Caray, Caray!

Just a reminder – Jean is still in Argentina but will be back here with us in a few weeks.

Blusamurai, you have been amazing this week with your detailed (and funny!) recaps of Alguien Te Mira and El Fantasma de Elena. Thanks for all your hard work!

And thanks to everyone who comments in this space. It’s fun writing here when it feels like a conversation with friends!

Aurora

The most powerful presence in this novela isn’t the title character, but the master manipulator, Vanesa Miller. If Aurora reentered the world of the warm-blooded with a vague notion of settling old scores, it is Vanesa who has been busy rewriting their personal history and inventing scores for Aurora to settle.

Vanesa is one of the cleverest villains I’ve seen. She gets people to believe improbable versions of events by having the same story repeated to her victim by various sources. Aurora, for example, hears that Lorenzo was just a fortune-hunter who never had real feelings for her. He and Natalia were accomplices and lovers. The story is told by Vanesa and then, with added twists of the knife, is repeated by Natalia and Aurora’s own father Gustavo. Ultimately, Aurora accepts it as true.

Other half-truths and lies:

Aurora believes that Martín is only after her money (False. He is really in love with her and she is breaking his heart.)

Aurora believes that Natalia was Lorenzo’s accomplice and lover 20 years ago. (False. Natalia’s sin was one of omission. She knew that Lorenzo and Aurora truly loved one another. She knew Aurora had nothing to do with Federico. And yet, succumbing to Vanesa’s pressure, she kept silent. She also played footsie with Gustavo years ago at a time when he was married but she was not. So maybe Nina is actually Gustavo’s daughter and Aurora’s half-sister?)

Almost everyone believes that Blanca is the daughter of Gustavo and Inés Ponce de León. (False: She is Aurora and Lorenzo’s daughter).

Blanca now believes that Lorenzo Lobos is her father (true) and Inés is her mother. (False: Aurora is her mother.)

Almost everyone believes that Beta-Aurora is Alpha-Aurora’s daughter. The only ones who know the truth are: Gustavo, Inés, Roque, Dra Elizabeth, Dr. Parker and Vanesa.

Almost everyone believes the lie concocted by Gustavo and Inés that Federico is Beta-Aurora’s father.

And now a resumé of Friday’s episode:

In a bar:
When Natalia tells Federico about Aurora and Lorenzo’s almost roll in the hay, he is Shocked. Shocked. Why that’s incest! Natalia tells him not to exaggerate. And then she reflects that perhaps Aurora isn’t acting out of love but out of vengeance for her mother’s sake: that Natalia ended up with Lorenzo, that Aurora’s mother is dead and she, Natalia, is alive.

In Aurora’s apartment:
Blanca gets home just as Aurora is about to leave for the Sleeping Beauty audition. Blanca makes a surprising announcement:
Yo no quiero que mi papá sea Lorenzo Lobos.
(I don’t want my father to be Lorenzo Lobos.)

At Lorenzo’s Dance Studio:
Lorenzo is leaving a phone message for Natalia begging for a chance to explain. Enter Martín. Quería desearte buena suerte (I wanted to wish you good luck) he says. And I wanted to talk about Aurora.

Blanca explains to Aurora that if she had been raised as a Lobos, she would have been … oh the horror… poor! She imagines getting up early in the morning, managing her clothes and hair on a tight budget. Aurora muses:
¿Tú solamente ves el lado material?
(You only see the material side?)
Is there another side? retorts Blanca cheerfully. She doesn’t want Gustavo to disinherit her, nor does she want to trade her fancy apellido “Ponce de León” for the vulgar “Lobos” name.

Martín and Lorenzo continue their tense conversation. Lorenzo is going to Spain to leave the way free for Martín to be with Aurora. But Martín rejects the idea of being picked just because he’s available and Lorenzo is not. He wants Aurora to choose to be with him. Then he leaves, refusing to give his father a goodbye hug. As he is leaving, he gets a text message from Nina.

At the Cryonic Clinic:
Gustavo, with a penchant for understatement, says:
Las cosas están complicando!
(Things are getting complicated.)
Let’s see, Elizabeth has murdered Eduardo, Julia Castillo, her doctor friend at the hospital… the police investigation is likely to lead to their door…
But as Dra Elizabeth sees it, their problem has a name: Dr. Williams. Speak of the devil! The bearded young doctor who earlier recognized Julia’s photo on tv pokes his head into Gustavo’s office and asks to talk to them.

At the School of the Arts:
Blanca continues to riff on the horror of being born a Ponce de León and then finding out your father is just an ordinary dancer, not even famous. (Un bailarín común y corriente... un mediocre) And a disconcerted Aurora says: Nunca imaginaba que fueras tan… así. (I never imagined that you were so… like that.)

The instructor who will judge the dance-off between Aurora and Nina arrives. The ladies sharpen their claws.

Vanesa’s apartment:
If Natalia is looking for sympathy, she’s in the wrong place.

Young Dr. Williams turns out to be a Company Man. He rejects Gustavo’s cash. You can count on me, on my loyalty, he tells Gus and Eli. Pase lo que pase. (Whatever may happen.)

Aurora transacts a lot of business while she waits for the audition to begin:

First Federico shows up and tells her she can’t have a relationship with Lorenzo because he’s her father. She laughs unpleasantly. I can see you never really knew my mother, she tells him. She was very sexual and she had many lovers – among them, my father.

Then Vanesa reports back by phone to Aurora: Natalia told her everything but the color of Aurora’s underwear when she caught her and Lorenzo together. Black, Aurora tells Vanesa. Sexy, no?

Aurora puts Vanesa on ‘hold’ to take Lorenzo’s call.
Line 2: Lorenzo’s not sure about going to Madrid…
Line 1: Vanesa repeats the lie about Martín. She says Natalia told her that he is determined to do what his father couldn’t; he’d do anything to get your fortune.
Line 2: Lorenzo begs Aurora not to tell Martín they were together. He’d never forgive his father and besides, he doesn’t want to hurt him.

And then Martín comes along and vengeful Aurora says, with feigned sympathy: I guess you know. And she hugs Martín. She continues:
Natalia nos cachó a punto de hacer el amor en mi departamento.
(Natalia caught us just about to make love in my apartment.)
No, no lo sabía (No, I didn’t know) says Martín, barely breathing. And, he continues, I don’t want to know anything about you or what happens in your bed.

The audition has begun. Nina takes her turn first and the instructor watches her performance approvingly.

Meanwhile, Natalia continues confiding in Vanesa. She’s not sure Nina should be in The School of the Arts or that she should be living in Vanesa’s apartment. She doesn’t belong in that world. But Vanesa wants to talk about Lorenzo and Natalia obliges.

Sometimes, she admits, I think I’m getting what I deserve. The oath (juramento) you forced me to take and the betrayal…

Vanesa interrupts her. Which betrayal do you mean? Are you talking about the oath? The fact that you ended up with her great love? Or that you slept with Aurora’s father?

Back at the audition, Aurora takes her turn and the instructor is so excited, he is bouncing in his seat.

Martín and Nina meet in the school hallway. She wants him to see the Director about a possible job there. She promises she won’t bother him. It’s not you I’m avoiding, he tells her, it’s Aurora.

Natalia shows up a Lorenzo’s studio. He tries to explain what happened with Aurora. She isn’t his lover but she does have this strange power over him… Anyway, he has decided to go to Madrid alone. Perfect, says Natalia bitterly. So Aurora wins.

Now Nina and Aurora dance side by side and we see the instructor wince at a clumsy move that Nina makes. The instructor announces his decision: Aurora will dance the role of Sleeping Beauty!

Martín phones Lorenzo and reviles him for being with Aurora. Who told you? asks Lorenzo. It was Aurora herself, says Martín.

Aurora stands behind Lorenzo in his studio as he screams in anguish before his mirror: Leave me alone! Get out of my life!

