets a guilty look on his face.

PM and Saimon are arguing in reception when Jaz comes in all bummed because Luigi won't let her dance. Saimon sympathizes and drools and PM gets jealously pissed. She tries to get Saimon away from the skank homewrecker but he won't leave her and they head out together as PM builds up steam. The kids all come in making a ton of racket.

Up in the lobby, Marta again poses in front of Alicia, and Alicia lets fly the usual insults, but this time Marta isn't bothered by them. She talks to Irma and Sara as they're all leaving, and tells them she doesn't know how to tell her husband what she spent the car money on. They go down to the lobby and join everyone else and discuss Saimon and Jazmin. Lola gets her usual freak on, and Irma advises her that if she wants Cheque to come back to her, she needs to calm down (I jump up with a resounding Here Here on that!!!) and stop fighting with him. Finally everyone leaves.

Meanwhile Lety and Tomas are still talking to the lawyers at the restaurant. The lawyers are questioning why the embargo was necessary and tell her Fernando was crazy to create it. Lety's eye twitches.

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Missing Recap 32: Lien on Conceptos when feeling loanly
The cuartel again, ugh! The lawyers again ask questions about the embargo and she twitches again. Tomas reminds them that there can't be any scandal.

Fernando and Marcia discuss his parents coming in. She asks him what's up with meeting at the bank, and he just drinks. She asks him again and he gives her some lame excuse.

Discussing the embargo, one of the lawyers tells Lety that Fernando is either crazy or an imbecile to put his company in her hands like this. Since they just dissed her Tan Divino, she jumps to his defense and tells them she respects Fernando and his judgment. The lawyers ask for an increase in their fee due to the secret nature of the deal, which shocks Lety and Tomas, and they want an advance so they can pay the restaurant bill as they have no money. Tomas pays them and he and Lety leave.

Jazmin and Saimon are eating and Jaz is whining about Luigi. Saimon calms her down and offers to speak to Luigi for her. Jaz tells him it would be better to talk to Fernando, the president, and Saimon agrees to do it. She talks to Cheque on the phone while Saimon flirts with girls at another table, then she tells him she has to leave. She kisses his cheek and he swoons.

Tomas and Lety discuss their meeting and she stresses again that she's not happy with Omar's recommendation. Tomas again chats with her about technically being the true owner of Conceptos. Meanwhile, we get a shot of Fernando still unable to sleep, upset by everything that's happening with the company.

The next day Marta's going to a gym to get info on joining it, and the cuartel are with her. They see Alicia there exercising and realize she can't be pregnant. They discuss ad nauseam.

The lawyer, Sanchez, is once again meeting with Lety and Tomas. Lety asks Tomas to go with the lawyers when they create the embargo, and leaves. The lawyers tell Tomas they have to go to Conceptos to do an inventory as part of the embargo process. Tomas is worried about the problems this might cause.

Back at the gym, Alicia's getting reamed by her trainer because her check bounced. She promises to pay tomorrow. The cuartel go and talk to him and tell him they work with her so he feels free to dish the dirt on her to them.

Back at Conceptos, Alicia's crying and Marcia sees her and asks what's wrong. Alicia tells her about what happened and Marcia tells her she shouldn't be going to the gym while she's pregnant. Alicia realizes her boo boo and gives Marcia some fake excuse. Marcia then wants to know where the frapping hell the cuartel is. Ok, she didn't use those exact words, my bad.

Speak of the devils, they wander into reception still talking about what they just discovered. Sara wants to warn Omar but Juana says first they have to get proof and they discuss how to go about that. Saimon comes in and Lola freaks on him, blah blah blah. He and PM exchange barbs as Jaz comes in and flirts with him.

The cuartel finally show up in the lobby and Alicia goes all harpy on them and the usual crap flies. I ignore the rest of the conversation. Saimon and Jazmin come dancing in and continue to flirt with each other. Omar comes in and Alicia pointedly asks Saimon to get her some chocolates she's been craving because of the pregnancy. He goes to get them and the cuartel all laugh as Omar walks on. Jaz gives Lola crap and the cuartel once again have to hold her back as Jaz leaves. Again, yawn.

Lety comes in and apologizes to Fern for being late, telling him she was meeting with the lawyers. They discuss that this information is available to the public and she shows him where it can be found on the internet. He's not happy, but says something along the lines of hopefully no one will see it.

Tomas is still with Sanchez, who hands him copies of the embargo paperwork. He once again hits Tomas up for a fee hike and Tomas is impactada.

Marta comes up with an idea for a way to force Alicia to get a blood test and tells the cuartel about it.

Tomas and the lawyer are still discussing the embargo and his fee. Tomas starts to leave, but the lawyer asks for another advance. Tomas says Lety will kill him, but goes ahead and gives the guy money anyway.

Lety's on the phone trying to get more information about exactly what will be available on the internet, just what's registered with the Publico or the bank information as well? Fernando's listening. She hangs up and Tomas calls and she tells Fern it's the embargo lawyer.

