Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Sortilegio #10, Monday Oct 19: Will Half a Million Keep Bruno Away from MJ?

Hello everyone,

I’m sorry this is so late!!! I wasn’t aware of how quickly everyone liked to see these, and also didn’t plan enough time to write the recap and get it up. I promise you all it will be up a lot more quickly next time. Any comments about what you might like to see are most welcome.

Sortilegio chapter 15

Review of the end of chapter 14:
Brutus asks Alex for $1mm to leave the country and Alex barters him down to $500m. Alex sends for the check to be cut and signed and as Brutus is leaving Alex mockingly asks him about Maria Jose – is Bruno just going to leave her to him? Bruno gives him a killing look but no answer, and after he leaves faithful friend Fernando (FFF) points out that Alex is looking for trouble by poking at Brutus. That’s what Alex wants, he claims – he wants Brutus to fume! (He uses the word reventar, which means to explode, and there are definitely overtones of “may his head explode from the frustration and rage I hope I’m causing him!”) He vows to put security on Maria Jose so that Bruno can’t take her away. FFF reminds Alex that he has one month to annul the marriage as long as he doesn’t have sex with MJ.

Begin chapter 15:
Cut to Maria Jose and her sister Paula. Paula is trying on her older sister’s clothes. MJ is counting money and tracking the family’s finances. Paula wants to know why Alejandro was so furious the night before and wonders if it had to with MJ. MJ is of course sworn to secrecy and only tells her that it’s because of problems between the two of them – nothing to do with her. Paula remarks that he seems really jealous. “Of course Bruno’s jealous” says Maria Jose – it’s already clear to her that Alex is the top dog and Bruno is the one who’s jealous. Noooo squeals Paula – It’s not Bruno who is jealous of Alex, but Alex who is jealous of Bruno, because Alex himself likes Maria Jose. Maria Jose is pretty pragmatic about any supposed attraction: sure – maybe he likes me – but for what reason?

Maria Jose counts out some of their money and tells Paula to bring their father shopping for some hair dye and a couple of shirts. Paula whines about not getting anything for herself, and when MJ says that don’t have any more money P wonders why MJ doesn’t ask Alex for money. She clearly feels like she doesn’t fit in in their new environment but MJ reminds her that they are there temporarily and it’s got to end. Paula can’t understand why and when MJ leaves the room P goes through her wallet and empties it of all the money she can find.

Cut to a shot with Victoria and Maria Jose on a bench in front of house. Victoria is explaining to MJ how much it has always pained her the way those boys don’t get along, and asks MJ to avoid talking to Bruno since it obviously bothers Alex and leads to fights like the one they had the previous evening. MJ assures her that she is not the one seeking out problems and Victoria jumps on that immediately – “Ah – so it’s him?” MJ reassures her that it’s just because they are living together, and Victoria asks her to listen to her (i.e., stay away from B).

Alex drives up in his (of course) white sports car, supposedly for some papers, and asks to talk to Maria Jose. As they walk into the house he tells her in a low voice that Bruno asked him for money and wants to know if Bruno asked MJ to go away with him. She tells him that he did, but she refused. –“Why?” She wants to be truthful with him, she says, and show him that she’s a good person. She hopes that he won’t send her to jail and that the two of them can get a divorce. Alex gives a brief nod and a searching look and the shot cuts to Bruno rounding the drive in his grey sports car. He tells his mother he has to talk with Alex and, ignoring her and her explanation that he’s with MJ, runs up the stairs in search for him.

In the meantime Maria Jose and Alex have made it to the office and are discussing the oddity of what has happened to them. Alex asks MJ if she believes in destiny, no doubt wondering if she is his. MJ isn’t sure about the destiny concept and thinks it may be simply a question of ending up where your errors leave you. Alex hopes that he’s not making an error with her, and MJ says she can tell him only that she wishes that what happened had never happened.

Alex suggests they take the opportunity to get to know each other, but MJ is afraid that he will just deceive her too – he and his family are so different. Alex maintains that the only difference is the money – they are flesh and blood like everyone else. He’s been moving closer as they talk and now he starts to kiss her. She responds with just a minimal and unenthusiastic puckering of lips. Alex, suave ladies’ man that he is, can recognize when a woman isn’t really participating and he backs off and asks her if it bothers her that he kissed her. MJ says that’s not it – it’s just that she doesn’t know if she’s doing the right thing. Alex throws back his head and laughs – ha ha ha – and hooks his arm around her neck to draw her in close.

