Caray, Caray!

* Club Sagitario
Cruel headache starts torturing Mario who almost falls into David's arms. Blondie says that his dad may be exhausted. Mario quickly agrees, and asks him to escort him home.

* prison
Marcos and Elsa have a heated quarrel on phone. Marcos still believes that his sister has a money laundering manufacture behind her kitchen and aggressively commands her to send him cash as soon as possible. No wonder he's worried: if he doesn't pay to his new low-life friends he'll be in deep trouble.



* Guilléns' flat
Leonardo helps Julieta to carry her heavy bags into the flat and they finally introduce to each other. Leo would like to maintain a friendly relationship with his neighbours and he learns that the girls work as waitresses in Club Sagitario.

* Zárate factory
Salomón can't believe that Elsa dares to ask for loan again and harshly rebuffs the girl. After he leaves, Roberto, who's familiar with financial problems advises her to visit Carlos, the guy she met in his flat. She's grateful for the advice, but would rather sell dresses to his girlfriend.

* Guilléns' flat
Gaby announces to Fausto that she and Julieta are going to help Carlos to choose new uniforms. No, they couldn't reject his wish. Daddy says that it's high time to quit that damned job since the bosses take advantage of the girls' good nature and goes to bed grumbling.

* prison
Juan José secretly visits Gregorio and reports to the old scoundrel that he was interrogated by the warden and he kept telling him that Greg surely had nothing to do with the drug the guards found under his mattress. Thanks to his insistence the case will be investigated. Gandalf is joyful for his help and loyalty, and swears that he'll get even with the guy who set the trap for him. Of course he knows who did it.



* Genovés villa
Father and son talk about the Genovés girls. Since Alejandra's business doesn't go well, he David wants to asks her to redesign his office. Mario agrees and says that when David will be the head of the family he should keep taking care of the girls until they get married. Okay dad, but you won't die for a very long time. Bertha is jealous at the friendship of Ale and David and believes that she has ulterior motives but as usual, Ale doesn't take seriously the accusations of her little sister.



After the cousins left the house Bertha storms into the study and offers Mario to help around the household. (Gawd, Dora will quit if the little princess starts to boss her around.) Mario is very grateful for her kindness until Bertha casually mentions that David isn't his son. Her mother told Bertha and Alejandra that a servant abandoned him when he was a newborn. Mario's head starts to fume. He orders Abelardo to bring Fausto ASAP. In the hall Bertha starts to give orders to Dora, and yes, she acts like an obnoxious little brat.

* Club Sagitario
Roberto brings Elsa to the club. While the girl waits outside Rob tells Carlos that here's the opportunity to hit on her. But Carlos isn't interested, he wants Gaby and already has a plan how to seduce her.

* Alejandra's office
David and Ale discuss the new design of his office. First Mina comes in and Ale introduces them, then Roberto, Elsa and her big suitcase arrive. Ale warmly welcomes Elsa and the ladies march off to look at the dresses.

* street
Abelardo asks Fausto to visit Mario. Fausto objects as usual, Abelardo gets angry as usual, and Leonardo shows up, wow, that's a new element. Fausto gives in.

* Alejandra's office
Roberto tells David that he and Carlos are going to have lunch with the little waitresses and well, they have other plans with them. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. David looks like he would gladly punch both Roberto and Carlos.



As Roberto leaves he tries to give Alejandra a goodbye kiss, but she evades like a professional boxer. David, who's nervous like Jack Bauer in the 24th hour quickly invites her for lunch.



* restaurant
The four kids arrive at the elegant restaurant, and Carlos immediately starts to court Gabriela who seems to be muy uncomfortable. When Roberto finds out that neither of the girls have boyfriend he hurries to hit on Julieta - just when Alejandra and David arrive. Ayyyy. They join them and the boyz' faces become sour. Alejandra recognizes the ladies, they're waitresses from Club Sagitario, aren't they? Her eyes could kill.



* Genovés villa
Mario offers to give half of his fortune to Gabriela and another huge amount of money to Fausto in exchange for his silence... and for taking his place for six months! Fausto laughs at his absurd idea but when he realizes that Mario talks seriously his smile freezes.

* Guilléns' flat
The girls arrive home. Gaby's so angry that she almost explodes. They shouldn't have accepted the invitation of Carlos, they should've been more suspicious. The bastards fooled them. At the end of the month they'll quit, period!

* Zárate factory
Salomón is very pleased with the business Elsa did. She again begs for money. Salomón finally agrees.



* Guilléns' flat
The girls whine in the kitchen. Julieta is fed up with being a waitress, and Gaby agrees, they need to study something. For example, how to use the computer.

* Genovés villa
Fausto keep telling Mario that his idea is stupid. It's not his fault that Mario signed tha absurd contract with Adolfo! Mario threatens him that if Fausto doesn't obey he'll reveal his true identity to Gabriela and to the police. Fausto silently breaks, and Mario shares his plan: they'll set up cameras all around the house, so Fausto will be able to study his life and prepare for the task in the next months.



While Bertha is trying to give orders to Abelardo (unsuccessfully) in the hall, David and Alejandra arrive home, bickering about what happened in the restaurant. Bertha is amused at their story.

* prison
JJ witnesses that Elsa gives the money to her brother and also hears how disgustingly Marcos treats the girl.



* Club Sagitario
Carlos is frustrated since his plan hasn't worked, but Roberto calms him: these girls are simple waitresses, they'll surely snap at the opportunity to get closer to their bosses.

* prison
Marcos and JJ have a quarrel, he doesn't like the way he treats the girl, and anyway, why does he need that money? He cares for Marcos, he and Elsa are like family for him. Marcos isn't impressed and advises him to not get involved.



* Guilléns' flat
The girls discuss Carlos and Roberto. Julieta is a bit naive and thinks that maybe the boys don't want to fool them. When people fall in love money doesn't matter.

* Genovés villa
It's late night, and the men are still arguing in the study. Fausto doubts that the plan would work, it's impossible to fool people this way! Mario grabs his scarf and hisses: you're capable to do it!

Aribeth

Labels: verdad

Friday: Kristel, Ilitia and Mauricio in their undies! The laundry room on fire! Emanuel passed out in the burning room! Whoo-hoo! Our hero Brandon runs into the flames, a fringed wet blanket his cape of invulnerability.

*********

He finds Emanuel, which wasn’t really hard to do given that the laundry room is pretty darned small. Still, he’s a hero!

Lorenzo and Begoña have arrived at the clinic with the sick baby. Lorenzo plunks himself down on a couch and flashes back to a time when Ilitia was sick as a little girl. What a cooing, doting daddy! Little Ilitia wishes she had a sibling, but he tells her that he doesn’t want to share his love with anybody – it’s all for her. Plus we see that Ilitia is actually a brunette. This show is chock full of people with terrible secrets.

Begoña asks him to come into the examining room with her, but Lorenzo is cold. He finally forces himself to promise that at least he won’t leave, but he’s staying in the waiting room. She leaves and a nurse comes up with paperwork, asking if he’s the father. He tells her he’s not sure. He tells her the baby’s name is Christian, and tells her to put Begoña’s last name, Riquelme, then he asks if they do paternity tests there.

Dr Arnoldo has come to see Doris, who is unconscious on the bed with Gladiola and Consuelo fluttering as he examines her. Dr Arnoldo tells them it looks like she’s been poisoned. It occurs to Dr Arnoldo to call an ambulance. Hey, good thinking, doc! He says if they don’t rush her to the hospital, she could die.

Axel and Gretel are walking among some trees – they both just had to get away from all that drama. Gretel tells him she knows it’s all lies, because Fedra’s ambition and evilness are boundless. Axel comes to a halt and says he knows Gretel has some secret that has wounded her – won’t she please cough it up? Does it have something to do with their mother?

Everything has to do with her, says Gretel, staring into the darkness.

Marianela must be really myopic, because she’s down on her hands and knees looking for her glasses. Benigno comes in and finds them. Marianela tells him the house is on fire and right away he wants to call the general on his radio. Marianela says no time!