I’m right here, she says. Say it to my face.

He rails at her: What are you trying to do, drive me crazy? Separate me from my son? Is this what you want? And he grabs her roughly. Is he kissing her? Biting her? Her mouth is bleeding and she tells him to stop, he’s hurting her. He pushes her away:
¡Vete! ¡Lárgate! Ya no sé quién eres, ya no sé quién soy!
(Go! Get out of here! I don’t know who you are anymore, I don’t know who I am!)

Wow. Is this the same person Nina is talking about to her friends Vicki and Blanca? My father is the sweetest man in the world, she tells them. Once, when the family went camping – Nina was about 5 – she dropped her teddy bear (osito de peluche) in the river. Her mother wanted to just buy a new one but her father spent the whole night looking for it. He came home soaked, dirty and exhausted. But he found the bear! Unfortunately, he caught a cold (agarró un resfriado) from his cold, wet night and had to spend the rest of the weekend in the tent.

Blanca looks wistful as she listens to this story about Lorenzo. Maybe she’s not such a material girl after all?

Martín doesn’t waste any time, does he? He escorts the young Cryonics doctor -- the one who had her eye on him from the beginning – into his shabby apartment. We learn her name: Liliana. And they agree to drop the ‘usted’. Pretty soon, they are dropping their pants too.

At Aurora’s splendid Fifth Avenue apartment, Inés and Roque are tending Aurora’s wounds. He hurt you! says Inés. No, says Aurora, I’m the one who hurt him. They made fun of the old Aurora because she was too good; but no one is going to laugh at the new Aurora!

When Blanca comes home, Aurora is surprised to learn that Blanca and Inés have made up. Blanca makes it clear that she still confuses material goods with love. Inés proved her love by reactivating her credit cards. When she walks out of the room, Aurora turns to Inés and asks:
¿No le pudieron inculcar otros valores?
(Couldn’t you teach her other values)
We did what we could, says Inés. And about tomorrow – are you going to let Lorenzo leave?

At the Lobos apartment:
Natalia listens to Gustavo’s message: I didn’t come to see you because I didn’t want to suffer losing you again.

Lorenzo is puzzled when César hauls in a large suitcase. Natalia explains that she and César will be going with him to Spain. To start a new life together. Then Nina arrives to say her farewells and make peace with the family. Family hug.

At the airport:
Aurora, in a blue baseball cap, is looking somewhat furtive. She thinks:
Natalia, vine a despedirme de ti y de tu traición.
(Natalia, I’ve come to say goodbye to you and your betrayal.)

The Lobos family – Lorenzo, Natalia and César – walk along pulling their suitcases behind them.

And Aurora, (thinking that Lorenzo is going to Madrid alone, I suppose), reflects:
Tu partida solitaria es el placer de mi venganza.
(Your solitary departure is the pleasure of my vengeance.)

Back at Martín’s shabby digs:
Dra Liliana gets out of bed and steps on the remote, turning on the TV by accident. It’s a news report about Julia Castillo. Her body shows traces of cryonic treatment. There will be an investigation of all the local cryonic facilities! While Martín and Liliana are disturbed to hear this, she admits that when the news about the bloodless body first emerged, she did think about the clinic.

Blanca’s pesadilla:
She is at home in their apartment when Aurora calls her with dreadful news:
Es horrible lo que pasó! El avión se cayó y no hubo sobrevivientes. Lorenzo se murió!
Something horrible has happened! The plane crashed and there were no survivors. Lorenzo is dead!

A shaken Blanca wakes up, realizes Aurora isn’t in the apartment, and calls her on her cell. Aurora answers that she is taking a walk but Blanca recognizes the airport sounds in the background.

At the Cryonic Clinic:
Inés admits to Gustavo that she was Eduardo’s lover but she wasn’t the one who killed him. She confessed falsely so he would think she had done something important. (Interesting. Like a cat offering its owner a dead, bloody bird as a gift). Just as she and Gustavo embrace, Dra Elizabeth barges in and asks tartly: Are you congratulating Gustavo on his upcoming wedding? Don’t you want to hug me too?

And back at the airport, the Lobos family walks together. The blue-capped Aurora follows at a discreet distance. But it is Blanca who runs up and shouts:
¡Lorenzo! ¡No te vayas papá!
(Lorenzo! Daddy, don’t go!)

Previews: Blanca’s nightmare becomes a reality. The plane carrying the Lobos family is reported to have crashed en route to Madrid!
No survivors have been found!
---------------------------------------------------------


Alguien te Mira

Mauricio tells Matilde that two victims, Rocío Lynch and María Gracia Carpenter, were Benja’s lovers. He says Eva was killed because she was getting close to the killer. If Matilde is unwilling to help Mauricio in his investigation, he’ll have to go to Tatiana and tell her everything he knows about Benjamin.

Rodrigo’s boss, Amanda, offers him his job back, but he feels he isn’t ready yet.

Pedro Pablo fantasizes about Lola and Lucía being together in his office, both great with child, admiring one another’s bellies.

At the catering office, Matilde ruminates about what Mauricio told her. And when Lola asks her to react to Tatiana’s announcement that she and Benja are getting divorced, she says perhaps it’s for the best. Lola says it’s all the fault of some little tramp! But it’s a problem that can be fixed. Tati isn’t buying that. For her, the marriage is over. Still, she is resolved to find out who Benja’s lover is and make her pay! Camila listens to all this in silence.

The model, Valeria, is on a photo shoot and is shown using cocaine.

Rodrigo recalls Piedad’s angry interrogation about his relationship with the group leader, Daniela.

Back at the catering place, Lola and Matilde continue talking about marriage and divorce while Camila sits apart and cries. She tells Tati she’s not feeling well and leaves for home.

Rodrigo continues his Piedad reverie; he envisions the scene where she pushes him away and tells him she can’t trust him. Then he gets on his bike and rides off.

At the police station, Luisa gets a report that they are following Benja and he is at his sister-in-law’s apartment house.

Inside that apartment house, Camila is begging Benja not to divorce Tati.

Luisa’s boss Angel asks her to accompany him on a visit.

At Rodrigo’s apartment: Julián arrives. He tells Rodrigo that his attentions to Daniela are upsetting Piedad. Rodrigo counterattacks: You’re dying of rage, aren’t you? he says. No matter what you do, you can’t stop Piedad’s feelings for me. And I’ll always be a part of her life because we’re having a child together.

Benja and Camila continue their conversation. We’re fine the way we are, she tells him. He denies that the divorce is because of Camila. She shouldn’t feel guilty because the rift in the marriage was something long coming.

And at the catering place, Tati confides to Matilde that she feels worthless (desvalorizada). Matilde, recalling her conversation with Mauricio, tries to get Tati to talk about what happened.

At the rehab center, Daniela remarks to Rodrigo that Piedad is obviously very much in love with him. But we’re not together, he tells Daniela. Yes, she acknowledges, but the two of you have a child on the way.

As the clinic is closing up for the evening, Julián invites Piedad to go out with him but she declines and prepares to leave.

Luisa and Angel are waiting for Julián. (So this is the visit Angel was talking about.) This isn’t an interrogation, they tell him. They just want to talk to him about Eva. Julián tells them that the last time he saw Eva was at the clinic reception. He gave her directions to the spot where the heart (sent to Benja) was buried. And the morning Eva disappeared, Julián was at home without witness.

Angel shows him the photo of the dress Eva was posed in. Julián says he has never seen it before.

Luisa tells Julián that the one thing they know about the killer is that he is a doctor because of the skills needed to remove the victims’ hearts and then suture the wounds.

Tati visits Camila to thank her for her concern. They will always be sisters, she says and she will always love her.

The rehab group session is over. Daniela remarks that she is concerned because Valeria didn’t show up. She and Rodrigo decide to go for coffee.

At Pedro Pablo’s house, Lola tells Benja that she is pregnant. She scolds him for his plan to divorce Tati and his involvement with Camila, which he angrily denies.