They are locked in an embrace when Bruno charges into the room. You would think that MJ or Alex would notice that he has come in, but at that moment dramatic music cuts in so loudly that of course they don’t hear him arrive. Bruno watches them for a painful moment, until Alex notices him. MJ is pretty much into the embrace and doesn’t realize Bruno is there until Alex backs away from her and angrily asks Bruno how many times he has to remind him to knock before entering. Bruno, in a trembling voice, hands him the check and tells him he forgot to sign it. Alex signs it and then, in an obvious attempt to make Bruno's head explode, puts his arm around MJ and tells Bruno that the two of them wish him an excellent trip.

Maria Jose is angry – it’s clear that Alex is using her to get at his brother - and asks Alex what his plans are for her. Alex wants to know what would have happened if he had really died and MJ had inherited all his money – was Bruno planning to the marry MJ? MJ says that was Bruno's plan, but she would never have fallen in with it and she had told Bruno that. Alex is skeptical – she’s in love with Bruno, and a woman in love will always end up forgiving her man. MJ is adamant – she will never forgive Bruno!! She wants to know what Alex is going to do – is he going to wait until Bruno leaves the country and then blame her for everything? Because if he does she won’t hesitate to spill the truth. Even if no one believes her, it will cause a scandal for the Lombardo family and she knows they don’t want that.

Cut to Bruno and slavish dog Eric. Bruno tells Eric their plans have changed. MJ and her family don’t have passports so they’ll have to go to Mexico City first (to get them, I suppose). Eric tells him that his buddy in Tijuana can get them fake visas. That’s fine, says Bruno, but they also have to find another way to get MJ and her family out of the Lombardo family compound, because Alex has beefed up security. They have to be ready to grab any opportunity that presents itself.

Cut to MJ and Alex, with Alex explaining why he took the decision he did (which decision? He’s not specific, but it seems to be the one related to bribing Bruno to leave the country): it’s so unpleasant to know that someone is trying to kill you. MJ agrees that this is indeed unpleasant, but points out that it’s been tried many times before – Bruno has told her so! Alex is astonished and angry that she could still believe Bruno after all the lies he’s told, but she points out that she knows nothing about them. Alex tells her that the accident was intentional – the semi-trailer truck aimed straight for them – and a poor campesino was killed in the attempt. MJ starts to say she doesn’t think Bruno capable of such a thing, but Alex assures her that Bruno is capable of all of that and more. He’s gotten worked up and angry and now starts to wonder again how involved MJ is in the plot. Bruno is leaving the country, MJ wants a divorce, and she and Bruno can then get together, forget all this nasty business about an attempted murder, and live happily ever after. MJ assures him that she is not going to marry Bruno. Alex says he believes her, but proposes that they change their marriage contract so that MJ no longer gets a portion of his money if they break up. She agrees – she doesn’t want his money! and glares at him. He drops his eyes.

Cut to a shot of Lisette, Paula and Don Pedro in front of the mansion. Lisette was just visiting Raquel and is on her way out, and she’d be happy to drop off Paula and Don Pedro downtown. Maria Jose arrives and and Lisette tells her how surprised everyone was that she married Alex, and assures her that she, Lisette, has nothing against her. She invites them to a party the following day but MJ doesn’t seem very interested; she’ll ask Alejandro. Paula whines and grabs MJ arm “ay sí – vamos!” and MJ says that if they can, they will. Lisette, Paula and Don Pedro all leave in Lisette’s SUV to go to town.

Faithful Friend Fernando arrives at that moment and he and MJ exchange an awkward head-bob and wave; they are clearly not at ease with each other. Fer goes to Alex’s office, where Alex tells him that he is changing the status of the marriage contract, and that MJ is aware of what he is doing and agreed to it. He also tells Fer that he thinks MJ is a victim of Bruno’s “murderous schemes.” Fer just wants to make sure that Alex isn’t making an error which might hurt Victoria. Alex smirks and doesn’t reply, but Fer keeps going on about it – it’s easy to be dazzled by a pretty woman who presents herself as the victim of somebody that Alex hates. They don’t resolve the issues and Fer changes the subject, telling Alex he just came to let him known that Alvaro (?) has been investigating the accident site but there are so many isolated villages out there that they haven’t yet found out anything about the campesino who died, or his wife. Fer stays to eat with them.

The next scene, in a shopping mall, seems designed to show just how out of place and over their heads Paula and Don Pedro are, and how false Lisette is in pretending to be their friend. Don Pedro is so afraid on the escalator that he tries to run back up it to get off. Paula wants to look – just look - at shoes in a designer-label store and Lisette insists on buying a pair for her.