Marta tells Lopez that because Alicia joined the company as Marcia's friend, she never had to provide the tests that are required by the company. She says he should order those tests to avoid any problems for Conceptos, though her real reason is so the order will come from him. He wants Marta to tell Alicia the news, but she explains to him that they don't get along, so he says he'll do it. He ogles her as she leaves, telling her she looks good and she wiggles her butt at him.

Tomas tells Lety the lawyer wants another advance and she's not happy about the amount. He also asks for permission to buy a cell phone and mentions that FI is continuing to make gains on their investments. Fernando's still listening to her conversation. At Lety's house, Mom lights a candle at the alter and prays for Lety. Just then Lety calls and they talk mushy mother/daughter stuff. For some reason both are whining and crying, then Lety hangs up.

Marta tells Sara and Lola that Lopez agreed about the tests and the results will have to pass through her hands. Omar walks by looking really bad and they feel sorry for him. To play devil's advocate, it was Omar who first took advantage of a drunk Alicia, so it's hard for me to work up any sympathy if she's now taking advantage of him. Sometimes you play, you pay, pal. Anyway, in Ariel's office, he and his secretary have a conversation about public information.

Fernando and Omar talk, rehashing about all their loans. Omar tells Fern that he's worried that Ariel might find out about Conceptos's problems from the internet or from public registries, while in his office Ariel and his secretary continue to discuss the same topic. Marcia calls him and tells him about Teresita and Humberto coming in and he mentions that he'll stop by to see them later on.

He then calls Alicia and she puts him on hold while talking to Lopez, who's telling her about the blood test requirement. She doesn't want to have it, but he doesn't give her a choice. They argue while the cuartel smirk. Marcia walks by and Alicia tries to get her help, but Marcia tells her if it's required then she's just gonna have to do it. Alicia then tries to get lunch out of her, but Marcia tells her she has to go to the airport to meet Fern's parents.

Marcia goes into Fernando's office where he's talking to Omar. He ignores her at first and she wants to know what's wrong. While Lety listens, he makes up some phony excuse and she leaves. He worries about his parents and Omar tells him not to say anything to them about what's been going on. Fern calls for Lety just as the phone rings. She comes out and tells him Tomas is downstairs and he tells her she can go. Omar wants to know who Tomas is, and Fern tells him he's a friend of Lety's who's working for Filmo Imagen. Omar's not very happy to hear this, but Fern tells him don't worry, Tomas knows nothing about the embargo. Meanwhile Lety and Tomas are discussing that very subject downstairs. Tomas is telling her how the lawyers are going to have to come and inventory the company as part of the embargo process and she's not very happy to hear it. As always, Tomas's brain completely stops when Alicia walks by.

The cuartel are discussing their evil plot and decide not to tell Irma about it since they know she won't like it. They all want to go to lunch, but Marta can't because of her diet and unhappily shows them this little thing of vegetables she gets to eat. They feel sorry for her and encourage her, then head to lunch.

Lety goes into Fern's office and gives him copies of the embargo paperwork. The phone rings and Fernando tells her to answer it and she goes to her office to do so. Omar begins to sow the seeds of suspicion into Fernando's head about Lety and Tomas.

Marcia brings Humberto and Teresita to their house and they ask about Ariel and Ana Leticia, then about Fernando. Humberto asks how Conceptos is doing and she tells him everything's fine. Humberto wanders away and Teresita tells Marcia he's been worried about the company ever since the video fiasco.

Lety comes out to go to lunch and Omar asks her to sit. He starts questioning her about the embargo and whether or not she's been discreet. She tells them someone will be coming to inventory the business and Fernando's upset because the timing sucks what with his parents being there and the Bella Life Commercial Launch and all. Lety uses the diversion to escape to her office. Omar leaves and Fern goes into Lety's office. He plays for sympathy and tells her he's afraid of the steps they've been taking with the company. Seeing him so sad and vulnerable, she tries to reassure him that the company is in good hands. Fern moves in close and touches her face and moves in for a kiss.

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We open to revisit Pastor checking his watch and wondering how many hours an operation can take. It’s really inconsiderate of them not to come out and let one know what’s happening, too. Juan, of course, tries to help him calm—these things take time. He tries to get Pastor to sit, and the doctor comes in with sad news that Doña Pastora has not made it through the operation. Pastor is inconsolable. Juan can only thought bubble that words are insufficient for the loss of a mother, and only time will help.

We revisit CL arriving home to find Chelo alone; when he asks about Monica, he’s informed that he should know better than anyone where she is. He grinds his teeth.