Brandon is trying to get Emanuel to come around. Finally he does enough for Brandon to help him up, wrap a blanket over him and get him out of there. Looks like the laundry room is like the burning bush; it burns but is not consumed. Here in So. Calif., a fire can take out a whole neighborhood in the time this one’s been burning. We also know to grab the hamster and the goldfish and get the heck out of the house, not hang around in the living room.

Fedra has completely lost it, and drat, none of the rest of the family is there to see. She is hysterical, I guess suffering from a post-traumatic stress flashback. She tries to hide behind the furniture and begs Bernardo to save her and her son – the ship is burning!

Benigno is calling the general anyway. Ilitia comes in wrapped in a towel, Delicia, right on her heels, breathlessly tells them Emanuel went into the fire and didn’t come out and now Brandon has gone in after him. They all rush off.

Fedra tries to run out of the living room, still begging Bernardo to save her son. Chema! Save your son! she says. Axel and Gretel come in and hear. Shut up, says Bernardo slapping her, you’re going to ruin everything! Axel demands to know why he hit his mother.

Marianela is outside the burning laundry room, also hysterical, wanting to know where her cousin is. Everyone is hollering and there’s too much smoke to see. But here comes out hero out of the orange smoke, helping Emanuel out. Marienela hugs Emanuel, who tells her he’s okay, he just hit his noggin, but he’s not burned. He says Brandon saved his life. They all go into the house. No sign of the firemen, but nobody seems worried.

In the living room, Bernardo tells Gretel and Axel that Fedra is just scared by the fire, and worried about her son’s safety. Axel says he’s never seen her that way, and what’s this about a burning boat? That’s right, says Bernardo, her parents’ boat, her parents were killed aboard a burning boat out in the ocean, you know that. Right, says Gretel, they were attacked by pirates. But she was saying for Chema to save her son. Who is this Chema?

Mauricio and Kristel are washing off the smoke in the swimming pool, she lamenting that her makeup is wrecked. Kristel gets out of the pool, so we get to admire her bulging boobies. Ilitia throws them both towels and tells them the fire was all their fault. Not so loud! says Kristel. Ilitia is mad at them because Emanuel had to risk his life. Maurico grumbles that his super-hero acts are getting boring. Ilitia tells him Emanuel’s twice the man he is. And that police guy had to save him.

Gretel’s still demanding to know who this Chema is that her mother had a child with. Bernardo tells her Fedra’s just real upset. A lot of back and forth until Fedra says she meant Emanuel. Bernardo and Axel take her upstairs. Gretel is astonished about the secret in her mother’s past.

Finally the firemen show up, Oliver with them. He directs them to the laundry room, because I guess they didn’t notice all the orange smoke. Gretel wants to know what he’s doing there. He smiles and happy music plays.

Marianela puts a bandage on the back of Emanuel’s head where he hit it. Her asthma seems to be starting up. Emanuel thanks Brandon again, and Brandon modestly says anyone would have done the same. They fist bump. Marianela gasps for air. She gets out the inhaler and Emanuel takes it in her hand and squirts it for her. Brandon rolls his eyes. After she’s better, Brandon tells her to come along so they can find Netty.

Fedra’s still in bad shape. She’s on her bed, raving a bit, and Bernardo is trying to get her to have a little hooch to calm her down. She refuses, but he tells her she better before blabs to everybody who she really is. She blubbers that she couldn’t stand for the same thing that happened to him should happen to her son. The fire was about to kill her, she was practically paralyzed and she called for Chemo, but he didn’t answer. You saved his life, not me. The father died in that fire. (I hope I got that right – corrections are welcome!)

Bernardo tells her not to let the past wreck everything. She says she can’t forget, that sometimes she has terrible nightmares where she hears the explosion and feels the fire burning her, and she jumps into the sea.

Bernardo is very worried that Gretel suspects something, maybe knows everything. Fedra says she just can’t face anything more today, and she curls into the bed.

Gretel wants to know what Oliver’s doing there. He starts to fudge something, but makes the mistake of calling her mi reina, then mi princessa. They banter a long time, and he says gosh, he came to save and instead he’s getting crucified. Cute! Anyway, finally he says that Brandon and Netty are there and could be in some danger, so he had to come check on them. Oh really? says Gretel.

Benigno is down in the general’s quarters. I still miss his wild locks. Now he looks like any other old tio that we all have in our basements. No flair. He tells Beningo that the paramedics gave him some nitro to put under his tongue when he gets chest pains. Modern medicine! he marvels. Astonishing paramedics, I marvel. Benigno looks a bit drained and says it’s been quite a night what with the paramedic sirens and the firemen sirens. He tells about how everyone was running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

The general is sure Fedra set the fire as a distraction. Did Marianela get her inheritance? I don’t know, says Benigno nervously, starting to back out of the room. The general demands that he find out. Netty appears in the doorway and says what happened to Marianela was horrible.

Oliver tells Gretel he’s not leaving until he has Netty and Brandon. She tells him to wait outside; she doesn’t have time for this. He notes that she doesn’t have time to even smile at a joke – what’s with all the crabby people in this house?

Brandon makes a heartfelt speech (backed up by heartfelt music) about how she has such lovely eyes, but they’re such sad eyes. Etc. He’d give her the world if she’d let him. She yells a bit again, but doesn’t seem to really have her heart in it now.

Emanuel, Marienela and Brandon come in. Brandon demands to know what Oliver’s doing there. Oliver pops his eyes and jerks his head towards Gretel.

Nereida brings towels to the shivering young ladies poolside, and Emanuel’s pants for Mauricio. The girls take off and Mauricio taunts Nereida – like what you see? She snaps at him and stomps off.

Gladiola has taken Doris to emergency. They roll Doris in and Gladiola sits on the waiting room couch and sobs. Wouldn’t you know, next to her is Lorenzo, who offers her his handkerchief. She blows her nose into it with a honk and hands it back to him. He looks at it like eeewww, and just then Begoña sits on his other side, takes the handkerchief and weeps into it.

He tells her Christian will be fine. She’s thrilled with the name and gives him a hug. Not here, he says sternly.

Apparently Netty has told Maximo the whole story. He’s furious, and says he’ll get his lawyers. Netty tells him she hates to say it, but maybe Fedra’s in the right. She saw the papers! That was Eva’s handwriting. Maximo thinks it’s robbery.

Axel is outside and spots Mauricio and wants to know if he’s escaping. Just taking a little air, says Maricio. Oh yeah? says Axel. Why are you wearing my brothers’ clothes? Mauricio gives him some lip, and says he got his shirt dirty, so Kristel borrowed one of her brother’s. Axel doesn’t believe him. Mauricio tells him maybe he shouldn’t be seen talking to Axel, people might get the wrong idea about him. Axel grabs him by the collar and tells him he better show some respect.

Brandon, Netty and Emanuel come into the living room where Oliver and Gretel are. Marianela introduces Oliver to Emanuel. Gretel wonders if he doesn’t have someplace better to be. Netty rushes in and says she has an earful of news for Brandon about what they did to Marianela, and she rushes upstairs saying she has to get everything together. Emanuel wonders what she means by getting things together, and Brandon wonders what’s that about the inheritance.

Emanuel and Marianela explain that there were some papers, and Brandon thinks it’s fishy. Emanuel tells him not to talk that way. Ilitia and Kristel appear and Ilitia runs to hug Emanuel. She says she wants those nacos out of there. Emanuel gives them an embarrassed smile.

Back in the waiting room, Bladiola and Lorenzo are on the little couch together again. Bladiola goes on and on, patting his arm, telling him his son will be okay, and her son is a policeman and got them a good insurance policy, etc. Lorenzo keeps skitching away, but the couch is small. He tells her he already has a grown daughter and isn’t thrilled about another child. Bladiola guesses that he spoiled his little girl. He smiles. A nurse asks Bladiola to come with her.

The doctor is just handing a blood sample to a nurse for testing. Doris is still unconscious, but expensive as this production is, they didn’t spring for a beeping heart monitor. I feel cheated. Bladiola pets her daughter and tells her to fight, while the doctor looks on compassionately.