Now Victoria, Alex, Bruno, Fernando and Maria Jose are having lunch and Fer is talking about a fine they had to pay on a development deal, and suggests to Bruno that he (Bruno) talk to him (Fer) the next time so that Fer can look at the land beforehand and make sure that it’s buildable. Bruno is contemptuous and incredulous – I should let you know. This seems another scene designed to show the difference between evil Bruno and saintly Alex. Bruno maintains that a bribe could take care of practically anything – even building a skyscraper on a cemetery, and Alex reminds him about his father’s saying that there are no solid grounds to build anything if it’s not done ethically. Bruno angrily tells Alex not to talk to him about his father. Squabbling ensues, interrupted by the arrival of Paula and Don Pedro.

The new arrivals sit down and Paula brings up the party the following evening. MJ says she doesn’t really feel like going but Paula and Bruno pressure her, saying she needs to start developing a social life. Besides, says Bruno, setting out some bait for Alex, Alex would be delighted to bring her – he’s always been proud of all the beautiful women he squires around, and he’s squired the most beautiful women in Merida. Alex of course takes the bait and ups the ante (sorry for the excessive metaphors): Maria Jose is in fact the most beautiful woman he’s seen – wouldn’t Bruno agree – and he would be delighted to bring her to this party. With staged tenderness he takes MJ’s hand, calls her my love and says he wants to bring her to the party because he would do anything to please her; if she wants to go then they shall. Victoria now chimes in that it would be a good idea to go and MJ, pressured on all sides, caves. The girl is clearly missing a few vertebrae. Paula squeals with delight but points out to all at the table that, unfortunately, all their dress clothes are in Saquí and alas, they will have nothing to wear. Soft touch Alex, of course, tells them not to worry about it.

Maria Jose, Paula and Don Pedro are walking back to the guest house after lunch. MJ is angrily recriminating Paula for her obvious bid to get some new clothes out of the deal. Paula shrieks at her that she should get over her complex about it, that they can’t go in rags, that she should do it for Alex, whose wife should be dressed appropriately. MJ insists that Alex is NOT her husband, and Paula and Don Pedro insist that he is: she married a man named Alex Lombardo, and there is a wedding certificate to prove it. MJ points out that Alex was not the one who signed the certificate, and Don Pedro, desperate to stay out of jail, points out how happy, how in love Alex seems to be with her. MJ, sworn to secrecy, can only insist that they just don’t understand, and she leaves them.

Brutus is explaining to Eric that at the upcoming party he will wait until it’s very crowded and then take MJ and her family away. The first thing Alex will check is the planes, so the four of them will drive up to Mexico City rather than flying. Once they have the passports they’ll go to Tijuana for the visas. Eric will have to stay in Merida to keep an eye on what Alex is doing, but he will join them later in the US. Eric is fearful that B will leave him behind but Bruno insists that he won’t.

Meanwhile, back at the compound, Maria Jose is going to her room. Alex sees her and greets her with a flirtatious, “Hi, beautiful.” MJ angrily tells him not to call her that, and says she is not a plaything for him or his brother, that he should save his pretty lies for his other girlfriends. (I can’t help thinking that if MJ were in fact a toy, say a teddy bear, she would by now be missing an arm and half her stuffing would be falling out of her.) Alex points out that they are in fact living a lie, and MJ again reproaches him for telling lies about her being beautiful and only wanting to please her. By this time they are inside MJ’s room, and Alex tells her that if he had gotten married of his own free will he would surely have married her, because of all the women he knows she is far and away the best. He has grasped her arms to tell her this but she denies what he is saying and rather feebly tries to shake him off. He insists that it’s so and she responds that she is aware of the great bitterness (rencor) between the two men and doesn’t want to be used by them to get at each other. She turns to face him: “That’s really what you want from me, isn’t it?” Nope. It turns out (according to Alex) that the only thing he wants is for her to go to dinner with him that night. (His needs are simple, his wants are few.)

Maura and Bruno meet at a restaurant or bar, where Bruno tells Maura of his plan to take MJ and her family away during the party. This is, of course, purely for MJ’s sake, as Alex has practically kidnapped her and is keeping her there against her will. Will Maura help him? But of course! Her job will be to keep Alex busy while Bruno spirits away MJ and her family.