Juan stands behind Pastor, hands on Pastor’s shoulders, and lets Pastor ask the inevitable “why?” questions. She had always wanted to die in her bed, surrounded by folks who loved her. Juan assures him that Pastor was with her at the end, and that’s what matters. Pastor continues to mourn: his mother was everything to him, and without her he has no one. If she is not here, he has no reason to exist. Juan won’t hear of it. He assures Pastor he’s important to society, a good man, and an exemplary son. Pastor denies this. He says he’s a fraud, a caricature of a man. He walks away and Juan follows, sternly scolding him not to say such things. Juan tells Pastor there is nothing more important in this life than to have been loved as much as Pastor was loved his mother. Juan tells Pastor his mother was at peace. And he wants to assure Pastor that she was completely happy, totally fulfilled. Pastor is doubtful, but Juan exhorts him; he’s not just saying that so Pastor will feel better. It’s the pure truth, and from Juan’s heart. Pastor just cries and Juan guides him to a chair. Juan gets onto his knee to continue comforting Pastor [Ed. Note: What a Guy!] Juan tells Pastor his mother was lucky to have Pastor right until the end; she was loved. Many people don’t have that and it makes closing the chapters of our lives much more difficult. He reminds Pastor that she’s done with suffering. She’s got eternal peace, and is with God. Juan tells him to cry, because it signifies that Pastor is able to feel the most beautiful of emotions that God gave us to make us human. And above all, he had his mother’s love. Pastor whimpers and weeps as Juan smiles fondly and leans to give him a half hug. Juan tells him “cry, Don Pastor, cry,” and Pastor does. [Ed. Note: Wow. ¡Qué emoción! What a spectacular job these two did.]

CL stands in the empty and darkened bedroom of the apartment. He looks pensive as he leans against the corner of a cupboard. Chelo comes into the room behind him, in her regular clothes, and asks if she can offer him anything. He shakes his head without looking around and takes a drag on his cigarette. She’ll just go, then. The camera closes in on CL’s face. He’s crying and his eyes look like he spent the last week awake. At least for the next 30 seconds or so, he might be sorry that Monica is gone.

Paula is sitting on the end of her bed, talking on the phone and taking her 4-inch heels off. She tells Ana that she got her car today. It’s way cool! (padrísimo). Paula’s so pleased to share this moment with her mother. She’s had a difficult day, appalling (espantoso), with lots of work.

We see VERY red stockings and VERY high black heels with a rather short black skirt – makes me think of Nebraska on any Cornhusker home game Saturday – swaying up a couple of steps. CL’s disembodied voice asks Laura if she knows where “she” is. The camera pans to a lovely face of a young woman in a white blouse and black low vest. Laura says she has no idea. He tells her to understand; he’s desperate. Laura says she hasn’t seen Monica in ages (siglos, centuries). She has no idea where Moni could be. (I can’t understand why she would say that, since she and Moni clearly both got the same memo about wearing red, black and white today). Laura asks if they fought very hard. CL confirms it was hard enough. He doesn’t want to talk about it. He asks for a favor. If Laura finds out where Moni is, let him know, or tell Moni to call him. Laura tells him not to worry and hangs up. Moni wants to know what he said. She tells Moni “he’s really down.” (Está hecho polvo – he’s made into dust). That’s the point, that he’ll be in pieces. [Ed. Note: Fat chance. Moni, you’re barking up the wrong tree.] Laura thinks she should throw him out in the street. Moni thanks her for the advice, but she prefers to handle it her way. Laura wants to know why Moni is disappearing to give him an open road to keep it up with that woman. Moni thinks she has the upper hand (ventaja, advantage) and she’s going to make their life h***. Moni tells Laura not to worry that they’ll escape their punishment; she swears they’ll be punished and they’ll both be sorry. [Ed. Note: What the heck could she have up that red sleeve?] She squares her jaw and demonstrates her best stink eye for Laura.

Paula has changed into lovely sage green velour sweats. She answers the phone; it’s Nidia. Does Nidia want to talk with Ana? No, Nidia has a little advice for Paula, since she promised Ana she’d look after Paula while Ana was gone. Paula is fondly irritated. The advice is about Paula’s night visitor. Paula is confused. Duh. Nidia advises her that a decent little girl doesn’t let her boyfriend stay over and take advantage of Mami’s absence. So, don’t do it again. Paula sighs and rubs her forehead. Paula sarcastically thanks her, asks her permission to retire, then hangs up, and sighs disgustedly. Nidia, who hasn’t had the last word for the first time since mid-June, shakes her head and laments the girls of today. They just don’t listen to advice.

At the night school, students pass into the room, but Kike is already in his seat working hard on the lesson. The Profa is coming so the students rush to their seats. She wants to know why Kike is alone again. He stutters an excuse for Juan—he has a little family problem, but she’s not buying it. What a shame! Probably his grandmother died. Kike basically tells her that’s close enough. She doesn’t ever want to see Juan around there again, and she threatens again to expel Juan. Kike is again left holding the bag for Juan.