Brandon raves that Marianela shouldn’t have to pay those debts and she laments about the things that Fedra said about her mother. Netty’s lawyer comes in and says the other lawyers are junkyard dogs and it’s not going to be easy to fight them, but by golly, he’s going to do it.

Emanuel says he’ll talk to his mama. Marienela says it’s not the money, it’s what she said about her mother. The memory of her parents is all she has left. Ilitia smiles and rolls her eyes.

Fedra comes down the stairs and wraps her arms around Emanuel. She’s so relieved he’s okay.

Axel still has Mauricio by the lapels. Mauricio taunts that he didn’t like the two girls from the club. Axel lets him go and says they’re aren’t his type. Mauricio tells him to go see a shrink to help him out of the closet. Axel slugs him. He tells him to shut up, or he’s going to launch an investigation into why Mauricio’s running around in his brother’s clothes. Mauricio says don’t you dare, or everybody in the house’ll find out that you don’t like girls. He blows Axel and kiss and says Te quiero and leaves.

A doctor tells Lorenzo and Begoña that the kid just has a respiratory infection. They’ll keep him overnight. Begoña is all smiles. Lorenzo asks how long the paternity test will take. Begoña’s face falls. He says he can’t take any more of the hospital, he’ll see her tomorrow.

Now Emiliano is in the living room too. He says they’re going to investigate the cause of the fire. Kristel’s eyes get big. Netty’s lawyer says there’s no point in staying, but he’s going to investigate Fedra’s claims.

Netty comes down the stairs and says they’re leaving and Marianela with them. Emanuel takes Marianela’s hands and tenderly asks her to say she’ll stay.

Bladiola sits next to Begoña and sees she’s sad. She asks if her husband has left. Men! says Bladiola. They can’t take this sort of thing. We’ll keep each other company. I’ll get you a cup of coffee. Begoña smiles through her tears.

The firemen are questioning the two maids while Paulo oversees. They have figured out that the iron was on, and that it was dropped into the laundry. Nereida (who I think was doing the ironing, but I forget) tries to flirt with the firemen, but no luck. Both protest their innocence. The firemen are going to have to tell Fedra.

Marianela tells Mauricio that she can’t stay where she’s not loved, and where people badmouth her mother. Emiliano says she can’t leave her house. Netty says she needs to get out of this vultures’ nest where everyone humiliates her. It hasn’t been all bad, has it? says Emanuel.

Fedra thinks she should go, and Ilitia says time for “bye, Gordis.” Gretel tells her to butt out. Kristel says she doesn’t fit in. Emanuel gets mad and says it’s their fault that this happened. He begs Marianela to stay. Marianela says she doesn’t want to be the cause of his fighting with his family. Let’s go, Tia, she says. Emanuel pleads some more, and Ilitia tries to take his arm, but she shoves her off. At least let me drive you, he says.

No way, says Brandon.

The general tells Benigno to get his lawyer because he’s going to make his will in Marianela’s favor, and she gets everything now. Benigno won’t – he doesn’t want his general penniless. The general gets mad and says he’s at the end of his life anyway, and he doesn’t want the house to fall into Fedra’s hands. Benigno says okay.

Emanuel says Marianela has to decide who will drive her. Ilitia, arms folded, says Brandon is an animal and Netty fires back at her. Marianela is tired of the fighting and says she and Netty will go with Brandon.

Emiliano says he doesn’t want her to go, and she’s his responsibility until she comes of age. You haven’t done very well with that so far, says Netty. Marianela tells him she’s never wanted to leave a place so much, please let her go. She tells Gretel she was right, she never should have come. Gretel tears up, and Oliver tells her not to cry, he’ll see her again.

Mournful cellos kick in and Marienela says Goodbye, Emanuel. Kristel smiles, and Ilitia and Fedra do float princess waves.

Avances: Emanuel doesn’t seem pleased about Brandon, and it looks like with good reason – we see Brandon kissing Marianela tenderly on the forehead.

Labels: llena

Lucas finally meets his clone but they have a generational rather than a genetic encounter
The coffee grounds are cryptic again...

'Open the door or I'll kill myself. '¡Abranla!' Open it! screams Natalia while she throws stuff at the door and we get a PSA from Enrique. Lucas calls a doctor who is a friend of Leo's. Marisa reminds him that he can't institutionalize Nati against her will. She is of age.

Labels: clon

Whew...tonight was a night of attempted seductions with Pepeto putting the moves on Rosaura and Daniel hitting on Alejandra. And can we count Vicky's screechy threats that Rafa is going to marry her or else? And if he tries to go for Alejandra, it's over her dead body? Not really romance at it's best, particularly the loathsome Daniel's heavy handed attempt. Reminds me of a lot of dreadful dates back in my youth.

Here's are the details on how things went tonight. First, we're treated to some very sexy dancing at El Bongo Azul.
Seems like Rosaura really got into that kind of music when she was in Miami. Pepeto finds her sizzling indeed. So much so that he wants to "comerte a besos" (eat you up with kisses) and does just that until interrupted by the General. She's determined to keep her roomate on the straight and narrow until she's well and fully divorced from Gabriel. Good advice, actually. Wish more people followed it.

Well, the kisses stop and instead we're landed with another poem" written in blood" by the General's pompous poet friend. Guts, large intestine, small intestine and then poor lonely "piloro". Not in my Oxford, but in my Larousse it's given as "abertura inferior del estomago por donde se communica con el intestino." How d'ya like them apples? Pepeto wisely decides to skip the poetry and ask Rosaura to dance again.

While this intestinal literature is being declamed, Rosario and Jorge are cogitating how they can promote some romance between" Macario" and Ale. Definitely will have to sell the hacienda, move out and leave these two to ratchet up the marital intimacy. Ale is horrified, rolls her big eyes and thinks "No way!" Marco bops in the door and also protests that he doesn't mind sleeping on the couch and there's no reason for them to move out.

Quintana arrives next, mutters to Marco that he'll meet him later at the Bar de Pascual and Jorge fondly notes that with everybody gathered round, the only family member missing is his dear Rubi. That gets roundly denounced by Ale who's thrilled the curvaceous redhead remained back in Switzerland.... making cheese maybe? And will Jorge remember the number of his Swiss bank account? Stay tuned on that one.

After the ads, we find ourselves at Rafa's house. He's fretting on two fronts: Where's Ale going tomorrow? And where the heck is Julieta tonight? Well, turns out our Julieta was lollygagging around talking to the slimy Cesar and he even asked her out to a nightclub. This is roundly nixed by big bro. No way are you going out with someone you hardly know. Well, he's a lot nicer than that Jaime, snaps Julieta, and flounces out of the room.

Time for twin scenes of our erstwhile lovers. Ale tosses and turns, dreaming of the almost kiss at the office with Rafael. And our Rafa, twists and turns as well, saying to himself that he could swear she still loves him and oh! how he dreams of kissing those lips again.

And just like that, it's a new day.

Trapito has the spiffy red sports car ready for Ale. If he could just extricate his bulk from it. He finally does, lovingly tucks her in...."Remember your seat belt"....and sends her forth to deliver the car to Daniel for a test drive.

Meanwhile, Rafa, nervous as a cat, is trying to rush through the sales meeting so he and the Pantera can race off after his licenciada. He briskly notes the tepid sales. Claudia defends their poor showing by pointing to the economic crisis. Ramirez would like to expand on that... at length... but Rafa cuts him short. Regardless of the economy, we have to show folks we've got great cars, great deals and sell with enthusiasm! Bebe's on board. Rafa's ready to wrap it up. They can sing the anthem without him. He rushes forward, trips and falls into those deep canyons known as Claudia's cleavage, extricates himself and rushes out. Claudia hoists her boobs back up and salutes the anthem and we leave them singing their hearts out.

We're now at Daniel's abode which is luxurious. But Ale's not interested. She reluctantly gets in the passenger seat so our creepy galan can test drive the car. She's wants to get this over with as quickly as possible. He clearly has other plans.

Meanwhile, Rafa's getting the bad news. The "client" Ale's with is Daniel Cepeda. Now thoroughly alarmed, he and the Pantera set off in nervous pursuit of his gal. To the rescue!