Matilde has a nightmare: She is in bed when she hears someone opening her door. She hears voices and finds Benja, Julián, Rodrigo and Piedad in her livingroom. Piedad, her mouth painted bright red, pulls out a knife.

Emilio, Matilde’s little boy, hears his mother scream and rushes into the bedroom to comfort her.

Piedad, now definitely in stalker mode, drives by Rodrigo’s building and sees a light is on in his apartment.

Inside that apartment, Daniela is flirting pretty aggressively with Rodrigo. As Piedad is getting out of her car, Daniela and Rodrigo are kissing. And the kiss seems to go on forever.

Credits roll.

Labels: alguien, aurora, fantasma, telemundo

David confronts “Mario” in his bedroom. “Are you or aren’t you my papa?” FaustiMario is stunned into silence. He ponders his options for a few seconds and then decides now is the time to come clean with David. Like some sort of horror movie, he begins to remove his mask to reveal what lies beneath. However, instead of a horrible monster underneath the glasses, wig, false teeth, beard, mustache and latex nose and wrinkles, David finds not his father, but Gabi’s!

Horrified, David backs as far away as possible into the wall, his mind racing and unable to compute what he’s seeing. “My God! What is this? Why are you dressed like this? Where is my papa?!” Faustiago begs him to calm down and let him explain. Meanwhile, Gabi is wearing a hole into the carpet pacing in the living room, knowing that something very strange is going on with David and Don Mario.

Faustiago continues to remove his disguise, but locks the door firmly before giving David the explanation he demands. He first informs David that his father, Mario Genovés, is dead. David is wide-eyed, and teary-eyed, impactado. “Muerto?” Faustiago explains that Mario did indeed die in the car accident. David refuses to believe, so Faustiago suggests he bring Abelardo in to verify all he is saying. David wanders into the living room like a zombie and requests that Abelardo accompany him. He unconvincingly tells Gabi that nothing is wrong and everything is fine when she inquires.

Abelardo confirms to David that Don Mario is indeed dead. David’s grief knocks the wind out of him and forces him to sit down. He starts to weep. “And, he, he was my father?” Abelardo answers him truthfully.
A: He loved you as if he were.
D: Then, whose child am I?

Abelardo tells him mostly the truth. He says David is the child of a lady who used to work in the house. She left when David was just a few weeks old. As Don Mario and Señora Alicia could not have children, they fell for little David, cared for him as their own and registered him as their child. David is practically hyperventilating with grief and shock. Abelardo tells David how much his father loved him. When David asks where he is buried, he tells him he’s been laid to rest in a dignified tomb. Whenever David wants to, Abelardo will take him there. David then asks for an explanation of why Faustiago is there. Abelardo hands the mic over to Faustiago for that explanation.

Faustiago explains that he’s there because Mario obligated/forced him to be. He tells David his real name and that he used to be an actor. The theatrical company he started with was owned by Adolfo Ávila. There he met and fell for a beautiful dancer named Márta Saldívar. However, she got involved with a rich man who was married…who had a son. A look of shocked realization comes over David’s face.

In the living room, Gabi continues to fret to Juli about what could possibly be going on in the bedroom. She saw that look on David’s face and knows it can’t be good. Juli thinks they are just discussing business, but Gabi has another theory. She thinks they might be arguing because Gabi asked David to get them their own house, away from his family. Juli sees no problem with this. If that is what’s causing the problem, then Mario will just have to deal with it (aguantar). Gabi has a right to have her own home! They both go nervously quiet when a downcast Ale arrives home. They do a bad job of lying that everything is ok. Ale goes to Bertha’s room to see if she can get the 411 from her about what’s going on. Princess Bertha doesn’t know, and she doesn’t like not being in the know. Their uncle is acting like a man possessed (con miles demonios), and those b!tches (she said viejas, but that’s what she really meant) continue to ingratiate themselves with him. Ale knows something must be wrong by the looks on the faces of Gabi and Juli.

Back in the bedroom, the revelations keep coming at David like a tsunami.
D: This woman had a child by my father?
F/S: Yes. It was a girl.
D: And where is she now?
F/S: That child is my daughter, your wife, Gabriela.
D: Qué?! Gabriela?!

David is shocked into standing position this time. He asks if Mario knew Gabi was his child. Faustiago explains that Mario found out shortly after his wife died. When she died Mario came back to find Marta to marry her, but by that time Marta was married to Santiago and had another child by him, Juli. David wants an answer to THE question. Why is Faustiago passing himself off as Mario? Faustiago explains it’s because of that darn death clause in the contract with Adolfo. Faustiago goes back to speaking about the Marta love triangle. He explains that when Mario came back into Marta’s life, Santiago’s heart was destroyed, he was eaten up with jealousy. He didn’t think it fair that Mario was trying to take her from him again. He could feel that she was about to abandon him. He started fighting with Marta all the time and made life impossible for her.

Around the corner, at the newly renovated house, JJ is deep in thought about Ale. Limon, in one of his favorite spots- behind the bar- tells JJ he thinks it best if he and Caramelo move out, so that JJ won’t continue to have problems with Ale. JJ won’t hear of it. Limon and Caramelo are his only family. (What about Elsa?) They can’t leave him alone. Plus, Limon and JJ are partners and will be working together (on whatever it is they eventually decide to do). Limon doesn’t know how he can help JJ in his new business since he doesn’t know how to do anything, not even how to write. JJ doesn’t think reading and writing is part of the job description for a right hand man (brazo derecho). (Yeah. This will be a really successful business.) Plus, JJ completely trusts Limon and would trust him with his life. Limon is touched by JJ’s words.

Caramelo comes running in. She has examined the bedrooms upstairs and still wants to sleep in the little house (servants’ quarters) attached to the main house, where she and Limon used to sleep all those years. JJ gives in and Caramelo runs off cheering her victory. Limon also asks JJ if he can stay in the rooms in back, in the casita. That way he won’t feel like such a freeloader (arrimado) and Ale can feel more comfortable in the house. JJ reluctantly agrees, and gives Limon the job of being in charge of the whole house. He also wants them to go furniture shopping so that Limon can furnish the rooms in the little house exactly as he’d like.

They toast happily to their new business and home arrangements, as we cut to a very unhappy looking Ale sulking on her bed. She’s obviously given what Mina said some thought, and is feeling bad about her harsh words with JJ. She swallows her pride and picks up the phone and calls him. Her sweet, “Hi. It’s me.”, is greeted with a grumpy “Qué pasó? Dime.” She tells him she’s calling to ask how he is. JJ’s in brat mode and tells her he’s fine. In fact, he’s with Limon and Caramelo and they’re about to go buy furniture for their BEDROOMS. Ale tries to be a good sport about it and says that’s great. JJ agrees, abruptly tells her he’s got to go, and hangs up on her while she’s in the midst of saying goodbye. (Wow. He is nearly giving her the full Elsa Cold Shoulder Treatment.)

Back at the Manse, Faustiago has told his story, and David wants to know if he did indeed kill his wife Marta. Faustiago jumps up in horror. He assures David that he did not kill her. David wants to know who did then. When Faustiago says that Mario was also there that night and saw her, David gets defensive wondering if he thinks his papa murdered her. “No, no.” Faustiago explains that this is just what Mario told him, and gets Abelardo to back him up. Faustiago got the blame for the murder, mainly because everyone heard the big fight he and Marta had earlier that evening. And then Adolfo saw him over her body and accused him of the crime. Luckily, Yolanda came and warned him and he had time to flee with his baby girls. It was all these years later when he returned to the capital that Mario saw him and recognized him. Faustiago explains how sick Mario was, and David learns for the first time that his father had a brain tumor. “Me obligó a tomar su lugar.” (He obligated me to take his place.) David is shocked to hear his mild mannered father threatened Faustiago with jail and with telling Gabi the truth, if he didn’t go along with this plan.