Paula is pouring coffee and talking to Juan about Pastor. “Poor man, he must be devastated.” Juan agrees that Pastor is. He’s still at the hospital with Pastor, but has found a pay phone. [Ed. Note: Do they still have pay phones on this continent? Not according to the Spanish ads I hear for Cingular/Sprint/Verizon, etc.]. Paula tells Juan to let Pastor know if he needs anything, she’s there for him. He calls her endearing names and asks her to inform the office folk. Pastor is so alone, Juan reckons he needs to stay and help him, especially tomorrow at the wake (velorio). She’ll take care of it, she tells him. Juan also wants to know they won’t be able to see each other tonight since he really needs to stay with Pastor. She tells him to calm down, it’s fine and she understands perfectly. It’s a noble gesture. He thanks her sweetly [Ed. Note: what an ANGEL!] and asks how she is. Paula tells him she’s okay, but going to bed early because she’s wiped out (molida). He scolds her to take care of herself (okay, not a literal translation by any stretch, but that’s the idea) “you hear me, Licenciada?.” She chuckles a little. Yes, Juan. He tells her they’ll see each other tomorrow, sends her an air kiss on the phone, and tells her to sleep thinking of him. She tells him thanks, until tomorrow, and hangs up.

Nidia, the muchachas and Delirio are all in their jammies in Nidia’s room, sitting on the bed, watching a novela on the tele that’s on the dresser. This is quintessential family togetherness. Delirio is not nearly as wrapped up in it as the girls all are. They’re oohing and aahing over the novela, all huddled together with Yadi in the middle, the muchachas sucking their thumbs. He grumbles at them as he’s being eased off the edge of the bed by Nidia’s rump. Delirio grumbles that he’s like Horace. [¿¿Qué??] Nidia totally ignores him and wonders aloud where Juan is, and why he hasn’t arrived home—is he sleeping away from home again? [Like she thinks one more big man will fit on that bed!] Delirio grumbles about Juan, “this señor thinks this is a hotel, and there are no schedules to follow. Marely snaps up and looks at Yadi and Nidia. “What an idiot I am! I forgot to tell you the mother of Pastor got very sick and he helped take her to the hospital! They were going to operate!” Nidia and Yadi express their sorrow, but Delirio thinks there’s a bright side—Juan will be pleased to be at the side of his “detail,” hugging him, giving him his shoulder, etc. [Ed. Note: Don’t you just want to slap the man sometimes?] Nidia scolds him. What a beast, an animal! (We hear a donkey braying in the background). Marely points out she’d like to have the sensitivity of Juan. Delirio finally falls off the edge of the bed. It’s about time. Nidia sarcastically asks his pardon. The girls giggle. Nidia tells Delirio that before she forgets, tomorrow first thing he’s going to get his okole up, get ready, get breakfast, and get into see CL to talk about his work . Delirio bounds up and yells. He’s NEVER going back to that office! Not even if CL was kneeling in front of him! Nidia yells back that he’s going to do that very thing, or there’ll be consequences. Delirio tries to yell again and Yadi interrupts him. He’s interfering with their novela! He throws up his hands in disgust, then starts to leave, but throws his hands up in front of the screen before he goes in defiance. The girls all put their thumbs back in their mouths and settle back down for a night of novelas. Sort of like us.

As Pastor and Juan leave St. Rita’s Hospital, Pastor thanks Juan. He’s taken up all of Juan’s day. Juan, his arm around Pastor’s shoulders, tells him he couldn’t have left him alone in this time. They should go eat something. Pastor says he’s not hungry. Well, then, Juan will take him home so he can make the calls to his family members. What family? Pastor tells Juan he has no one. Juan tries again….a lost uncle, a cousin? Pastor sighs; there is no one. It’s a cruel irony—all his life he dreamed of having brothers and sisters, cousins, someone to play with, to share Christmas with, or birthdays. But there never was anyone. Just her and me. Pastor continues; when he was in grammar school (colegio—a private parochial school, probably) no one wanted to play with him. He knew he was somehow different. He was sensitive, loved fine things and beauty, and not football. Everyone made fun of him. He suffered so much. It became an obsession to have a brother. What a cruel irony it was that at the end of her life, she had such a big surprise for him. Juan is curious what sort of surprise that was. “That supposedly I have a brother. What do you think of that?” Juan is impactado, but remarks that seems like it would be good news. Pastor supposes so. Anyway, he would be the only person Pastor needs to inform of his mother’s death. He needs to follow through with his mother’s last wish (voluntad – will). But, it’s more than a duty. He’s not the same child he was. After all this, they’re not going to toss a football around. Pastor cries again, and Juan hugs him.