Maria Jose and Alex are at a restaurant and Alex is leading MJ onto the dance floor. MJ proposes that they each lay their cards on the table. He knows who she is and how she got there, and now she wants to know more about him. What she especially wants to know is, is he being so good to her and her family simply to get her into bed, as Bruno maintains? Alex would like to know if she would accept if those were the conditions. If he agreed to a give her a divorce and forget about the whole thing, would she sleep with him? She doesn’t answer and he wonders why not – is it because she is afraid it will make him angry if he says no? That, she says, and also she’s never made love, and she has to be in love to make love. Well, Alex acknowledges that he would like to get her into bed, but says he would never pressure her. And now we get to the crux of the matter: MJ wants to know if he will let her and her family go, even if she doesn’t sleep with him. Alex wonders why she wants to leave – is it so that she can go back to Bruno? She claims not, and he says that if he were absolutely sure that she wasn’t going back to B he might, he might, he might let her go. Throughout the conversation they are stroking and caressing each other’s hair, so it’s hard to believe either one is really able to think beyond the pheromones they’re both producing.

Back at the house, Alex accompanies to her room. He tells her his mother will go with her and Paula tomorrow to get clothes, but she is really bothered by how much they are taking from him and doesn’t want to accept any more. He proposes that she take what he is offering right now (no, not that - the clothes!) and when she leaves them she can leave behind everything he gave her. They exchange a brief kiss at the door of her room but it’s clear that they’re both dying for more.

MJ is alone in her room and, big surprise, here’s Bruno coming through the outside door again. Why in the world doesn’t that girl start locking the doors? Bruno tells Maria Jose about the plan for the next night at the party, but she refuses: she wants to do things right, Alex has said he will give her a divorce and she believes him. Bruno, enraged, grabs her by the neck and says that he won’t allow Alex to win this fight – Alex can keep all the money but he won’t get MJ, and if MJ doesn’t fall in with Bruno's plans he will turn her father in for dealing in black market goods and running drugs. MJ starts to say she will tell the truth but Bruno claps his hand over her mouth and says she has no way of making her accusations stick, whereas he has all he needs to make his accusations against her father work.

The next day Maria Jose, Paula and Victoria go shopping, MJ protesting all the while that she is really embarrassed about accepting so much. Later, in an exclusive boutique, Paula is clearly enjoying herself and Maria Jose is just as clearly uninterested.

Over drinks Maura and Raquel talk about Bruno’s plans to go away with MJ and her family. Raquel doesn’t understand why she would walk away from Alex and his money, but Maura doesn’t care – she just wants her to go.

Maria Jose tells Paula that they have to leave with Bruno because of the threats he has made about turning in their father and Paula pitches a terrific fit. Paula wants her to tell Alex about Bruno’s threats, but MJ doesn’t want this to be the cause of another fight. Paula finally agrees, with bad grace and with much crying and shouting, that, to save their father they have to go.

Felipa and Victoria are wondering what is really going on between Alex and Maria Jose. They are unable to resolve the situation, but Victoria is sure of one thing – since that girl MJ has come to the household there has been nothing but fights and an unhealthy atmosphere in the household. She tells Felipa about Alex’s first supposition that MJ and an accomplice were trying to swindle him and perhaps even kill him, and wonders what is the matter with him that now he rejects the possibility that MJ was responsible. She is sure that something is wrong with Alex, and is angry with Fernando that he won’t tell her what’s going on. Felipa asks, not quite out of the blue, if Victoria has ever thought of getting married again.

MJ tells her father that they have to leave. She doesn’t want to tell her father that he is what Bruno is using to blackmail them into leaving, and so she says it’s because Alex is on the verge of discovering what’s going on. Bruno comes to get their birth certificates so that they can apply for passports and assures MJ that, although she is angry with him now, she will see later that he was right to do what he did. A few minutes later Alex drives up just as Bruno, followed fairly closely by MJ, return to the main house. Alex asks her where she’s been and she says with her father. -“With Bruno?” -“No, alone.” A clearly doesn’t buy it and goes to ask Roberto if he was with Bruno (apparently the only place Bruno would have been if not with MJ and her father was with Roberto). Roberto, in a bathrobe and with a cocktail in his hand, says he hasn’t seen Bruno.

Alex goes to see Don Pedro and says that Bruno just told him he (B) had come by to say hello. Don Pedro, not quite sure what to say, says that he was but just for a couple of minutes. Alex doesn’t respond but is clearly unhappy and suspicious. He returns to the main house, where his mother tells him that although Paula was overjoyed with the clothes, MJ seemed distracted, sad and unhappy, although she didn’t say anything. Victoria asks what is going on, since there is clearly something wrong with MJ and the two of them are still sleeping in separate rooms. Alex, taken aback, comes up with the quickest lie he can think of: his rib is still bothering him a bit. Vicki doesn’t buy it and tells him so, but Alex simply excuses himself and says he has a lot to do.