Daniel's out on the highway with Ale protesting she needs to get back to work. And now they're out in the middle of nowhere, facing a little cabin that somehow reminds me of the witch's house in Hansel and Gretel. Our gal is reluctant to go in but Daniel insists. "I won't bite", he adds with a smile. But dang! it turns out he will! And Rafa has lost them now. Clearly trouble is on the way.

Our slimey would-be seductive insists on opening up a bottle of French wine while he shows off his numerous horse trophies and polo exploits. And why not a toast to the spiffy new sports car. You ARE going to buy it, then, prods Ale.

While we worry about this, we're whisked back to the bar where Quintana and Marco are meeting, observed by Zetina. They're haggling over the hacienda. Quintana sees no point in selling it when they're still making a profit. But if Marco does insist on selling, he wants a percentage. No way! We're having to sell it for a song. But why.? Let them know it's free and clear now and sell it for what it's worth. Marco insists on doing it his way and dismisses Quintana. Marry Rosario if you love her and go live elsewhere, he snaps. Quintana leaves. Zetina looks intrigued.

More seduction. Don't know which is worse, these endless hacienda discussions or Daniel's attempts to make himself interesting . He's now droning on about "dressage" and how one must be the perfect couple ("binomio perfecto") with the horse in order to perform. But he's fascinated by beauty and power. Whether it be in horses, sports cars or.....you Alejandra. He keeps moving in, she keeps moving away, and out on the highway, Rafa keeps stressing. Where where where have they gone?

Glug glug glug goes Ale, gulping down her wine and announcing that it's time to leave. Alas, no. Daniel hasn't finished his wine yet. And surely Auto Siglo can get along without her for a little more time? He decides to move the campaign to her weak side...her marriage with Marco. Do you really love him? She refuses to answer. Aha, that tells me I have hope. If you loved him, you would have said "yes". He's off for a bathroom break (that is NOT romantic) but warns her that he has the keys to the car, so don't think about escaping.

Ugh. More tedious discussions between Chavez and Marcos. You know the drill. How do we keep draining the gold mine of the hacienda. And keep Quintana's mouth shut. And satisfy Carmela. And somehow get Ale pregnant so she won't divorce Marco. And yada yada yada. When Chavez brings up Medina, this is good for another eye-popping fit by Marco.

Daniel's back on the job, purring about Ale's dominant personality and shifting the discussion now to her parents. They say the best way to know a woman is to know how she gets along with her family, he rumbles. Live with my dad and aunt, my mom's dead, snaps our licenciada. Now let's go. He prattles on about how she's a woman who can't be tamed. She thinks to herself that he's a man who's insupportable.

We're back to Auto Siglo and potential romance is simmering there as well. Pepeto sidles up behind Rosaura and wants to talk. She doesn't. Not here anyway. He persists. Are you going to divorce your husband, he pleads, taking her hand. ROSAURA!..It's Gabriel, her stuffy marido. And Pepeto and Rosaura's hands are still linked. Stay tuned for this as well.

Back at the cabin, Ale's trying to make her escape, with or without Daniel and the car. He reminds her they're in a little cabin in the woods, miles away from civilization. Give me the keys, she demands. Okay. But first.....and the brute grabs her and plants a very unwanted kiss on those lips that we know belong to Rafa, by golly! And there the episode ends.

Previews:
Alejandra has not re-appeared at Auto Siglo. Even Doña Arcadia knows after checking her hidden cameras.
But Rafa appears to be riding to the rescue. Will he get there in time?

Vocabulary:
Pretty sketchy tonight. I'm dead tired.

trinquetero = swindler, cheat
piloro = opening from stomach into the intestine
manos a la obra = let's get to it (Jorge, talking about moving out and leaving Marco and Ale together)
ahi van = there they go
yo te abro = I'll open the door for you (Daniel to Ale, getting intlo the car)
hablar sin máscaras= lit. talk without masks, talk frankly
binomio perfecto = perfect couple

Dicho of the Day
We all know this one.
Aqui hay gato encerrado. There's something fishy here. (Daniel and his seduction plans for the cabin. Run Ale run!!!)

Labels: dinero

Welcome, Everyone, to El Club de la Fea! We’re in for a wild ride. I’ll link to the original recap each day. After you read that, come back here to comment and enjoy the current discussion. I’ll include a VERY abbreviated list of major scenes here to help your memory as you’re posting your comments. I’ll also include a Spanish lesson each day; more about that below. I always welcome corrections. Always.

Chris Ferro wrote all the earliest recaps for Fea, and he wrote the first two weeks from memory. I cannot EVEN imagine recapping from memory! Much less, as a brand new recapper. Great job, Chris! Some very funny memorable lines.

Read Chris's original recap at this link. Remember, read it there, but come back HERE to comment.

Capitulo 1 1. Lety and a dancer arrive at the same time. We see the huge contrasts in everyone’s reactions.

2. Olarte and Lopez interview Alicia and Lety together. Alicia has no skills, she’s never worked, and she dropped out of college. Both men drool over her, and both are stunned by Lety’s qualifications.

3. Lopez chooses Alicia for his playboy boss, so he dismisses Lety and the rest of the candidates.

4. We meet the cuartel and find out their quirks. Lola gets in trouble for bringing her daughter to work because her ex had some excuse.

5. Papa Humberto is retiring and Fernando will be the new president. He moves into his father’s old office. Fernando is eager to move in, and Humberto is reluctant to let go.

6. Mama asks Lety about her interview. Lety and Tomás commiserate. All their university classmates have promising jobs, but no one will hire Lety and Tomás because of their looks. It’s why she lost her last job.

7. Fernando refuses Lopez’s choice because Alicia would spy for Marcia. Lopez already dismissed the other candidates. The only one interviewed was Lety, well qualified but FEA! As his only alternative, Fernando wants to interview her.

8. Lety and Tomás look at the Caras article, and we get flashbacks to the events in the photos as a tool to introduce Conceptos’ owners.

9. Fernando and Ariel spat in the conference room. See the transcript below. Ariel says Fernando proposed just two days before the meeting, he did it to get Marcia’s vote for the presidency, and he doubts the wedding will happen.

10. At a location shoot. Marcia will make Alicia Fernando’s secretary. Marcia catches Fernando with one of the models, and she accuses him of proposing to her only to win her vote. He counterattacks by announcing their engagement.

11. Conceptos calls Lety to set up a second interview.

Spanish LessonI’m going to try something new on this board, since I don’t need to write recaps. Back in 2007, I learned Spanish by reading the Caray recap then replaying my tape until I could match the spoken words to the recap. Within two months of this exercise, my Spanish ability had doubled!! To help others do the same, I intend to transcribe one scene each day. It’s a bit of work, but if it helps people study Spanish, I’ll continue. If it doesn’t seem to pay off, I’ll quit doing it. So here is today’s Spanish lesson. I suggest that you watch the scene without captions. There were two words I couldn’t understand. I would welcome a correction.
In the conference room. Fernando, Humberto, and Ariel
F: Ariel, now I understand your unexpected visit. You knew they’d be doing the article and you wanted to be in the photo, huh?
A: No, you’re wrong. I wanted to enjoy this company’s final moment of glory, because in your hands, very soon it will crash to the ground.
H: How can you expect me to leave (huir: flee) without worries, if you two are going to fight all the time?
F: Dad, you need to understand. Ariel will never recover from the news. To not get the presidency is too much for him to bear.
H: (to Ariel) My son can’t count on victory yet. If he can’t achieve the goals he promised by the end of the first year, YOU (Ariel) will get the presidency.
A: If only that were true. If only something would be left to administer, because I want to manage usable capital, not its ashes. The ashes of this company that you leave, I will put next to the urn where I have my parents’ ashes. Because with you as president, the inheritance from MY family is in jeopardy.
H: Enough. You can air your differences in the next meeting, when Fernando assumes the presidency. Not now. Understood?

---

Capitulo 2

Read Chris's original recap at this link. Note, that recap covers Episodes 2 and 3. If you don’t want to read ahead, stop at the paragraph that begins, “Marcia is determined that Alicia get inside Fernando’s private zone.” That marks the beginning of Cap 3. Remember, read the recap there, but come back HERE to comment.
1. In a bar, Fernando tells Omar that he can’t let Alicia be Marcia’s spy. The only alternative is an applicant that is well qualified but fea. He wants a beautiful secretary, but not Alicia.