Paula has called Marely. Her telephone is Grand Central tonight. She lets Marely know about Pastor’s mother’s death. Marely will help inform others. Paula thanks her and hangs up. The doorbell rings. So much for a quiet night and hitting the hay early. Guess who’s coming to ….. well, not dinner? CL, por supuesto. If she doesn’t open in less than a second he’s going to FREEZE! [Ed. Note; at least it will keep the champagne cool.] Paula wants to know qué the heck he’s doing here, and scolds him, reminding him she’s not going to be pressured, and that’s what he’s doing. He tells her she’s right, but he couldn’t keep away. [Ed. Note: apparently, his deep, prolonged grieving over Monica’s departure is over.] She tells him to begin to control his urges (ganas). She tells him that Pastor’s mother has passed away. CL actually looks a bit stricken by this news for a moment.

The girls have toddled off to bed and Nidia is getting her side ready. Delirio comes in and sarcastically asks if he can enter his bedroom, or are the ladies of the house inclined to watch more television? She remarks that she hears buzzing in her ears….and he can just glue himself to the roof (????). He tells her he’s going to buzz at her and he’s not returning to Farell. He gives her all the reasons why he’s not going, and lose his dignity. Yadi bursts into the room in her jammies and ignores Delirio, begging her Mami to come downstairs RIGHT NOW! Nidia runs after her, leaving Delirio fuming.

CL is finally serious and focused on something other than his ….. uh….. needs. Does Paula know what funeral home Doña Pastora will be taken to? No. Juan will be letting me know. CL is sorry for Pastor; he understands that Pastor has no other family and is very attached to his mother. Paula remarks that it’s terrible to be that age and be alone in the world. CL agrees. And of course, the conversation makes a 180 back to his…..uh….needs. He starts in on her again with his polished line. Life is offering them….hablablablabla….. She tells him there are times it’s better to be alone than accompanied badly. He agrees [Ed. Note: his favorite strategy, agree with everything and change the subject back to his goal]. He talks about when one finds one’s soul mate (alma gemela, soul twin)…..and strokes her cheek. And the line goes on, and on, and on. [Ed. Note: oh, my, what nicely buffed nails he has.] Paula pulls his hand away, but he’s not deterred. He murmurs more pressure-laden junk about the same soul and practices the kisses he learned from watching Duelo de Pasiones. She responds into commercial…..

Apparently during the commercial she came to and now she’s pushing him away. He protests he just wants to show her how much he loves her. She’s not buying it. She wants him to respect the deal they have. He agrees, okay. But, he just KNOWS she felt the same about that kiss as he did. She reminds him no pressure! Just go! Okay, okay, he adds a few more thoughts calculated to pressure about how he feels and backs toward the door. Ooops, one more thing….he rushes her again and she tells him NO. She points at the door. He starts toward it, but she calls him back. He looks hopeful, but she just wants to hand him the bottle he forgot. He smiles and takes it. [Ed. Note: I think it’s Judy B who keeps reminding us what a great actor Alexis Ayala is. He’s doing this to a “t..”] Finally, he’s gone. But, not forgotten. Paula smiles fondly. [Ed. Note: Idiot.]

Marely offers a drink to Pastor, who is sitting in the living room at Casa Cachón. Nidia is talking aside to Juan about poor Pastor. We see Juan’s lovely portrait in the background. [Ed. Note: Will Pastor take his painting of Juan home now that Pastora won’t be complaining about it? I’m just saying.] Nidia holds Juan’s arm. Pastor is suffering a lot. Juan points out he has no one, and is alone now. He shouldn’t be sleeping alone in his home tonight. He’d better stay here. Nidia is impactada. Where? Maybe Juan should go to Pastor’s home and stay with him there? No, given Pastor’s current mood, not a good idea. Juan volunteers his own room; Juan will be comfortable on the sofa. Nidia tells him what a heart he has. Not many men have his sensitivity. She is so happy, and proud of him. She hugs him and calls him son; he hugs her back. Could it be that Nidia is changing to feel motherly feelings toward Juan? Could be, since she has Fern as a back-up young galán. Marely, on her knees, comforts Pastor as he drinks a cup of tea. Juan thought bubbles that the Grim Reaper (huesuda) arrives when we least expect him. When another dies, a piece of one dies with him (her). We see a lovely sunrise, as Juan continues to thought bubble that the following morning, life continued. We see him at the hospital signing the death certificate with the physician, Pastor standing some feet away and not involved. “The poor man had no head” to do the formalities, sign the certificates that would make his mother’s death official. He continues to thought bubble that they selected a flower spray that would let her arrive to heaven well decorated. He had told the Child of Atocha that she had her unique personality, but wasn’t bad people. He asked God to give her a special place in heaven. Then they went to look for Pastor’s brother. Juan asks Pastor what? We’re looking for your brother here? He holds up the paper that Pastora had given her son with is half-brother’s address. Yes, that’s the place. Juan protests that this is in the middle of the public markets (abastos). Pastor is mildly impactado, and Juan is muy impactado. “What’s your brother’s name?” Juan asks. (Are you ready, gentle readers?) “Angarita,” Pastor responds, “Angarita Calvo.” “No way!” Juan tells him. Pastor says that’s what his mother put on the paper. Juan tells him that’s incredible, and we all agree with him. (Wasn’t it just two weeks ago that Don Angarita chased a herd of thugs away who were harassing Juan and Kike?) Juan declares that the world is a handkerchief (small); he knows Pastor’s brother. Pastor is really impactado. “For real?”