Getting ready for the party, MJ notices that all their money is gone. Paula maintains that one of the servants must have taken it, but MJ isn’t buying it. Before they can argue, Vicki knocks on the door. Persistent to the end, she ask MJ to please talk to her if she and Alex are having problems. MJ gives her an emotional hug and thanks her for everything before quickly leaving.

At the party, Alex is obviously proud to introduce Maria Jose to his friends, introducing her by her (very long) married name, Maria Jose Samaniego de Lombardo. Bruno takes Maura aside to tell her she has to somehow get Alex alone so that he can get MJ and her family away from the party. In a moment alone with MJ, Alex comments that she seems odd. She says it’s because she’s not used to parties like this, and Alex takes the opportunity to tell her how beautiful she looks tonight. At that moment Maura interrupts them, gives Alex an exceedingly affectionate kiss and insists that she has to talk to Alex on urgent business - she needs his advice about a financial matter. MJ surely wouldn’t mind lending him her husband, would she? MJ clearly does mind, but does the polite thing and says of course she doesn’t. Maura proposes to Alex that they go someplace quiet where they can talk alone. As they walk away Alex is following MJ with his eyes from across the room, and a frustrated Maura tells him not to worry, nothing will happen to wifey (tu mujercita). Alex tells her not to kiss him like that anymore when she greets him, and especially not in front of his wife.

Bruno gets MJ and tells her their father is going to be there soon and then they will all leave. MJ tells him she has changed her mind – she doesn’t want to leave anymore, and she goes to look for Alejandro.

Maura, in the meantime, has brought the conversation around from investments to her and Alex. She wants to know why he could have done what he did. They were together (and by together, understand “together”) just a few days before he got married – what happened? Alex looks away from her, unable to find a response, and just as MJ walks into view Maura is pulling his head around to force him to look at her so she can tell him she loves him (I must say, there is a lot of coercion by way of head and neck going on in this story.) The scene ends with MJ gasping. It’s not clear whether or not she has heard Maura, but she has clearly seen how intimate they still are with one another.

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Gancho Tuesday October 20, '09 Flute Lessons, Anyone?

Aldo is heading off to "music school" as we end this episode. And Luisa is headed for trouble if Constanza uses the photos Katja took. And Monita and Mauricio seemed headed for a mini honeymoon but we know something will put the kibosh on that. And the double date of Lorenza/Salvador and Gabriela/Oscar is headed for trouble...for sure!


But let's start at the beginning. Monita's at the gym, After-glow Connie has just come out of the shower; Consteño's sniffing her hot red dress and our Moni draws the obvious conclusion: Connie's favorite color is not red but black.


Both Costeño and Connie hasten to clarify. Not the big guy!...the little guy...Beto. Fireworks are about to erupt but the writers flip us back to the office where Gabriela has lined up the three gray-smocked receptionists like little dolls and is grilling them about the latest gossip. Paula's not going to share any of her night with Christian (and where was Paula's dad during all this?) and Gabriela chides her for being "uña y mugre" (thick as thieves) with Lorenza. Paula chides right back that Gaby is going with a married man. A soon-to-be-divorced man, corrects Gaby. Whoops. Lorenza has appeared. End of conversation.


Beto's protesting his innocence even though Monita notices he's wearing his same clothes from yesterday. So what? Sometimes he doesn't change his clothes for a week. (We have no problem believing this. Evidently neither does Monita.)


Beto was teaching me to box, purrs Constanza. It was so...strenuous...I needed to take a shower afterwards. After flinging down THAT particular gauntlet, Connie tosses out another. If you think I'm going to give up Mauricio without a fight, think again! I'll lower myself to YOUR level and fight with fists if need be. They start to go at it, but Beto warns Connie off. Monita in a fist fight will pound you to the ground, he warns. (And certainly with one hand gripping her towel, our Connie would be at a real disadvantage.) We get a quick ad here, which hopefully will allow the closed captions to catch up. They were running about 5 minutes behind.


Okay, we're back and so are the closed captions. Monita snarling that Connie doesn't have the "agallas" (guts) to fight her. Connie ripostes that she'll put her in her place. My place is with Mauricio, coos Moni. Score! But when you're ready for a fight, come get me, she adds. The scene ends delightfully with Connie going "quéquéquéqué and doing a tongue-roll duet with Beto. These two are meant for each other! (carnally speaking anyway)


Another carnal couple, Lorenza and Oscar, are making discreet plans in the office. She's suggesting he make a play for Gabriela so no one will suspect they making salacious whoopee on the side. However, if he actually touches Gabriela, she warns, he'll die. (Oscar looks truly worried....and turned on.)