2. See transcript. The three executives interview Lety. Fernando says she’s perfect; Marcia says she’s too ugly. Marcia presents it as a test of his fidelity. She and Alicia gossip cruelly in front of Lety. Fernando tells her she’s hired.

3. Humberto turns over the office keys and shows Fernando the “mystery room.”

4. Lety tells her family that she got the job as assistant. RoboPop warns her that some bosses take advantage of female employees. Lety tells Tom she was hired, and better yet, Fernando defended her.

5. Omar tells Fernando that he’s a fool to hire the fea, and a fool to announce his engagement publicly. Now his other women will stay away.

6. At the photo booth, Lety tells Tom she’ll never have plastic surgery. She jokes that when she’s the boss, she’ll hire Tomas.

7. Lety begins her first day of work. Fernando assigns Alicia to the desk in the “vortex” (the big room) and installs Lety in the storage room. He gets her name wrong, and she corrects him, but he doesn’t pay attention.

8. The cuartel gossips about Fernando hiring two secretaries.

9. Fernando tells his parents that the “cave” is his other secretary’s office. His mother thinks he wants the second one to hide his andanzas. Humberto says Fern defended la fea because he’s changing.

Spanish lesson
You get two transcripts today because I had already written this one when I found out about the double episodes.

Lety’s interview in the board room. Fernando, Marcia, Humberto, and Lety.
F: I won’t let you force Alicia on me.
M: I’m not forcing you to do anything. To the contrary. I just asked her to bring her resume and interview, to show you that she has the qualities to be your secretary.
F: No, what you want is fix her financial problems, and police me here. To tell you what I do, who I talk to, who I leave with.
M: No, that’s not true. And if it was, so what? Didn’t you promise me you would change? Didn’t you ask me to stop worrying about you? Weren’t you going to be faithful and judicious? So what are you afraid of?
F: I’m not afraid of anything. I just don’t want to be under surveillance.
Marcia says Alicia is the best choice. Fernando says that Lety is better qualified. He proposes that if Lety is not qualified, he’ll hire Alicia. They call in Lety. Humberto describes their company. Lety is grateful for the information and offers to help with financial functions.

F interrupts: That’s okay. I just have one more question. Are you SURE you want to be a secretary?
L: I want to learn this sector of the economy. I know that with you I can learn a lot, Don Fernando (boy howdy!). .
Fernando is excited because she’s perfect for the job. Marcia says she’s too ugly to be the president’s secretary. Beauty is important for the company’s image. She calls in Lety and Alicia to demonstrate. Fernando quickly hustles them out.

F: (to Alicia.) That’s the least of your worries. Nobody imposes anything on me.
(to Marcia.) Was that necessary, Marcia? It seemed like casting models for a commercial. And it’s not like that. You humiliated the girl, Marcia, de verdad. That wasn’t necessary.
M: Moi? I just wanted to let you compare, and you saw the results.
F: It seems incredible to me that we’re fighting about this, because I want an ugly secretary. I thought it would bother you if I hired a beauty. But if you want a secretary from Casting.. Somebody call the modeling agency!
M: It’s not necessary. You already have Alicia. Look, Fernando. Speaking as a stockholder of the company. Other than the fea, Alicia is your best option. Now I’ll talk to you as your fiancé. If you don’t accept Alicia, I’ll take it as something personal. Why? Are you afraid of me observing your intimate life? That means that you’re hiding something because you don’t plan to change. Make whatever decision you want. I’m not going to pressure you.

Labels: fea-2010

Emil sputters at Fedra, everyone else does too. Netty says it will all be ok and yells at Fedra for defaming Eva. Fedra just keeps saying that the money is hers. Finally The Mask drops the papers on the desk. “Proof” says Fedra.

Ilitia and Brandon argue some more about what happened at the airport.

Netty yells at Emil, who says he knew nothing. More sputtering. Her lawyers says they have to look at Fedra’s proof. Fedra says Eva drank away all the money. Netty yells at her lawyer to do something, he stutters that he has to look at the proof too and goes to look.

Brandon tries to explain why he was outside the house. He wanted to see if this is where Mari lived. Eman explains to Ilitia who Brandon is and who he is related to. They overhear the yelling from the office. They stand around and listen. Brandon wants to go check it out, Eman says family only and keeps him out.

Lorenzo is having breakfast at Blondie’s house, he insists that she go see Muneca at the orphanage. She says fine, fine, after that we’ll have some romancy time, days, weeks. She mentions ‘his son’ and he yells at her ‘the baby!’ because his paternity hasn’t been proven yet.

Mo and Kristel are in their underwear now and the laundry basket catches on fire. How is being in this public room less risky than going to Kristel’s bedroom? I don’t get it. Or is it because rich people would never set foot in the laundry room?

Fedra yells at Netty to stay away from the lawyers. Eman demands an explanation. Gretel tells Fedra she can’t take this away from Mari too! Too?

The baby cries, Lorenzo tries to comfort her, then screams for Blondie to come out of the shower. She just says pick him pues! You have a daughter right? You’ve done this before! He remembers holding Ilitia while a happy Muneca watches. She cries because he is so happy holding his daughter. Back in the present he is holding the new baby and starts to enjoy it a little. Blondie comes out and he pretends he didn’t like it, “uh FINALLY here take him.” He runs to the other room.

Brandon says he owes Ilitia no explanation, she says yes, since this is my boyfriend’s house. He says no, it belongs to Mari. She calls him naco, he gets mad, she pushes him back and he falls on the couch. Soon enough I’m sure they’ll start making out. Maybe not today, but soon.

Gretel starts freaking out on Fedra, who keeps calling her crazy. Netty tries to calm Gretel down. Axel finally gets her out of the room, she is screaming the whole time. Netty tells the lawyers that they heard right? Gretel said it was all lies.

Ilitia follows Brandon outside, they argue some more, he picks her up and tells her to go back inside.

Netty won’t let Fedra have the papers back, Netty’s lawyer has them right now. He says he has to look over them, Fedra says no you won’t look at anything! He closes the folder and starts to hand the papers back. What a wuss. Netty shoves the papers back at him. Emil says yes, he will look at them. Even Fedra’s lawyers say yes, Netty and her lawyer should look at the papers. Fedra says to Mari that the money won’t even cover what Eva owed her, so Mari has to pay the rest…. or she can give her this house! Mari says nothing except “Dios mio!”

Brandon and Ilitia are all grabby in each other’s faces now, perhaps the making out WILL be today. It sure looks like it’s headed that way. They are arguing harder than ever. He says she has to learn to respect a man. Their faces are close, she says if he kisses her something bad would happen, he says he would rather kiss a corpse. Ok it’s going to happen for sure. He backs off and plays like he was kidding. She runs after him, he moves and she falls in the mud. Ok maybe not today.

Everyone can’t believe Fedra would take the house. Netty’s lawyer says he has to verify the authenticity of the documents. Fedra comments AGAIN on Eva being a drunk, etc. Mari has had enough and tells her to quit insulting her mother. Emil also tells her to knock it off. Fedra says no, it’s time Mari learns the truth about her mother. The more Fedra is like this the happier I get about her eventual doom. Fedra tells Mari that while she was locked up and eating chocolate, Eva was tearing through lovers. What a long way to say she was a slut. Netty says if she keeps insulting Eva, Netty will claw Fedra’s eyes out. Mari yells some more. This show should be called “Llena de Gritas.” That’s all that happens, day after day.

Nereida and Delicia watch Mo and Kristel through the window and sure are enjoying the show. I know the stereotypical French maid outfit is sexy, but something about these maid outfits is sexy too – they really show off the nice bodies of the two ladies. Delicia finally smells something burning. Kristel finally notices and Mo says the crap you expect “yeah baby you’re so hot” etc etc. I’m hoping for a Kristel running through the house in her underwear scene, but I’m sure we’ll get Mo instead. Oh they are down to their underwear at this point, I forgot to mention. They finally discover that the fire is real, it is turning into an inferno, they scream like babies instead of grabbing their clothes and getting out.