The market is humming; it reminds one of the Market in the French Quarter in New Orleans. Juan waits while Pastor confronts his destiny: he has the brother he always dreamed of. Or not. Angarita says “son of the guayaba,” which might mean a guava or the lie, the fib. Anyone know? Angarita can’t believe it. Pastor responds that he’s just as flustered as Angarita. Juan hovers in the background like a mother hen. Angarita says he must be the very Pastor Gaitán. Pastor reaches out his hand to shake Angarita’s, telling him “pleased to meet you, brother,” but his tone of voice and body language make us wonder…..caray, this is awkward. Angarita pumps his arm until Pastor’s teeth rattle. Angarita returns the greeting. Pastor grabs his arm away and rubs it; they eye each other warily and possibly with a bit of disgust. Juan eyes them both and thought bubbles that it must be a heavy thing to find oneself with an instant brother, and they have a mother in common. All he could think at the moment, Juan continues, is about the crash of two such different worlds that’s coming.

CL is giving instructions to Ivonne regarding how to handle Pastor’s mother’s funeral. Ivonne has found that the funeral home is “The Last Breath,” and the mass will be at noon, at the church near funeral home. CL wants to know who is going from the office. Ivonne says it’s a group of those closest to Pastor, if that’s not a problem. CL assures her it’s fine. For a change, they’re not fussing and they’re both subdued. He tells her to arrange everything that’s needed and to send a corona of flowers (a wreath) from the company. Monica bursts in and greets them; only Ivonne initially responds. CL tells Ivonne she can leave them alone. He accosts Monica, wanting to know where the h*** she stayed the night before. She smiles slightly with a “what’s it to you?” sort of look. They face off with glares.

Ivonne is back at her desk, with Paula standing in front of her. Paula is clearly dressed for a funeral. Her black dress is at least four inches longer than usual and doesn’t outline her okole. What a shame, Ivonne tells her with a signature smirk, but CL is busy at the moment. His wife arrived and is with him. Paula asks if she doesn’t mean his ex? Ivonne stands and asserts that Monica is still his legal wife, clearly taking much joy in making this point. She wonders if Paula maybe isn’t aware how CL handles these formalities (jerarquías, hierarchies, formalities). Paula warns her to watch herself. Ivonne continues that the wife is above the lovers. Paula sets her jaw. Ivonne continues that the wives who have class, like Sra. Monica, have preference over the **bleep** like you, you understand. Paula dives over the desk at her and a girl fight is in full swing. All the lobby folk run to the desk and Marely pulls Paula away from choking Ivonne over the desk. They’re all yelling. Ivonne calls Paula stupid and tells her she’s going to disintegrate Paula—“cut-rate slut!” (Golfa barata). CL and Moni come rushing out the door of his office, CL yelling “what the h*** is going on here?” Ivonne is angry impactada. Paula glares and gulps.

Juan chats with one of the market workers. We see Angarita coming down some stairs with a couple of coffees, telling Pastor “she was a good woman, with her temper, but a good woman.” [Ed. Note: he obviously knew the Pastora we all knew and loved.] Pastor tells him it’s a terrible loss. Angarita gives him a coffee, and tells Pastor at least he was able to enjoy her more than Angarita could. He just had her for short times. Pastor asks him for no reproaches, please. Pastor continues that he can hardly make sense of what was hidden for so many years. Angarita points out that everyone has something naughty (travesura) recorded in the book. And, all have attempted to cover some stain (corrector a la mancha). Pastor says that she wasn’t the kind of person to do those kinds of bad things, and even less the kind of deeds that she would hide in the trunk of secrets (baúl). Angarita tells him he’d best not judge, because he has no right. Pastor agrees. On the contrary, it makes her more human. Pastor imagines that it must not have been easy for her to have to give up Angarita, and perhaps that’s why she overprotected Pastor so much. Now he understands better why at times she was as she was. Pastor becomes sadder as the relates this to Angarita. Angarita jumps in, uncomfortable and tells him not to get to bawling right here. Have patience, like your mother, who was like iron. You have to be strong. Accept things as they are. Pastor agrees he is right. He tells Angarita that he imagines if she were here, she’d be whacking him for crying. He wipes his nose. He tells Angarita that when his mother told him he had a brother, he didn’t imagine someone like Angarita. Angarita agrees that he also didn’t imagine one like Pastor. He looks Pastor over and pauses before he finishes that thought. Pastor stares at Angarita. [Ed. Note: now we understand why a couple of weeks ago Kike saw Pastora get into a cab at the loading dock near Angarita’s warehouse, when she disappeared from the church while Pastor waited for her.]