Tulips arrive with the mysterious note. "Para que nuestro secreto florezca." You can figure that out, can't you? But the gals can't. Paula, Gaby , Monita and Lorenza all decide the flowers are for them. But Lorena walks off with them. Don't mess with the schizo!


While the females battle over the flowers, the menfolk are talking about the planned business trip to Merida. (Look up the Wikipedia reference on it. It's interesting.) Mauricio wants to stay home and nurture Monita in her grief but Jerry needs him to get out of town so the noxious trio can hatch their latest plan to deep-six the adoption. He comes up with the grand idea of Mauricio taking his personal assistant/novia with him. Mauricio's on board, and once he convinces Moni she can train in the gyms and lovely parks of this former Mayan colony, she's on board too. They have some little exchange where she misunderstands and thinks he's going to show her some "teiboleras" (table dancers) but that's quickly cleared up. Culture, only culture... and maybe a little romance on the side.


A short sweet scene with Gaby and Sal. I love this couple. She thanks him for the tulips. He didn't send them. Who did then? No no, I'm not a gossip, just have a lot of innocent curiosity. He kisses her briefly...but quite thoroughly...and then says "Off with you, gossip girl". For some reason, that scene just entranced me. Oh heck, I'm a sucker for mature/old folks romance.


Fake romance? Not so much. Oily Oscar is out propositioning Gaby for dinner that night. She says "no". Lorenza ups the ante. Not interested in Oscar anymore? You must be dating someone else, no? Er, no. Well, fine. Clearly Oscar's crazy about you. Tell you what! Sal and I will join you and all four of us will go out to dinner. Oh no. Oh yes. Oh dear.


And now to more skullduggery. Constanza, playing the generous employer, is giving her salesgirls the afternoon off. They're confused and suspicious. So are we. Enter Luisa and Katja. Connie pretends to be desperate for help (these salesgirls are sooo unreliable), will you gals fill in for me this afternoon? Of course. As soon as she leaves, perfidious Katja persuades Luisa to start trying on the lingerie while she posts a "Closed" sign on the window. This can't be good. In fact it looks like one of thse PSA announcements about not putting intimate photos on cellphones. We'll see.


And things are looking bleak in the barrio. Nieves is doing one of her thorough ream-outs of Beto. How could he be getting it on with that "flauta" Constanza!? Me dañas...(say it with me)...bleats Beto. It's your fault you lost Monita, continues Mom, and I'm thinking she's better off without you. Ouch! But bless his little heart, Aldo arrives at that moment with a request that only Uncle Beto can fill...Help me be with a woman, he pleads. Beto's confused and thinks for a moment Aldo's looking for a sandwich date. But he finally understands he just needs a guide to getting some professional experience. No problem. More to come.


Back at the lingerie boutique, Katja has a brief moment to redeem herself. Luisa is telling her how she didn't like her at first, but now that she knows her and knows what a great gal she is..... Guilty look. But then Katja forges ahead. Let's take photos. Just for us. And they're off. Quite a montage with both girls suddenly looking much older, much sexier, and very seductive. Oh no. Oh yes. Oh dear.

Another cute little scene at the office between Salvador and Gabriela musing about how they'll get through the gruesome foursome date planned that evening. Salvador growls that it's a "locura" but somehow it seems like an endearment. Ah, what a couple.

Just before the next ad break, we have a cozy family scene. Mau's going to Meridia and the girls want to go along. Well, how about if he goes with Monita since the kids can't miss school. Great idea. Aldo deftly slips in a request for cash to go out with his buds that night (who can say "no" with the prospect of a honeymoon at hand?) but Mauricio does put down some rules. Ivan has to go with him and drive him...and no alcohol. Mau and Monita will take a taxi to the airport.

While Dany and Luisa help their dad pack, Estrella and Paula are doing the same with Moni. They remind her she doesn't have to take soap. The hotel will have some. (I blush to admit that when I went off to Europe at 19, green as they come, I packed soap and shampoo and lotion for a year! Like they didn't have those things in Europe. Oh my!)

And at Constanza's apartment, she and Jerry (and a clearly uncomfortable Katja) are checking out the incriminating photos while a delighted Jeronimo requests some "close" (close-ups).