Fedra tells the tale of Eva the drunk. Mari cries and denies it all. Everyone gets mad at Fedra for being a bitch. She starts her fake crying “I’m defending my rights!” When I paused my recording, I caught Emiliano in mid eye-roll. Netty lunges at Fedra, she is held back. Mari says enough, let’s get out of here. Eman says this is all so unfair. Fedra says you too son? More back and forth. Fedra finally says to Netty if you don’t believe me, ask your lawyer. The lawyer says what Fedra says is true. I thought he was going to verify some stuff? Did he do it by ESP while they were arguing? Mari cries that it is all a lie and runs out of the room. The one thing I hope is that Mari moves out of the house after all this so the show can move in a different direction. Eman runs after Mari. Fedra and Netty stare at each other.

Brandon laughs at Ilitia, she demands that he stop laughing and help her. He says too bad there aren’t any reporters here now! He mimics taking photos. She gets up and storms past him into the house, saying “leave me alone!”

Kristel and Mo start trying to figure out whose fault it is that there is a fire, I guess they locked the door and can’t unlock it, or something? I still don’t get it. To top it all off, there is too much smoke and we don’t get to see Kristel in her underwear. We don’t see Mo either so I guess that’s fair. Hmmm – now that the house belongs to Fedra, and now it might burn down, that means that later she will owe everything back to Mari, AND owe her a new house, right?

Eman and Mari rehash out in the living room. Eman reiterates that he is with her, on her side. He will fight for her. She says whatever, she has the memory of her parents, and Fedra can’t steal that from her. She cries some more, Eman holds her. Surely Ilitia will come in at this point.

The lawyer shows Netty a signature, “that’s Eva’s signature, right?” She says it looks like it. Emil says I guess that’s it, but why Fedra did you never say anything? Netty still doesn’t believe it. Fedra asks Bernardo for an envelope. Bernaro The Mask smirks through this whole scene. She gives it to Netty to read saying that it is a letter from Eva acknowledging the debts she owes Fedra and how she intends to pay her back.

Mo is on the floor now looking for their clothes. Kristel says screw that let’s get out of here. He stops her and says he has to find the clothes or Fedra will kill him.

The letter says that Eva recognizes the debts and that they should be paid back to Fedra with interest when Mari receives her inheritance. How convenient. Netty says that yes the letter is in Eva’s handwriting. Netty’s lawyer wants to do some test (handwriting analysis?) on the letter, Fedra shoots The Mask a look, he waves it off, I guess he has that covered. Finally Fedra’s lawyers say they’ll verify some stuff, then the money has to go to Fedra. Enough to pay the debts. Fedra says she has been clear, she wants the house in her name. She and The Mask exchange looks, right there in front of everyone.

Kristel screams for help, they yell back and forth with the maids. They can’t open the door either? Nereida tells them to get out, Mo says hey dumbass we can’t, don’t you see? Then Delicia says fine stay in there and cook like chickens. WTF. She is the most disrespectful domestic I’ve ever seen, even if it is these two morons she was talking to. She isn’t worried about getting fired?

Fedra celebrates with a drink. Emil asks her to think of another way to collect her debt. She says the only other way is for Mari to pay her right now, in cash money. Of course she can’t. Netty storms out. Emil says why doesn’t she wait until Mari is old enough to get the inheritance from her father? Fedra says I have spoken – cash or the house. NOW. There are yells from the hall – FIRE! Fedra freaks at the idea of the house burning down.

Mari talks to a picture of Eva and cries. She remembers Eva talking about loving her husband so much, the bit about lovers has to be a lie! Netty comes in and commiserates. She tells Mari to pack her stuff, they’re leaving now. “no I can’t leave!” IDIOTA. Netty says basically “whaaaat?” Mari claims they won’t let her leave. Netty says whatever pack your shit WE ARE LEAVING. Mari continues to say no. Netty can’t understand. Mari claims that she is going to clear her mother’s name etc by staying. They overhear Fedra whining about the fire outside the room.

Ilitia is outside, trying to find a way to sneak in without anyone seeing her. Ah! She’ll jump in the pool and take her clothes off. A song that has one lyric, ‘sexy’, plays. Ah, look who shows up – Brandon. He keeps looking at the house, maybe he hear the screaming. Ilitia snaps at him that he must be spying on her but he is enjoying the view (though in a bit of shock) and has no comeback.

Lorenzo can’t take the baby crying any more, he is leaving. Blondie says he has a fever, we need to go to the doctor. She gives him the baby to hold, he holds him as far away from himself as possible.

Mari wants to go see if Eman is ok. Netty says a fire is all the better reason to get her stuff and leave. No, no, no, Eman Eman Eman. Ugh. Netty FINALLY notices his name over and over and says hey, what’s up with you and him anyway? Uh uh uh nothing, just want to make sure he’s ok. Netty says no, you’re in love with him. Who, me?

Eman bravely points a fire extinguisher at the fire, it doesn’t work. Fedra is being held back by The Mask, she is acting like he is in the middle of the fire but he’s like three feet away from her. Eman throws the fire extinguisher through the window, breaking it. Someone says the firemen have arrived. Eman takes a shirt and drenches it in water, he’s going in. They try to stop him, but he goes.

Ilitia continues to yell at Brandon. She demands a towel. He holds it up for her, she says no way, leave it and go. He does all he can to get a look. He throws the towel down and turns away. She gets out but before she gets to the towel, he turns around again. He claims it wasn’t on purpose. She says it sure was, he wants her right? Admit it! He says whatever, he has seen better. She goes to hit him, he grabs her arm, her towel falls. Finally we get a peek ourselves, though a quick one. She is wearing bra and panties, and not really revealing ones either. I thought she was a model, doesn’t she spend all day wearing less than this for photos? Anyway she acts like he saw her naked. Brandon gets all the ogling in as he possibly can. He says whatever, he doesn’t like silicone women anyway. She says it’s all natural. He laughs. They are finally interrupted by cries for water. He gets her to understand that there is a fire. She realizes that Eman might be inside and she goes off running, calling for ‘baby!’ Brandon rolls his eyes, takes a deep breath, and follows her.

Mari insists that she doesn’t love Eman, it would be impossible! Same old thing. They year Emil yell “Emanuel! Get out of there!” Mari says she has to go see what’s going on and runs out. Netty says to herself, tonight you are coming with me Mari, and starts packing her stuff.

Fedra is freaking out, The Mask is trying to calm her down. We hear Ilitia crying for baby. Mari is running through the house. BAM Mari and Ilitia run into each other. Ilitia ends up on the floor, Mari’s glasses fly off. Ilitia’s bra straps showing above the towel are white, she was wearing red outside. Jeez not that hard of a detail to keep straight. I suspect something about Mari’s glasses is going to happen, get stepped on or something.

Gladiola and the other ladies sit around and worry about Netty. The young one (Doris, who is Gladiola’s daughter, right?) gets a pain in her chest. She passes out.

Brandon finds Mari and Ilitia, he pays all attention to Mari. Ilitia says why doesn’t he help her, she was the one hit by a train! Mari and Brandon look for Mari’s glasses, then they hear Emiliano say “Emanuel, you can’t control the fire!” Gasp! Mari tells Brandon to run and help him. Ilitia finds Mari’s glasses. She teases her and won’t give them. Mari grabs at them and ends up with the towel. I appreciate the effort in showing us Ilitia in her underwear so often, but each time is like .5 seconds. I do see now that it is a red bra with white straps, I guess the continuity guy was paying attention after all. Now there is a standoff – ‘give me the towel’ ‘give me my glasses’.

Emil wants to go in after Eman, Brandon shows up and Delicia comes in with more water. Brandon does the same wet blanket/shirt trick as Eman and goes in after him.

The standoff continues. Ilitia throws the glasses down the hall, so Mari throws the towel the other way. What are they, five years old?