Paula is being scolded, after a fashion, by Moni in Paula’s office while Marely looks on in the office. Moni is surprised by Paula’s attitude, since she says Paula has been a woman well self-controlled. Paula defends herself. She didn’t start it; she and Ivonne have not had a good relationship, but she never thought it would come to an assault like this. Monica tells her according to what she’s been told, Paula provoked it. Paula rubs her head and tries to explain. Well, Paula replies, I reacted to her insults instinctively, nothing more. Moni isn’t buying it. What could a secretary have said that an highly placed executive would have been caught like this in front of all the employees. Paula responds they were nonsense that don’t bear repeating. She begs Moni’s pardon and it won’t happen again. Moni gives her a stink eye and Marely looks distinctly worried.

Juan is selling fruit to some shoppers while Pastor tells Angarita that it was he who said they must accept things as they are, and they are brothers and should have something in common [Ed. Note: hard to imagine just what, but I guess we’ll see.] Angarita sarcastically points out it must be something well hidden. He wants to know about Pastor’s relationship with Juan. Is he family, too? Nope, Pastor tells his brother, just a friend. A very good friend. Angarita thinks he has this figured out. He changes the subject. Is Pastor going to have a wake, to stand watch over their mother? Juan looks over at them and thought bubbles that it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that Angarita ….and doggone but there was no way I understood any of the rest of it. Jump in any time, anyone. Angarita and Pastor continue to chat and Juan continues to hawk Angarita’s produce.

CL is chewing Ivonne out. What the heck was she doing? Putting that woman in her place, Ivonne retorts. She calls Paula a fox, and it isn’t a compliment. CL tells her not to refer to Paula in those terms. Ivonne spouts back at him and tells him that Paula’s putting on airs and has no rights while he has a legitimate wife. [Ed. Note: how amazing that SHE defends his wife.] CL yells at her that Paula has rights. Ivonne retorts that he should yell a little louder so his wife hears. He tells her that Moni already knows about his thing with Paula, and Ivonne can’t blackmail him with it. Well, Ivonne says smugly, anyway Monica is an owner of this company. “And?” “And it’s not in your best interest to make her into an enemy.”

Alirio bursts into CL’s office with warm greetings. He asks if he can enter, and answers his own question, of course he can. CL rolls his eyes and closes them, sighing. He and Ivonne glare at each other.

Nidia is fitting her wedding dress onto Yadi, who has her hands in long white gloves, clasped above her head. She’s grousing about Juan bringing that Pastor to live with them. Nidia clucks at her. It’s not for so long, just while he’s going through this sad time. Nidia thinks Juan will be calling her any time with information about the funeral. Yadi says she hates funerals. Nidia clucks at her again. Dramatic flamenco music plays as Nidia surveys the effect and declares that Yadi will look quite the lady on the day she marries. Yadi pouts; she looks “horrible, horrendous.” She’s definitely not getting married in this dress, she doesn’t like it. Nidia argues with her; Yadi looks divine and it’s all fixed. Yadi doesn’t like the style….it’s a little….nerdy (naco, Mexican). What nerdy? Nidia is offended that she’s offered her wedding dress and Yadi is insulting it. Yadi sits and pats Nidia’s hand, “it’s okay for your age, Mami.” “But for me?” Nidia tells her not another word! She understands and is offended. She tells Yadi to take off the dress and sarcastically blathers on. Yadi tells her not to be drama queen. Nidia calls her a countess, a duchess, and begs Yadi’s pardon for upsetting her delicate sensibilities, then storms away.

Juan is driving Pastor away from the market. How did your brother seem, he asks Pastor. Plenty ordinary, Pastor tells Juan. His feeling were hurt and he’s having trouble thinking about Angarita. “With no class. I would have preferred something else.” Juan defends Angarita. He may not have much class, but he has a good heart. He’s good people. If you say so, Pastor responds, looking out the window. He’s a little coarse for my taste. Juan points out that the market owners have two things: short tempers and lots of money. His brother is rolling in dough. Pastor can’t believe it could be so much. Juan tells him Angarita has six markets. He moves a lot of merchandise and makes a lot of money. Juan wonders where Pastor wants him to take him. Pastor wants to go home and change clothes, if it’s not too much trouble, then to the funeral home.

Delirio has made himself comfortable in CL’s office to talk about his readiness to come back to work. There are conditions, of course. He wants his work environment improved, for one. He’s really unmotivated by his previous treatment. CL’s eyebrows go up. Delirio continues that he did everything he was assigned to do. What did he get in return? CL shrugs. I was fired like that! Like I’d done something bad in the company. CL asks him what, then, are his aspirations? Delirio wants guarantees for work. Fair and kind treatment. He shakes his finger in the air to punctuate his requirements. And to improve his work conditions. CL offers him to continue in the archives. Delirio protests. No way. CL says he’d better thank God Nidia intervened for him …. But if this doesn’t interest him…. They go around a little, and Delirio sees the light. No, that’s fine. He’ll stay in the archives, but he’s sure he’ll be offered improvements in the future. He looks at CL meaningfully. He understands that CL has made an apology and he accepts it. CL looks pained. Delirio adds a few parting remarks about how it is sure to improve, and tells CL it’s been a pleasure as he slithers out the door. He greets Monica and backs out of her presence, true sycophant that he is.