Enough of that scene. Back to the barrio where guard-dog Beto is vowing to keep Mauricio from kidnapping Monita. There's a brief, hysterical scene of the two men trying to fight, while their feet slip around like they're on grease. The onlookers decide they should throw water on those "dogs" but even that doesn't stop Beto. Christian finally has to taser him, and Paula's so entranced with the weapon, she wants one herself. Beto does a good imitation of an epileptic fit and funny though it is, let's not forget there have been some fatalities with these arms. Kids, don't try this at home.

Somehow, in spite of the antler-bashing and taser chaos, Monita and Mauricio take off for the airport, tucked into Christian's squad car with the siren blasting. Pure romance. Estrella waves them off shouting "metale chota, metale chota". I'm going to guess that means "you go girl!" or simply "go for it!" because some of the other possibilities are pretty raunchy. Remember, I don't write this dialogue, I just recap it. (Late night translation from Anonymous 10:02 says "chota" means "cops" so "metale chota" would mean "step on it, cop"...telling Christian to hurry our loving couple to the airport.)

That leaves us with a soggy Beto and a mournful Nieves. He's trembling with rage-- and maybe a little leftover taser juice-- and she's resigned. Accept it, son. Things have changed. Monita's in love with a good man. Having new experiences. Becoming a new person. Leaving us little people behind. I'm going looking for some more taser, snarls Beto. That hurts less than what you're saying.

Enter Aldo to the rescue again. Even though Beto (say it with me) BLEATS that "traigo el animo en el piso" (I'm waaay down in the dumps), he can't help but respond to Aldo's need to learn the art of love from an experienced woman. However, our favorite experienced woman, Estrella, overhears this risky plan. Stay tuned. We've gotta get back to the foursome.

They're at the table. Oscar orders wine. Sal orders water so Lorenza can take her crazy pills (otherwise she might KILL somebody, she explains). And she appreciates his thoughtfulness so much, she lays a great big schmoozeroonie of a kiss on him. Oscar retaliates by wooing Gaby with a multitude of sweet nothings, including "If I were a ship lost at sea, the light of your eyes would guide me to safe harbor.". "And what could I say about your lips, you...AH DIOS! a well-aimed Lorenza kick under the table takes Oscar an octave higher and adds real pathos to his love declarations. "Well, that's the effect I have on men, smiles Gaby, looking directly at Sal. Oh no. Oh yes. Oh dear. Oh heck...I love it that Oscar took one in the nether regions.!

Meanwhile, our Nookie Tour Guide is warning Aldo off picking up a woman in the street. You can get the clap that way, trust me, he says. Now in a house, the girls take care of themselves. you'll be safe. And in they go (while a worried Estrella watches from behind a tree)....to a misty, pink bordello cum music school with various sexy ladies draped over a variety of instruments. Lends new meaning to the phrase "foreplay".

Lots of double entendres about stroking harp strings, caressing the violin, blowing on the flute (How about the tuba, chimes in Beto) and finally the promise to turn this "becerro" (calf) into a "toro" (bull) for the straight rate of 3,000 pesos. Ivan and Aldo pool their money and he's in, so to speak. The madame even hints at a discount since she's sure Aldo won't take long to conclude his business. Ivan throws in a timely PSA "sin gorro no hay fiesta" (use protection) and then he and Beto go out to the car to wait.

But oh dear, oh no, oh heck and oh dang....Jerry is there too. And quite miffed he is, since his lady of the night is not playing the part of Constanza very well. Evidently Monita has also been part of his fantasies, and he's even whispered Oscar's name in his sleep. We wait breathlessly for the next installment on THIS story. In the meantime (mientras tanto for you guys) he pops his head out the door and catches sight of Aldo. Ah ha. More ammunition for the adoption fracaso. And as he gleefully phones Connie with the news, we hear the Madame asking Aldo, You ARE 18, aren't you? Oh yes. (But we know...oh no.) And there we end.

Previews:
Mauricio is also whispering sweet nothings...in Mayan for gosh sakes! My closed captions say "Itllacumech" Te amo. Works for me, as does the kiss.
And Connie is warning she wants no slipups as she schemes with Oscar and Jerry.
And does anybody want to bet that somehow Estrella will be behind that door Aldo enters? It's not in the previews and I haven't looked ahead...but...maybe.....