The maids are outside filling buckets, Mo and Kristel (in their skivvies) are hiding in the bushes. They are yelling at the maids to hurry up and get their clothes, the maids are trying to help put out the fire. They yell at each other. Then Nereida says “hey there’s a towel.” I guess Mari threw it outside. Kristel, Mo, and Ilitia all grab the towel at the same time. There is a lot of non-clothes wearing that will have to be explained to Fedra, but she is hysterical at the moment somewhere else anyway. They all fight over the towel.

Back in the fire, Eman yells ‘there’s someone here!’ then trips on a ladder and falls. I’m sure on Monday he’ll get right back up.

Monday – Mari yells a lot outside the fire.

Labels: llena

Okay, we’re finished with the etapa culminante (climactic stage). Now, we’re in the etapa decisiva (decisive stage). What’s next, the crucial stage, the incredible stage, I mean, CMON! All these stages. It’s getting a little scary. I think I’m getting “stage” fright! Ooops, sorry about that.

Speaking of scary, though, we start with Vicky. And Vicky the Sicky is looking just a little icky, pretty in pink, but what’s with the silver opaque shades? She walks into the office, unannounced and unexpected, just in time to catch Rafa and Ale almost kissing (again). Vicky is stunned, throws up her finely manicured hands, screams, mouth wide open, and ……Rafa and Ale fumble around, trying to look normal, until they realize that Vicky is absolutely motionless, frozen in shock!


Rafa tries to rouse her, asking how many fingers am I holding up? Cruz o cuernos? (cross or horns) – he then thinks better of the horns choice. Ale’s response to the crisis? She’s outta there, to deposit the cash in the little suitcase. Rafa, after moving Vicky (like a big cardboard cutout) so Ale can get by, decides to leave as well (after saying, “better to run than to stay”). Chicken!

Over at the Trancazo, our other little chickens (ahem, sales staff) are on their knees begging the Queen’s forgiveness.


As many predicted, her heart (or maybe her stomach) wins out, and she agrees they can all stay and have a meal in the restaurant. She almost finds out why they call the place el trancazo (the “crash, or boom”, due to the collapsing chairs), but they stop her from sitting just in time. Chato isn’t as fortunate, ending up on his Royal Hiney. Arcadia pretends she’s the only one who’ll be allowed to wolf down (empacarse) the food, then winks, just joking, she’ll treat everyone to lunch. Let’s eat!

Vicky wakes up, one digit at a time, sort of like a wind-up doll, and immediately goes (even more) berserk, looking high and low for her Pajarito. She screeches out of the office, like hell on heels. She’s closing in, but when she dips down to look under the cars (not easy with that skirt she’s wearing), Rafa lifts himself up between two other cars just in time.


She accosts a random guy, who doesn’t know where her Pajarito is, yells at one of the floor models, then Trapito, but no one knows nada. She stomps out, Trapito lovingly ogling her backfield in motion. Rafa is safe (for now).

In another (somewhat classier than the Trancazo) restaurant, Ale is opening up to Susana (who accompanied her to the bank, so the money’s now safely deposited). She relates how Rafa said he loved her, and he seemed to know she hadn’t been intimate with Marco. Susana plays dumb, not betraying what Nelson told her. And you know the worst thing? adds Ale, as they both gulp some red wine for the revelation. He tried to kiss me, several times! Ale didn’t let him, she can’t become Rafa’s amante (mistress). But the last time they were just about to kiss, Vicky appeared! I’m just jinxed (salada), she says. After seeing us almost kiss, Vicky was paralyzed in some sort of shock. And still wearing her veil. And still thinking she’ll get Rafa to marry her. They agree that Vicky is really bad off.

Muskrat sighting! Montserrat is with her bro’ Daniel, in an even MORE expensive restaurant, as Danny Boy reveals what we all knew – his back up babe is none other than la licensiada Alejandra Álvarez de Castillo. Muskie is impressed. He´s got two licensiadas on the hook. Yes, affirms Dapper Dan smoothly. I´ll keep both fires burning, and one of them will be mine. You´ll see. They drink to it.

In the bar, Marco has put down his drink long enough to grab Chavez´s lapel for the umpteenth time, aiming to drag Chavez´s “truly diabolical” plan for Marco to reconquer Ale right out of Mr. C’s sputtering mouth. How, how, how can Marco win back Ale’s lovin’? Simple says C, put a bun in the oven! If you have a kid with her, you’ll be united forever. (Yeah, right, Chavez, great plan).

Ale’s back in the oficina, and just when Susana goes to the baño, in glides Daniel, looking tall and handsome in his purple crew necked sweater. He introduces himself (they met briefly at Doña Arcadia’s party, he’s Arcadia’s friend, remember?) He doesn’t beat around the bush, calling Ale fascinating, wants to get to know her “deeply”. Ale’s taken aback, just how deep?


Daniel wants them to go out, he wants to find out who she is, and you know why? Because he digs her (me gustas mucho). This is a little much for Ale, who stands up, offended, who do you think you are? Aren’t you the guy who was fighting for Marian’s love just last week? And I’m married, I was with my husband at the party. Daniel remarks that her husband didn’t seem to be paying any attention to her, which angers Ale even more. She shows him her nameplate, she’s the Sales Manager, so if he doesn’t want to buy a car, they have nothing further to talk about. Daniel excuses himself, thinking this may not be so easy, but he relishes the challenge.

Marco thinks Chavez’s idea is preposterous, since he can’t “you know”. But Chavez reminds him the sexologa said he could cure himself, so who knows? Marco DOES like the idea of a little Marquito, Jr. running around.

In the conference room, Rafa has mustered his musketeers, to fill them in on the near kiss. He finally told Ale he loved her, and was just about to kiss her, when who should show up? Vicky. Still wearing her veil. Pepeto thinks it’s funny, but Jimenez says that explains a few things. He saw her at the psychologist’s office. Her father brought her (they call him el señor pazoncito (Mr. Belly). They all feel a bit sorry for Vicky.

Said sorry sister is home now, hopping mad, as her men are struggling to eat hot dogs and chili, since they can’t cook. Her Dad remarks that her outfit is missing a bit of fabric, as the camera pans up her gorgeous gams to reveal her skimpy skirt. The brothers tell her to cut it out with wearing that stupid veil, it’s too late. You don’t understand, she screams. You’ve never been in love. All you care about is steak, ribs, bacon and pork. She stalks up to her room in a fury, leaving the boys to bumble and grumble.

The producer is really treating us guys well tonight, as we pan up another pair of luscious legs, those of Claudia, turning her charm and tight leopard print jacket towards Daniel, who’d better watch out he doesn’t get thrown into the lion’s den. Remember me? she purrs, pushing up her puppies, as he recalls her nearly naked body, shimmering, shimmying and shining at the pool party.


Wanna buy a car? she coos. Hmmm, I’ve got four, but a fifth wouldn’t be bad. Well, she replies, they always say No hay quinto malo (which means the third time’s the charm, literally, there’s no bad fifth). Daniel appraises Claudia like a car, complimenting her “front end” (delantero) and her “trunk” (cajuela). She squirms suggestively, extracts a silver case from her bodice, and gives him her card, containing her home address, where she’s available at all hours, and she can show him “the whole car”. She closes out her act by dropping her little case to the floor with a breathy “oops”, then bending way down to retrieve it, giving Daniel (and us guys) one final quick look at her “assets”.

Marian sits in her office, repeating to herself, Qué hago, qué hago (what should I do?). As her “best friend” Montserrat enters, the Producer goes for the trifecta with a slow pan up HER legs, but I’m yawning this time, nothing less than the Full Monty would get me going now. Marian asks her amiga to advise her, “impartially”. Right. That’s really happening. Marian’s hung up on Rafa, but doesn’t want to seem slippery, arrogant or cheap (resbalosa, arrogona o regalada). Montie Python is still being a snake, wants Marian to go for her brother, who’s far beyond Rafa in looks, class, etc. Marian the beautiful tells Montie that what’s inside counts more than outward appearances.

Speaking of outward appearances, here comes Edgar Marino, returning from the campaign in the provinces, tie askew, hair amess, face a-lipsticked, suit a-covered with dust, pride a-gone. The Siglos crew gets a big laugh,


as Mr. Ed tells them he hates them all. In the men’s room, he tells Ramirez how he was saved from the local yokels by the miracle of Adelita (the mayor’s daughter), as we see him flash back to some heavy snogging outside town hall. “But you didn’t sell a thing, did you?” asks Ramirez. Nope. Ramirez tries to repress a snicker.