Moni strides over to Ivonne’s desk and announces that she wants to talk to Ivonne. Ivonne has the grace to look a bit nervous and follows Moni to the office. Marely runs back into Paula’s office, telling her that it looks like Paula is going to have problems. Paula wants to know what more? Marely isn’t sure, but Ivonne went with Monica to her office and Marely’s sure that Paula is the theme of the conversation.

Ivonne is describing how Paula became hysterical and tried to treat her like a servant but she wasn’t giving into it. But Ivonne only takes orders from Don Cesár Luís. Moni wants to know if Paula was abusing her authority how come Ivonne didn’t just take it up with CL instead of fighting with Paula? Oh, well, CL doesn’t like this type of intrigue, and much less when it’s about la Licenciada Paula. What? Well, she’s always had many considerations. Now she acts like she’s the owner of Farell Industries. Moni assures her she can be calm, because the reign of Paula Dávila won’t last much longer. Ivonne puts on a very convincing worried look when she really wants to cheer.

CL asks Paula what happened. Paula says that woman called her a slut, insulted her. Paula knows she did the wrong thing, but just responded to the slur. CL points out it’s even more important for her to control herself than for Ivonne. Paula normally would, but she couldn’t help it. This woman is insufferable! CL tells her in that she is totally right. Paula grins a little. Is he supporting her? One hundred percent! (Cien por ciento). She breaks into a wide grin. He can’t actually congratulate her, but it was about time someone put this woman into her place. She’s presumptuous and insolent. CL asks if she’s gone to the funeral home yet? She hasn’t, so he says they’ll go together. What about your wife? She’s not my wife. She points out the legalities. Okay, I’m no lawyer, no judge, but for all practical purposes, Monica and I are separated. Paula says she’s not used to it yet. He tells her she’ll get used to it. They’ll go together. They go to the garage and round up Fern to take them to the funeral home.

At the funeral home, the wreath from Farell is lovely. The wood casket is shiny and rich, with a lovely white spray over it. Candles burn around the room. Pastor stands mournfully at the end of the casket, looking at it. Nidia and Yadi stop abruptly as they enter the room and seem him and the casket. Yadi has changed into mourning clothing, which is simply her regular look in black. Nidia is a bit more reserved. Yadi protests again that she hates funerals. Nidia scolds and compels her on. They greet Pastor and Nidia offers the most sincere sympathy on behalf of her family. Pastor thanks her, and Yadi nicely tells him that they are with him. Nidia wonders where Juan is—isn’t he with Pastor? Yes, but he had to go back to the office, and he’ll come shortly. Pastor fights tears. He explains that Juan hasn’t left him alone for a single second. Nidia says Juan is of the tenth degree, and Yadi says the twentieth (the best). Pastor says it’s at times like this when one can really measure the size of people’s hearts. Juan, with no other motives, has such great generosity. He’s treated Pastor like a prince, like a brother. Nidia gives him a hug as his tears come, and Yadi stands with her arms crossed, looking a little irritated. Nidia looks over her shoulder at Yadi and makes a face at Yadi’s pouting.

Juan gets out of the car in the Farell garage and sees Kike. Kike wants to know where he’s been. Juan says he’s been helping Pastor with the details for his mother. Kike says that’s very big of you, but I have bad news. He tells Juan about the Profa’s threats to expel Juan. Juan tells Kike he was busy all night helping Pastor. He says all he has to do is go in and his lovely face will do the miracle and will change her mind. He tells Kike the news about Pastor having a brother—a brother in blood, not like Juan and Kike are brothers—Don Angarita! Kike can’t believe it. They have different last names! Juan explains that Doña Pastora, may she rest in peace, had a little thing before she was married and Don Angarita is the result. Juan wants to know where Paula is, he’s going to get her to go to the funeral home. Juan runs upstairs, and sees Marely, who is going to the wake (velorio). Marely breaks the news that she’s gone with CL. Juan frowns with a puzzled expression as we are reminded that any similarity to real life is purely coincidental.

Monday: Is Juan finally going to deck César Luis or are we going to have to wait some more?


Vocabulary:

Padrísimo – way cool, extremely cool
Espantoso – scary, appalling
Está hecho polvo – he’s really down, shattered (made into dust)
Velorio – funeral wake, funeral vigil
Molida – beat, tired, wiped out
Voluntad – wish, will
Abastos - public markets
Golfa barata – cut-rate slut, or street slut
Naco – nerdy, trashy, stupid
Huesudo/a - Grim Reaper, bony

Labels: Juan