David wants to know why his father partnered with Adolfo in the first place. Faustiago explains how Mario was the first to find Marta dead. Adolfo and Yolanda found him over her body and accused him of killing her, despite his protests that he had only just arrived. Then Adolfo offered to “help” him by not saying anything to the cops and sending Mario away quickly. He later threatened to tell the cops and it was in this way Adolfo blackmailed Mario into the infamous contract. Faustiago didn’t know until recently that Mario was even there that night. He then explains about the cufflink that Mario found in Marta’s hand. They believed it was the killer’s and it was their only clue to the identity of the killer. Mario gave it to Faustiago, but it was recently stolen when someone broke into his apartment. David has Faustiago describe the cufflink and immediately realizes that it sounds like Carlos Avila’s ring. That bit of new info leaves Faustiago impactado.

Over at the Dastardly Domicile, Leo is awaiting the appearance of Adolfo. You’ve got to hand it to Adolfo, he can hide his shock and play the welcoming host to perfection. “Well, well. What a pleasure it is to see you in my home. What brings you here Comandante?” (Translation: What the hell are you doing here?) Leo tells him he’s there to ask him some questions. They sit down and Leo casually asks some pretty uncomfortable questions over his cup of java. He starts things off easily by first confirming that Adolfo used to be a theatrical company business owner. The next question nearly throws Adolfo off his game, when Leo asks whether he employed a dancer named Márta Saldívar. “Sí.” Leo then mentions her husband’s name, Santiago Guzman, who was suspected of killing her. Adolfo admits to remembering the man and wonders if they’ve caught him. They haven’t, but Leo wonders if Adolfo has seen Santiago or heard someone speak about him recently. “No. Of course not.” Leo points out that Mario Genoves also knew this dancer. Adolfo feigns ignorance and wonders why Leo is asking. “Did someone tell you that Mario knew Marta?” Leo continues his cat and mouse game, tells Adolfo that Adolfo himself threatened Mario recently with revealing the secret about Marta to David, and takes a sip of his coffee. “Me? I said that? I don’t recall.” Leo’s not buying this, and Adolfo is fishing for an excuse or explanation, when Carlos walks in. Leo stands and the two young men stare each other down. Likely remembering the hurt Leo put on him the last time they met, Carlos quickly slinks away upstairs.

Leo continues his interrogation of Adolfo. He asks how a man like him, who had no prior experience managing restaurants, ended up as Mario Genoves’ partner. “By blackmailing Mario about Márta Saldívar, right?” This finally sets Adolfo off. He hasn’t ever spoken to Mario about Marta, and whoever said he did is a liar. Leo gives one of his disarming smiles and says he will speak to Mario about the matter again. And if he’s involved in Marta’s death somehow, he’ll help him overcome any legal issues. This doesn’t make Adolfo happy, but he hides his displeasure and politely bids Leo farewell. As soon as Leo leaves, Adolfo calls Mario’s house demanding to speak with him.

“Mario” is still in his bedroom with David and Abelardo continuing his story of how he came to be there. David’s rocking back and forth and his brain is now starting to work overtime. He concludes that Adolfo must have been the one who arranged the accident that killed his papa. FaustiMario feigns surprise. Gabi knocks on the door to inform them of Adolfo’s call. David insists on taking the call. He tells Adolfo that his father is not at home, and from now on anything that has to do with his father, Adolfo will have to deal with HIM (David). Adolfo berates him, and tells David to pass the message on to his father that the police came to see him about you know who, and that he defended Mario and told them that Mario didn’t know the person. Mario better get in touch with him ASAP. Adolfo doesn’t realize that Carlos has been listening to Adolfo’s side of this conversation intently from the stairs. David doesn’t give a damn. “My father is NEVER going to speak to you again!” Click.

An uber-annoyed Adolfo turns around to find Carlos over his shoulder, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. He’s enjoying the “interesting” conversation Adolfo was having. It sounded to him like his father and Mario are involved in something crooked (chueco). Adolfo demands he show some respect, and get the hell out! Carlos smirks all the way out the door.

Gabi’s moved from the living room, to wearing a hole in the floor boards in front of Mario’s bedroom door. Juli tries to calm her down, but Gabi is fed up with waiting and wants to know what’s been going on behind that door. She knocks impatiently and finally David emerges. He lies that everything is alright, while at the same time wiping away a stray tear. They were discussing the partnership with the Avilas. Gabi wants to know what Leo has to do with it. David puts on a happy face, and once again tells her it’s nothing to worry about. Leo came to talk to his father because the police are investigating Adolfo Avila. He’ll explain more later. Gabi looks more perplexed than before.

Inside the room, FaustiMario is heading back through the tunnel to the little house. Abelardo urges him to be careful, given that they now know Adolfo is a murderer and wants to add “Mario” to his list of victims (which he’s already accomplished). Above all, Abelardo doesn’t want Faustiago to confirm to David that they learned from Yolanda that Adolfo killed Marta and his dad. David would for sure go to confront Adolfo directly and cause more problems than they already have. Faustiago admits that he was on the verge of revealing that to David, but is in agreement not to do so. It’s best not to provoke (prevenir) Adolfo.

Outside the door, David tries to distract Gabi with kisses and with an evening out on the town with her and Juli. He tells them to go make themselves pretty and he’ll be ready in a bit. He returns to the room quickly before Gabi can get out the lingering questions still on her mind. Gabi doubts what he said was the whole truth, but Juli wonders why it wouldn’t be. Gabi’s not convinced.

When he returns to the room, Abelardo shows him the secret passage. The light goes off in David’s head. So many things make sense now. Abelardo is happy that Faustiago will be more at ease now that David knows. They make their way through the tunnel to the house, and David marvels at his father’s planning and decision-making skills. He’ll miss him so much. Abelardo agrees. Once inside Faustiago’s dressing room, David marvels some more, begs Faustiago’s pardon for being such a jerk, and thanks him. Faustiago won’t accept the thanks, since he didn’t do this voluntarily but because Mario obligated him. But, he’s happy that it happened, because soon the day will come when Marta’s killer will pay for his crimes. David is sure that it was Adolfo, and he will pay for that, and all the humiliations he caused his father. He hesitates when he says “father”, and Faustiago gently assures him there is no need for hesitation. Mario was his father. Mario was a true father to him, just like he (Faustiago) has been to Gabi. David thinks of Gabi. She’s the true heir to all of this and David wants to tell her the truth. It’s the right thing to do. Faustiago agrees she should be told, but this is such a horrendous tale, that Faustiago himself isn’t yet ready to talk to her about it. David agrees to follow Faustiago’s lead. In fact, from now on he will do everything that Faustiago tells him to do. The two men shake on it. But it’s obvious David can’t shake his sadness at knowing his father is no more.

The sisters are pretty in pink, but Gabi is still pacing the living room like a mad woman. Juli wants to know why she won’t believe everything is ok, like David says. Gabi thinks she should phone Leo to find out why he spoke to Mario and what’s up. Juli tells her she’s crazy for looking for trouble with David again, who is already bothered by her friendship with Leo. Let things be, now that things are good. Gabi admits she’s right, but she just feels that David doesn’t want to tell her the truth. Adolfo, like a desperate recently dumped boyfriend, calls the house again to speak to Mario. Gabi knocks on the door twice, but strangely gets no reply. Adolfo resigns himself to the news that Mario is not there. He will just have to try again later. Just as she’s wondering where David and Mario could have gone off too, David and Abelardo magically emerge from the bedroom. David says they just didn’t hear her knock, although Gabi points out that she knocked twice. (Right now David is probably wishing that he had a less inquisitive, airhead wife.) He hustles them out the door to dinner. Bertha emerges as they are leaving and learns there will be no one around for her to annoy at the dinner table. She decides to call up her sugar daddy, Adolfo, but it seems he also has a life like everyone else, and has left.