Daniel visits Arcadia in her domain, butters her up a bit, tells her he wants to buy a car from Alejandra. Arcadia’s suspicious, but when Daniel praises her niñas (the dogs), she decides to help him. After he leaves, she calls Ale, and orders her to take Daniel for a “test drive”. She’s to take the sports car on the showroom floor to Daniel’s house. Personally. Arcadia wants Ale to be especially nice to Daniel, since Danny’s like a son to her. Of course, Mr. Cepeda has promised to act like a gentleman (of course). Ale tells la profesora she’ll “make the sale”. Rafa overhears half of this conversation, gets jealous.

Okay, enough of the leg shots, now the producer uses a rack focus on Rosaura’s “rack”. Pepeto asks if she knows the Blue Bongo. She thinks it must be the competitor’s new car model, but he says it’s a really cool dance hall (he says bien piocha, which she doesn’t understand, and literally means a Van Dyck beard, like Pepeto’s, but is also slang for cool). Wanna go dancing? She waffles.

Our two bumbling (and boring) bobbies stop a car with no driver. Oh, it’s Bebe, who was too short to be seen. He’s defensive about his age. You think I’m too old to drive? Well, replies the cop, let’s just say that when you first got your license, it was forged from stone (tallada en piedra). Gee, that was funny. Not!

Ale’s home, and Jorge tells her that in order to help her with her marriage, he and Rosario will just have to sell the hacienda, and use the money to buy an apartment. That way Ale can be alone with Marco. After all, says Rosario, casados, casa de dos (married, house for two). Ale thinks to herself, I don’t want to be alone with Marco for even one minute. Qué hago, qué hago? (see above)

Rafa’s home, too, his Mom greets him warmly, but there’s loud knocking on the door, and it’s Vicky, smoke coming out her ears, screaming at Rafa, “I went to your office today, and I saw you just about to kiss that witch Álvarez de Castillo!”




On Monday, we get Rafa’s response. Will he say
a) which witch?
b) Irairairaira
c) Es que, es que, es que
d) Qué haces aquí?
e) All of the above.

All in all, not much really happened tonight. In fact, rather than the decisive stage, one might almost say we’ve entered the “soporific” stage (see vocab). And what’s with all these stages, anyway? Do they have a team of writers, sitting around, trying to come up with names of the stages? If so, that team would need a leader. What would they call the leader? Why, the Stage Coach!

Vocabulario:
Empacarse – to wolf down (food)
Salada – jinxed, has lots of other meanings too, such as salty, funny, pricey
No hay quinto malo – the third time’s the charm, or if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again (literally, there’s no bad fifth)
Resbalosa, arrogona y regalada – slippery, arrogant and cheap
Piocha – a goatee, a pickax, or a badge, but it also means cool
Tallada – cut, made from, forged
Soporific – sleep inducing, somnolent, sedative, hypnotic, tranquilizing, narcotic, sleepy…….drowsy…….tired……zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (wake me up when something actually happens!)

Special bonus game: Pick the piernas!

Labels: dinero

At the garment factory, Roberto takes an anxious phone call, where he can't pay a vendor and gets a three-month grace period.



On visitors' day at the reclusorio, Elsa scolds her brother for his bad behavior that makes it impossible for the lawyer to work a deal. Marcos ribs Juan Jose to tell Elsa about Gregorio and the treasure.



Roberto visits David at the hotel office to beg some work, because he needs money; but David angrily throws him out, advising him to stick with Adolfo and Carlos who do his kind of "business."

At Alejandra's architectural firm, it turns out Bertha doesn't expect much from men and thinks both David and Roberto are pretty good, even if Roberto's a scoundrel.

Just when Gabriela is trying to sneak out of the house to meet David, unfortunately Yolanda visits then and ruins Gabriela's salon-appointment pretext, instead whisking both sisters off to Yolanda's own salon.

To a sad, wistful theme, David waits fruitlessly in the park for Gabriela, who has stood him up.



In Adolfo's luxury condo, he receives a tense business call. A moment later he turns Carlos down flat again about getting Roberto some work. Privately Adolfo instructs Felix to take charge of a new illegal shipment of high-tech instruments coming in off Veracruz. Take care; they're delicate and worth a lot -- and they've already lost a fortune, he warns.



When Roberto enters later, Adolfo looks him over thoughtfully; but then exits. When they're alone, Roberto asks Carlos for a loan of $25K pesos; and Roberto writes him a check in exasperation. Roberto already owes him big. Roberto digs at Carlos again for David spending all his evenings around Gabriela at the club.

At the prison, Marcos arranges for a local low-life to plant some marijuana under Gregorio's mattress.

Yolanda invites Gabriela and Julieta for lunch after the salon visit; and she urges them to let her procure them better jobs -- for example, selling cosmetics for an acquaintance. She insists, in fact: they should not continue where they are, she says.



In his office at the mansion, Mario frets desperately over dying before the contract is up -- and leaving Gabriela in the lurch; working as a waitress, when such a wonderful girl deserves and could have had everything. Then he suddenly comes up with an even more desperate -- and crazy -- plan, which he does not yet reveal.

At Gabriela's, Santiago relents again about moving -- but not about the girls changing jobs. He wants the girls to get day jobs.

In his cell, Juan Jose regales Gregorio with the similar tale of their situation to the Count of Monte Cristo when the guards roust them out. They search and find the kilo of pot under Gregorio's mattress, where the low-life had stowed it under pretense of delivering reading material. They take Gregorio away.



At Mario's mansion, Dora greets David with her fears of Mario's illness and sadness lately. David reassures her all is well and thanks Dora for caring. David hugs her and reveals his affection for Dora over many years as a nana and even as a mother.



Inside, Mario informs David of a hotel convention he wants him to attend in Manzanillo -- and to also take over the rest of the family business. David is happy to agree but is worried about Mario's health. Mario reveals how happy and lucky he feels to have such a son, and in return David feels he is the lucky one.

In the prison warden's office, the warden threatens Juan Jose that his release on good behavior may be jeopardized for covering up for Gregorio's crime. But Juan Jose refuses to accuse Gregorio and defends Gregorio's innocence, as far as he knows; plus he has no proof to implicate anyone else, such as Marcos, he says.



Gabriela informs Carlos in the club office of their plans to stay in town and find day jobs, which he offers to help her secure. Carlos cooks up an excuse to get alone with Gabriela, asking her to accompany him the next day to choose new staff uniforms. He must agree to Gabriela's request to bring Julieta along.

Dora brings Mario tea in his office; and he asks companionably about her past, which becomes an uncomfortable topic. She explains she's from Santa Clara del Cobre, Michoacan, and left home for the D.F. following a man -- who then deserted her. She never married him.

That evening at the club, David and Carlos are both happily gazing at Gabriela working -- until they spy each other and stare jealous daggers. David exits as Roberto enters, and Carlos decides to make Roberto take Julieta off with him tomorrow when she shows up with Gabriela to choose uniforms.

At Mario's mansion at dinner, Bertha teases him about going off to meet a secret love at the club; and in fact he is doing just that -- to get a glimpse of Gabriela at work. After he exits, Bertha rips him to Alejandra for being ridiculous and sick.

Her mother was sick; and she's past tired of sick people, she says. Why doesn't he just die and leave them his money? Bertha doesn't plan to work, but rather have a good time sponging off someone; which makes Alejandra disgusted with her.

In the hotel penthouse office, David orders juice -- to be delivered by Gabriela. When she arrives, she gets the chance to explain about Yolanda ruining her salon pretext, standing him up, and that she can't just do what she wants. He asks her to invent another excuse for the next day, but then is unpleasantly surprised to learn Carlos has already nabbed her for choosing uniforms then.



Mario enters and is pleased to find Gabriela there. She exits, and at first David is happy to see his dad out and about -- until Mario almost faints in front of him. And we hear Mario repeating in his head how little time to live he has; how little time to live...

Labels: verdad