Upstairs, Susana checks that her two retirement packages/death warrants (the diamond filled shoe and the letter) are still safe. She reads Dora’s letter out loud:

Señor Mario,

I don’t dare tell you this in person, because I’m ashamed, but you have the right to know. I am David’s mother. I abandoned him in this house many years ago. I left him here because Maria, a woman who worked in your house at that time, told me that your wife could not have children. My husband had abandoned me, and I could not maintain/take care of David. I knew that you were good people, and that you would give him all that I couldn’t.

I also want to tell you that I know who killed Isabel, the young woman who worked in the Mirador Hotel eleven years ago. The blame was put on the young man, Juan Jose Victoria. But the real culprits were Carlos Avila, and another young man whose face I could not see. I hope you understand me Don Mario. If I remained quiet all these years it was because I didn’t want David to suffer, and out of fear that Señor Avila would do something to me.

-Dora

Susana is shocked that Dora is David’s mother. The diamond filled shoes remain in her suitcase, but she puts the letter in her purse. Meanwhile, David’s mama is descending the stairs and encounters Ale. Ale goes to speak with Abelardo in Mario’s study and finds him scouring all of Mario’s books. He’s looking for a VERY important letter that was put in one of the books. Abelardo tells Ale that the letter reveals the true identity of David’s mother, but he pretends he doesn’t know who it is. Mario left the letter to be given to David one day. When Abelardo noticed that the books had been moved around, he decided to look for it and now can’t find it. They call Dora to find out who last cleaned the room. They find out it was Susana, on Bertha’s orders. No, Susana did not tell Dora that she had found anything in one of the books, and she’s out since it’s her day off. Ale thinks they need to search for this letter. Dora’s eyes go wide at the mention of a letter. She asks Abelardo if it’s the one she gave Mario. He confirms this and Dora’s eyes go wider with horror and fear. No one can see that letter! Ale suggests that Dora search Susana’s room, while she searches Bertha’s. When Ale heads upstairs, Dora panics that she might find and read the letter. Abelardo assures Dora that although Ale already knows that David is not Mario’s blood child, he did not reveal that Dora is his mother. But if she did find out, Ale already knows the FaustiMario plan and was the one who constructed the tunnel. “What tunnel?” Seems Dora was left out of the loop on that one, so Abelardo explains.

Dora’s search of Susana’s room and Ale's search of Bertha’s room comes up empty. Ale sees Dora’s obvious anguish and tries to calm her by saying it was probably just thrown away. She asks Dora who wrote the letter, but doesn’t press when Dora says she can’t say. Ale reports back to Abelardo and tries to assure him as well that it probably is in one of the books, or was thrown away. Abelardo hopes so, since it could be used for ill if it fell into the wrong hands. (If only he knew.) Ale heads over to talk to Faustiago in the tunnel house. She compliments him on his amazing transformation into Mario. He chuckles in appreciation of the compliment. This is a man who has clearly missed working in his calling- the stage. She talks about how that first night when he showed up, they were all convinced he was Mario. She congratulates him once more and calls him a great actor. He gives her a little bow. She knows they haven’t had much of an opportunity to talk, but she lets him know that her uncle told her everything. Faustiago admits it’s been difficult with lots of frights (sobresaltos).

Ale asks him if he thinks her uncle’s death was an accident. He is completely honest with her. It was not an accident, he was murdered. So was his wife, and so was the young maid eleven years ago. And all of these deaths have something in common- Adolfo Avila. Ale wants to know how he’s so sure. Because there were witnesses. In fact, a witness that can prove JJ is completely innocent. Ale wants that person to come forward! It’s their obligation! Faustiago assures her that that person will do so. They are both shocked when the door bell rings. And Ale is even more shocked to find JJ on the other side of the door.

JJ’s come looking for Don Fausto, who he knows works there. Ale tells him it’s not a business, but instead a house that belongs to Don Mario who employs Fausto. She leads him away from the house and to his house to talk. Abelardo arrives to tell Faustiago about the missing letter. Faustiago is absolutely sure it was Bertha who took it.

At JJ’s house, Limon quickly makes himself and Caramelo scarce to give the squabbling love birds some alone time. Ale gets JJ to sit down and talk things through. She feels badly about what happened. She doesn’t want to offend his friends. She understands that he loves them and wants to help them. She loves him, more than he can imagine, and she doesn’t want to lose him. Ditto for him. But he thinks they are too different- like water and oil, and he’s really crude oil. She’s elegant, fine and educated. And even though he now has money and dresses nicely, he’s still coarse and ignorant. She assures him that she likes him just the way he is- simple, generous, caring, loving…They start to kiss and Ale is ready to be swept away by passion once more. JJ puts a halt to things, since Limon and la niña might return any minute. Ale suggests the perfect solution—they can go upstairs to his bedroom. JJ x-nays that idea too. Things are different here. Even though Limon was a homeless tramp, he’s pretty conservative. And la niña is still very young/little (chiquitita). Ale cannot believe he is rejecting her, again. She stands up and tells him the only thing that is chiquitita here is his brain! (At least she didn’t name another part of your anatomy JJ.) Then things really get nasty. He implies that the only thing wrong is her loose morals. He asks just how many guys has she “been with”. (That didn’t seem to be a problem for him when they were getting it on in the elevator, in the hallway, in the hotel suite, or on her desk, but whatever.) “How dare you!!!” She tries to slap him, but he catches her arm and asks, “That many?” (Tantos?) That really ticks her off and she catches him off guard with a well deserved hard slap with her left hand. She storms off calling him an imbecile, and wondering why that’s important to him. “You know what? The only one that I regret is getting involved with a guy like YOU. It makes me embarrassed/ashamed!” (me da verguenza) The squabbling love birds have turned into full fledged fighting cocks, staring each other down from opposite sides of the ring.

Labels: verdad

Capitulo 113.
Read Amanda’s original recap, then come back here to discuss it.

1. Pilar decides to stay in bed and not go to the commercial shoot because she’s afraid of horses. Fernando fears that if they can’t make the commercial, it will be the end of Conceptos.

2. Tomás sneaks into the club. Alicia is turned out because she didn’t pay her club dues.

3. Sara pursues the security guard. He ignores her like a Buckingham Palace guard.

4. Julieta cries because she forgot the salsa.

5. Pilar arrives and complains about everything

---

Capitulo 114.
Read Julie’s original recap, then come back here to discuss it.

1. Pilar rejects the hair and makeup planned for the shoot. She refuses to wear the cape the client requires. She says that if they don’t do it her way, she quits.

2. Lety tells Fernando he should call Luigi for advice on how to handle divas. Fernando doesn’t want to because he can’t stand for Luigi to see him helpless, but finally he relents and calls Luigi.

3. Sara pursues the security guard.

Labels: fea-2010

Labels: eva

Let’s revisit a bit of last night before we blast off into space cadet land - Bad stuff at Ilitia's. She's being a Bridezilla about the colors the wedding planner picked out for the tables. She wanted beige and burgundy, this idiot brought her vanilla and old rose. Out! Bye! Come back with better stuff. Chauffeur and maid watch this with squinchy disapproving faces. Bridezilla doesn't notice. She wants them to fetch her stylist and the poor wretch designing her wedding cake. But wait! She's smiling. A huge bouquet has arrived. Joy. It must be from Emanuel. She opens the note.

And a sinister note it is indeed. "I'm nearby. And I have a very special wedding present for you. Mauricio Fonseca."

Ooooh. Creepy. Muñeca, who is hovering by her daughter's side, looks perturbed. So does Ilitia.

Thank you Judy. Now on with the show…

Blender head Axel instructs Nereida to lay off Delicia. Paula kicks Nereida out of the kitchen. Ha, double smack down. Axel asks Delicia if she remembers the kiss they once shared. Two years ago? Or maybe it was the other day. Whatever, he’s feelin’ it and he knows she feels it too. He moves in for another beso and, hey, Delicia grabs the frying pan! Does she read our comments? She’ll have none of it and leaves him alone, frustrated, and ready to stick his head in the blender again.

We circle the globe and end up in Tenerife with Mari and Horny Jorge in a club or restaurant. She worries about Tia and he orders champagne. She wants to talk about work and he wants to talk about them, well about her specifically and her goofy glasses in general. (Just kidding about that last part.)

He blathers on about her creativity, blah blah, he’s in love with her. She "admires" him. Uh oh for him. Love is a closed chapter in her life she says.

Cut to Eman and Andres discussing El Lirio de Plata in all the headlines but Eman’s all morose and “tired” he says. “Look brother”, says Andres (closed caps say “Mira broder”), “you’re still in love with La Gorda, right?” Eman scoffs unconvincingly.

A spiffy-looking Netty is exhausted from her fame. Some stage hand tells here that a man is there to see her. She’s too tired but her agent (used to be her lawyer) says aw c’mon, could be a bigwig. (He could look for himself, but noooo…) She's surprised, but we aren’t, that Emiliano enters with a deep “Hello Netty” that could melt the Lambert Glacier.

Oh gack, creepy cacophonic music designed to induce insanity warns us of a Gretel sighting. She hides behind the door as Bernardo falls for the oldest trick in the book. When he comes in the cellar to annoy her she pushes him down and gets him in a strangle hold. It took her two years to figure this out? Oh well, she is under some amount of stress.

Carlota moans and groans to God not to take her before she finds Gretel. Oh goody and surprise surprise, the maid happily announces a family visitor. Tia is horrified to see the deadly Fedra. (Serves you right you old bat.) Fedra says she’s there for a funeral and she’s going to help it along. She’ll make sure Carlota has the most amazing burial ever, bwahahahaha!

Back in the cellar Bernardo gets the upper hand, ties Gretel up and throws her back in the empty hot tub. She starts her muttering mantra and he whispers to himself , “poor girl, two long years in here and she’s completamente loca. LOCA!!” Mira el burro hablando del orejas. (Pop quiz, remember Judy's dicho?)

Another surprise (not), Emiliano’s the one who’s been sending Netty the flowers and gifts. He tells her she’s more beautiful than ever. Netty knows, the journalists told her so and she’s enjoying her best time right now. She flips her hair coquettishly over her shoulder, you go girl! Emi’s stricken; his bold announcement did not make her melt at his feet. He says she acts like she doesn’t know him. Netty announces she’s exhausted and asks him to kindly leave her alone.

He goes toward the door but instead of leaving he shuts it. He wants to tell her the he hasn’t been able to forget her and…we go to break.

Carlota is gasping and still trying to push her weight around but she’s a toothless tiger. Fedra baits her, sits on her, and gleefully threatens her. Carlota will sign the papers that Fedra brought or no pills, she waves them just out of Car’s reach. They are interrupted momentarily by the maid but Fedra fakes her out with a faux fire drill and sends her downstairs to make some tea before taunting Tia with the flair of a flamenco dancer.

Emiliano: I couldn’t leave Fedra because she’s sick. Netty: Sick is what I feel when I look at you. Take your stupid flowers and give them to your snake of a wife. Emiliano: You might have thrown me from your bed but I know you haven’t thrown me from your heart.

This next bit is priceless. Fedra is literally lounging on top of Carlota and still waving the pills around. She presses Carlota’s chest and puts the contract in front of her face. Sign and she’ll give Carlota her pills. Life or death?

Ilitia and Muñeca have a visitor. It’s Brandon and he’s come to visit Muñeca not Ilitia. (Ilitia pouts sexily.) Not to worry, he only wants to know if El Lirio de Plata has made a donation?

Cut to Emanuel and Andres. (This makes me wonder if Eman is El Lirio. You know, the scene cut and all.) They are doing shots and Eman tells him duh, it’s all about La Gordita. He feels a chapter of his life hasn’t closed. Andres logically asks if Eman still thinks of La Gorda then why is he with Ilitia? Apparently it’s a matter of convenience, she was at his side after the accident and thanks to her he can walk again. Andres, again logically, suggests that it’s because of Eman that Eman can walk again. Eman admits it was his desire to go to Spain to get Mari that made him determined to walk. But she never answered his calls or emails boo hoo.

At the same time that Eman talks about not forgetting Mari, over in Tenerife Jorge tells Mari he knows she hasn’t forgotten Eman. He wants to help her forget everything she has suffered. He whips out a ring, proudly presents it to her, and asks her to marry him.

Suddenly-stupid Carlota has signed her death warrant, er I mean the contract, and wails this is her punishment. No Car, I think your punishment will be when your purple hair goes up in flames at the gates of hell. She whimpers to Fedra that she can’t die before finding Gretel and telling her about her true parents. She begs to know where Fedra has hidden her. Frisky Fedra’s in the mood for more games and she gives Carlota a choice. Does she want to know where Gretel is or does she want her pills? Fedra dumps all the pills out and starts shuffling them around the table while Carlota writhes around some more for effect. Then plops down dead.

Good riddance, mutters Fedra, I hope you’re burning in hell. Then she proceeds to serenade her dead auntie with a snippet of Adios a Mama Carlota. She yells for the maid and her tune turns into a death wail and she fakes the tragic figure beautifully.

Mari cuts to the chase, she tells Jorge she doesn’t love him. He’s sure she’ll never be ready until she’s completely over Eman. She’s tired and goes to her room. ‘Nuff said. Hopefully this is the last we’ll see of Jorge.

Brandon interrogates Muñeca about where she got the money to save the orphanage. Ilitia brags that her baby, her Emanuel, hired a super lawyer. Brandon wonders where Eman got the dough for such an expensive endeavor. Ilitia embarrasses Muñeca and the rest of us by pointing out they have money to spare; what Brandon would spend on a kilo of tortillas, their equivalent would be to buy a house or a car. Lots of eye rolling going on in the dollhouse. Muñeca admits that the money to save the home came from El Lirio de Plata.

Again the cut to Eman after the mention of El Lirio de Plata. He and Andres have practically the same conversation, angst, tears, I can’t get her out of my head.

Brandon tells them the orphanage won’t be endangered as long as Muñeca cooperates. She doesn’t know much, only that the money always arrives in a case. She conveniently leaves the young’uns to steam up the room.

And they do. After small talk about Ilitia getting married (“I’m going to be SO happy because I’m so in LUUUUV!”) Brandon comments she’s got a funny idea of love. Remember THE night? She tells him byeeee. He gives an A-1 performance of the new and very improved Brandon kiss as we go into break. These kids clearly need a few minutes alone.

Mari is painting walls green while wearing high heels. The tight black pants are fine but heels? While painting? Jorge, also a trendy dresser, joins in to help and reminds her how much he’s in love with her. I think. I actually can’t understand him at all. Whatever he said I know it’s annoying so give it a rest dude.

After several minutes of kissing Ilitia decides to become indignant and slap Brandon. He tells her to calm down, he didn’t want anything serious with a woman like her, whose obsessed with the latest style, so pretty on the outside but so empty inside. She says he’s dying of envy.

Muñeca returns with the case. OMG it’s un cofre!! Not another telenovela with a cofre! Loophole, she calls it a case so we’re safe for now. Brandon observes that it has the seal of the Lirio de Plata. Yes the money is the salvation of all those orphans but he’s the authority and he has to confiscate it. He sincerely wishes Ilitia a happy marriage and leaves. Ilitia looks like she’s going to cry.

Her phone rings and it’s Malicio who snickers that he hopes she liked the flowers because it’s only the beginning. He’s going to give her a wedding gift so big she’ll never forget it in her entire life. Oh, a BIG present? Well then maybe it’s not his, ahem, member like I originally thought.

Alex is all dressed up for a night out on the town. Delicia whistles and comments on his guaponess. He tries to entice her out but she reminds him that Fedra would kill her and throw her bones to the dogs. Oh gack, Lorena arrives to pick him up. He’s still with that skank? Little dude’s been stuck on dumb for two years. Just like everyone else I guess.

Jorge’s one of those stylish European types who looks put-together even with his shirttail hanging out and green paint on his face. Damn him. Mari’s phone rings. It’s Almodena calling to tell her the tragic news that Carlota died.

Eman’s lumbering around in a dark room. He unrolls a sketch of his beloved Mari and tries to imagine how sad life will be without her in it, without holding or kissing her. “Why aren’t you here with me? Why?! What did I do to drive you away?”

Back in Spain Mari has flung herself across Carlota’s coffin. Luckily Jorge is there, STILL, to comfort her. Mari demands that Almodena tell her what happened. Mari doesn’t understand, when she left, the doc said Carlota would be fine if she took her pills. Almo says she was fine up until her daughter in law Fedra visited her from Mexico. A great wailing and gnashing of teeth follows. Curses, foiled by Fedra again!

Fedra struts into her demented domicile and reports to her beloved estupidos Emiliano and Eman that Gretel shows no improvement. She’s lucid one day then loca then next, lucida y loca. At any rate her place is here with them for Eman’s wedding. Emiliano announces that the doctors in Mexico are just fine and he wants to bring Gretel home as soon as possible! Delicia looks stunned, probably because it’s the first intelligent thing she’s heard come out of his mouth in two years or more.

Down in the wine cellar Bernardo amuses himself by badgering Gretel some more. She goes off on sighs and hopes, he’ll come for me one day. Bernardo plays a silent violin behind her. He’ll rescue me and take me out of here, he hasn’t forgotten me. Bernardo tells her he’s probably married and forgotten all about her. She fantasizes about her happy times with Oliver. Somebody please get this girl out of the cellar!

Oliver is even more pathetic. Instead of using his cop skills to sleuth out the truth he’s busy getting drunk and demanding musica in the local cantina. He talks some guy into loaning him money for the jukebox so he can get maudlin and pathetic and sing badly while staggering around annoying the other patrons.

Over at the police station the big boss is beside himself because Oliver Rosales is once again AWOL. Brandon says he just needs time. Boss says Rosales just isn’t the same, he’s a stranger, it’s going on two years now and he’s going to suspend Oliver indefinitely. Brandon thinks it’s odd that Gretel has disappeared for two years. Change of topic. Brandon says another person who is missing is Gerard Torres, the mechanic who operated the helicopter that Mari mom was traveling in. Boss says they haven’t been able to find him all this time and he’s probably 4 meters under the earth.

Mari gets all over poor Almodena’s case for letting Fedra visit Carlota. After terrifying Almodena she demands to know exactly what happened. Almo tells her that Fedra wanted to be alone with Carlota and said she would give her the pills. Then she told Almo to go make some tea. Mari freaks and says Fedra killed her aunt! Almodena practically has a heart attack herself out of guilt. After ensuring that Almoden will be guilt-ridden her entire life, Mari finally gives the poor maid a hug. And that's how our episode ended tonight.


Mañana: Fedra whoops it up with Bernardo because she has it all. Mari vows that Fedra will know exactly who Marianela is.


Adiós a Mamá Carlota = one of the most famous Mexican protest songs, you can read a little about it here. The article starts in English but most of it is in Spanish, so good practice!

Representante = agent (Netty's ex-lawyer)
Estoy agotada = I’m exhausted (what Netty is)
Hasta nunca = good riddance
Lana = dough, money (Lit. wool)
Estuche = case
Cofre = chest
Cuanto antes = ASAP

Labels: llena

* FaustoMario drags Yolanda and screams "You lie, you lie! Get out of here!" The woman swears she gave shelter to Carlos when he was five years old, and when she found out it was Adolfo who had murdered Marta in exchange for her silence she obliged him to acknowledge Carlos as his son. Marta wasn't a decent woman: she abandoned her son, she didn't want to tell Santiago she was carrying Mario's child, and when she got tired of him she wanted to return to Mario. Oh, and she drops another truth bomb: the car accident wasn't an accident at all.



* In her bedroom Bertha sulks about Mario's behaviour again, and doesn't appreciate Alejandra's idea of looking finding a profession at last. Ale isn't worried about being kicked out of the Genovés villa since she has her own business and she's is looking for a flat anyway, but warns Bertha, who now places all her trust in rich, generous Adolfo, to be careful with that man.

* Mauricio brings Elsa home and he doesn't let his girl go until they share another sweet kiss.



* JJ gives a beautiful diamond pendant to his Alejandra, and while the big horny guy is talking with the hotel manager about booking the Fornication, I mean, Presidential Suite, Ale musingly check how the glittering stone would look like - on her finger.



* Next morning the heartbroken Faustiago, who spent all night crying about Marta and the cruelty of life, visits his wife's tomb. Damned woman! Why, why, why? He picks up a rock and damages the gravestone. In the meantime Leo learns his neighbour's left town, and not even his daughters know where he is now.



* Well, he's only a few yards away from the Genovés villa. Juan José, who's guiding the moving men, notices Fausto who's just arrived at the tunnel house. He heartily welcomes him and wants to show him the beautiful house he inherited from his cellmate. It must be a hobby of his. But Fausto wants to be in the headquarters as soon as possible so he says maybe next time. In the make-up room the viewers and Abelardo get another tantrum. Now why so serious? That Juan José lives in the neighbouring house and guess who reconstructed his home? Alejandra! There are too many connections, there's too much pressure, it's enough! However, our patient Abelardo gets out of him what his real problem is: Marta. He always thought she was a good woman and mother. Abe encourages him and advises to think about his daughters and the vengeance against Adolfo.

* JJ shows Alejandra the huge dining table he bought... But he forgot the fact there's no dining room in his house. Anyway, Alejandra tells him her plan to move out of Mario's house (which became a madhouse lately). She has to live her own life and she wants to be with JJ. What about moving together, asks JJ. Me encantaría! (I'd love that!)



* A nervous, confused Roberto shows up at the Genovés house to make sure that Mario is really alive. He meets Susana who tells him the "my husband left me so now I work here" tale. And what about his bruises, did someone beat him up? Oh, he's just had an accident. Anyway. He asks her to meet him privately later. Their friendly chat is interrupted by the appearance of the living dead, the first zombie of Mexico City. Roberto can't believe his eyes and he almost touches Mario's shoulder to check he's not a phantom.



* The happiness of Ale and JJ doesn't last long. When she learns Asunción and Caramelo are going to live with them she explodes. She understands he'd like to help them but why on Earth does he want to bring them into his house? JJ starts to raise to voice too: because they're are his only family, what should he do now, should he kick them out? She doesn't want to live with people like them and it doesn't help either that JJ reminds her he's one of those simple people.



* Leonardo visits SantiMario to ask a few questions about his friend, Fausto Guillén. Does he know where he works? No, to SantiMario's knowledge Fausto has no job. Strange, says Leo. Though he's unemployed he's on a business trip. *Viewerville: Busted!* And does he know a man called Santiago Guzmán? No. Or Marta Sardíval? No. No, no, no, actually he never heard of them. But Gabriela heard them talking about Marta. Fausto denies everything: no, that must be some kind of misunderstanding. Leo is definitely worse than Columbo and Poirot put together and his cross-question make Fausto feel like he's a butterfly in the spider's web.



Now he asks him about Adolfo, who actually does know Santiago and Marta. There's one thing he doesn't understand: how could he, an experienced businessman team up with Adolfo Ávila who knew nothing about hotels by that time? Errr, because he needed an associate, says Mario. Anyway, what is this sudden interest in Adolfo? Does he investigate after him? Fausto mentioned him that Leo thinks he may be a smuggler. Leo stays silent and Mario asks him not to tell about Fausto's past to his daughters. Outside a very curious David, Gaby and Bertha, who's enchanted by the handsome detective, try to find out what the hell is happening inside the study.

* Mina notices Alejandra's nervousness so Ale tells her everything about JJ, his little friends and what she thinks about living together under the same roof. And did she use that tone of voice when she told her opinion to Juan José? Worse. Mina understands her wish to be alone with her lover but she thinks Ale should've been much more polite and diplomatic. *Viewerville: Team Mina*



* In the hotel apartment JJ pours his heart to Asunción. He's a little bit depressed, he wants to work and to do something good because he feels useless. He's tired of spending money all the time ... the money he didn't even earn!



* David fumes in the study. Hinds very strange that a detective investigates after Fausto and thinks his father-in-law's behaviour is suspicious. SantiMario fiercely defends Fausto which makes David completely confused. Why does he behave like that? Why does he treat him like a child? Something must've happened to Mario. Outside Bertha rushes to David to ask why Leo visited Mario. Blondie shouts at her: because you stole her photos and gave it to Carlos Ávila! She denies everything. David swears if he ever finds out it was her he'll kick her out of the house, understood?

* JJ brings Asunción and Caramelo to their lovely new home.

* David shows up at Carlos's office demanding to know if Bertha gave him the photo. Moustache is quite amused at his anger... Until he insults him and his father and reproaches them for their dirty business tricks. How dare he?! He's the son of the owner, he has every right to say what he wants! And Carlos drops the bomb: well, well, well he isn't your father. Whaaat?!



* David immediately drives home and storms into his father's room. I'd like to talk with you... Dad. He sends everyone out and repeats him what Carlos said. Is this true? Is this why Mario tolerates Adolfo? Is he is father or not? And Fausto, who's completely fatigued by lying, role-playing and scheming, decides to show him the whole truth. While poor David is fighting against heart attack and faint, he removes his wig, the prosthetic nose and the denture, and there he is: the morbid hybrid of Mario Genovés and Fausto Guillén.



Aribeth

Labels: verdad

Capitulo 111.
Read Amanda’s original recap, then come back here to discuss it.

1. Julieta sets Matilde straight in no uncertain terms, then she jumps on Tomás for saying he’s engaged, and on Pop for NOT saying he’s married. Pop says, “Do you really think I’d trade my woman for a crazy like that?” Matilde starts chasing Tom instead – literally.

2. See the transcript. Fernando tells Lety how content he is and that he desires her, but Marcia calls to check up on and interrogate him. (Raise your hand if you think Marcia is nuts to want to marry him.) After hanging up, Fernando starts “ignition” kisses, but Lety pulls away and says, “No, wait.” Fernando says, “I thought you felt the same as me.” Lety says of course she does, but she saw someone outside (Pilar).

3. Julieta says that maybe she should open a catering business so she feels useful. Erasmo tells her that her work taking care of her home and family is very important, and she agrees that it’s a job she loves.

4. Super Fernando took the night off. Clark Kent Mendiola wants Lety to go scare off the intruders because she’s the assistant. They find Pilar and she refuses to leave. Finally, to make her give up, Lety tells her that Fernando is engaged to Marcia. Pilar leaves, Fernando tells Lety she shouldn’t have, and Lety answers that she defended him with the thing that hurts her most.

5. Fernando takes her home, and she says it was a marvelous night. He counters that it was a disaster. Lety insists it was wonderful, aside from.. See the transcript. Fern doesn’t want to stop kissing her goodnight.

6. Erasmo insists that he will go along to the shoot tomorrow, and Lety anticipates problems.

7. Lety tells Tom he can’t go because she doesn’t want Fernando to meet him, and Ali won’t be there anyway. She asks him why he’s so depressed, considering all the kisses he got. He says they’re not from the person whose kisses he wants. Lety used to tell Tom to stop dreaming because he would only get hurt. But now she tells him, “Keep dreaming because sometimes dreams come true.”

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Capitulo 112.
Read Julie’s original recap, then come back here to discuss it.

1. Lety tells her diary how moved she was to be at Fernando’s house. At first she felt bad invading Marcia’s turf. She had so much fun with him, and he said he had just as much fun with her. “We have the same sense of humor. I feel so complete at his side. He’s .. magical. Don Fernando is my reason to exist.” Uh-oh!

2. Omar calls from Germany and the woman in the yellow coat walks through the Marienplatz (Munich’s central square). She will walk through the square many times before we’re done in Germany. Fernando gushes about how marvelous their date was (we were tan enamorados), and Omar hangs up on him.

3. Morning. Lety asks Pop to be more careful about how he talks to her coworkers, and Pop takes offense. Lety and Mama agree that he’s imprudent but he has a good heart, and there’s nothing they can do.

4. Lety is afraid to tell Fernando that Julieta is cooking for the staff. Fern is aggravated when he discovers it, and even more disturbed to see Erasmo. Pop berates him for defiling his daughter, and he tells Fern that he’ll do whatever necessary to protect his daughter. Fernando quivers, but it was a fantasy.

5. Sara sets her sights on the tall, dark and silent security guard. Lety asks Pop to stay away from the filming. Pop meets two drunk club members on the fairway, and he asks them why they aren’t at work.

6. Fernando’s horse Camila has colic and the only horse available is Relámpago (lightening bolt) who is “muy bronco.”

Tomorrow: Tomorrow’s two episodes are total blither. But don’t lose hope. That marks the end of the worst of the underwear commercial. It gets better Monday.

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Spanish Lesson

At the fireplace.
F: We ended up with no dinner, Lety.
L: That doesn’t really bother me.
F: I haven’t lit the fireplace in a long time. I like how it looks.
L: I’ve never experienced anything this romantic, Don Fernando.
F: Do you know what, Lety, I feel something different.
L: (Flirting.) Why? You don’t want me to leave?
F: Ay, Picarona (naughty)! No, no, it’s been a long time since I’ve felt so relaxed. I’m in my house, listening to good music, contemplating the fire, and desiring the woman who’s with me.

Marcia calls. M: I’m calling to see if you’re in your house. F: Yes, I’m here. M: Are you alone? F: Yes, alone, with my shadow (winks at Lety). M: Are you sure? Do you notice, you haven’t called me once since I left for Germany. F: I’m so busy with the commercial and all. M: You could at least pretend that you like me or that I’m important to you. F: Oh, stop saying that (notice he doesn’t refute it).

After hanging up the phone.
L: See, I told you. Marcia is always present.
F: Lety, I feel really bad, really uncomfortable.
L: With me?
F: No hombre! Don’t be that way. I feel really bad about myself. I just told Marcia that I’m here alone, and I don’t like to deny (negar – say that it’s not so) you. You’re very important to my life.
L: You didn’t negar me. I’m your shadow. That’s more than enough for me.

At Lety’s house.
L: Thank you for this marvelous night.
F: What are you talking about? Marvelous? Everything was a disaster, for goodness sake!
L: No, DF. Being in your house made me very happy. Aside from the presence of Marcia, but it’s always like that. And aside from the call from Marcia that also always happens.
F: Don’t forget the wonderful arrival of Pilar. What a wonderful guest, huh?
L: Well, if we’re going to talk about things like that, then (it was marvelous) aside from burning the fondue. And you didn’t know how to cut the bread. And the salad didn’t work, we didn’t make it. And also we didn’t make lo..
F: Ay yi yi! Picarona! Do you know what? Whenever we’re together it goes well, verdad?
L: You make everything worth the trouble (?). Everything has been fun and enjoyable.
F: It’s you that makes me enjoy it, Lety (?).
L: I love you, Don Fernando.
F: I promise, next time I’ll buy all the equipment for fondue.
L: Maybe it’s better if next time (??).
F: It’s true, isn’t it? You don’t just think about numbers, you think about food! You have everything all in order.
L: No, Don Fernando, it’s that.. always I think about you. They don’t want to stop kissing.

Labels: fea-2010