Vocabulary:
I'm guessing on a lot of these. They sure weren't in any of my dictionaries.

paraguas = normally, umbrellas, but used as a metaphor for condoms in this episode.
la cotorrita = appeared to mean carnal congress. Nieves in her denunciation of Beto's behavior with Constanza ; "peinar la cotorrita" lit. comb the parrot but refers to yes, you guessed it carnal congress, having sex etc. (thanks for the translation, Jarocha)
panuchos= yummy little rolls? Estrella was talking about this when she was imagining the trip Mauricio and Monita would take
los lacayos = lackeys. Jeronimos' insult of Salvador
las agallas = guts
uña y mugre = literally, nails and grime. "thick as thieves"
el mensote = idiot, stupe
cabezón =pig-headed
fracaso = failure, big mess-up

Dicho of the Day

Meterse en camisa de once varas = To bite off more than you can chew. To get in hot water. To be in a pickle.
This could apply to Aldo, Luisa and from the looks of it, even our dear Oscar.

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Sortilegio: Our new Monday recapper isn't quite ready yet--Discussion page

Hello campers,

I don't think the new Monday recapper Khavele realized we usually get the recaps up the night of the show. So she was planning to post, evidently - tonight. So in the mean time, if anybody wants to discuss, feel free to use this post. Sorry!

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Amor Monday, October 19, 2009: Priesthood 101 lesson: Never be alone in a room with a woman whose nostrils are flaring

Friday: Carlota tells Paloma she’s (sniff) changed due to Macarena’s death and now she realizes (sniff) how distant they are, and that she’s going to let Romina stay in the house just because she loves Paloma soooo much. Orlando sees Diana/Gudelia’s photo at Em’s house, realizes that she’s Em’s ma, and does some deep breathing.

And we’re off! At his house, Em comes in with his old university project he was looking for, but he says he didn’t find his ma. Orlando asks what his mother’s name is and Em tells him she didn’t like her real name, so she goes by Diana. Em tells Juanita the maid to tell Diana that he’ll see her that evening.

Meantime Orlando is looking stupefied. Em says what’s up? Orlando says nothing – your mother looks like she has a lot of ummm … personality. Do you get on better with her or your dad? Em says I have more in common with my dad. My mother makes me a little crazy because she’s kinda controlling. Orlando says you must be her treasure, and Em says maybe that’s why she’s that way – I guess all moms are. Jaunita runs in and asks Em to help her with the pilot on the stove, giving Orlando the opportunity to skulk around a bit, then slip the framed photo under his suit coat. (How do you conceal a framed photo under a suit coat and then walk out into the street with it? A question best left unexplored.)

Carlota tells a very doubtful Paloma that she’s not the baddie that Mac made her out to be, and that Mac said those things to strengthen her own relationship with Paloma. But Carlota says she won’t judge. Anyway, Romina can stay with us. Thank you Tia, says Paloma unenthusiastically.

Paloma leaves and Carlota closes the door and gloats. Romina, she thoughtbubbles, you turned out to be way smarter than I had thought. But don’t even imagine that you are using me; it’s me who is using you. And you’ll end up in my debt. Chortle.

Mournful Camila and Angie are having lunch. Camila fills her in on the whole thing – two galans, just dating, thought she could handle it, they both knew, Romina caught her kissing Rafa, etc.

Angie says the problem is you weren’t honest with your daughter. And she’s going to have trouble accepting that you have a boyfriend at all, much less the husband of the lady she’s staying with. Before you talk with Romina, you have to get straight with yourself.

Joel and down-in-the dumps Rafa are in the office – it looks like the new line will be a success, but even that can’t cheer Rafa up. He’s decided to talk to Romina, even if Camila told him not to. Joel points out that he could lose Camila that way. Rafa says what he likes about Camila is that she’s a mother before anything else. If he can fix up her relationship with her daughter, it’s worth losing her. Whadda guy – throwing himself on the hand grenade.

Angie asks Camila which guy she loves. Camila stirs her tea listlessly and says both. But I’ll give up love to get my daughter back. Angie says a sacrifice like that will cost you big. You have the right to both worlds. Romina doesn’t need a perfect mother, just one she knows, one who can goof up in love like anyone else.

Camila wonders if Romina could understand. Angie says who knows? But you have to decide – our culture doesn’t accept someone going with two people for very long. Obviously Angie has never watched The Batchelor. You’re going to have to listen to your heart and decide. Romina looks completely depleted. Angie rubs her arm and says it’s hard, but you can balance your being a mother and a woman.

Diana, wrapped in a headscarf and wearing giant sunglasses, is in a small shop with Inez. She tells Inez she can’t go out these days, then she looks out the door and sure enough, Orlando and Em are on the sidewalk. She ducks back in and says What he’s going to be mad about is not Emiliano, but that I robbed him. Inez says and then Ignacio robbed you. Diana says that’s why I never trusted another man. Inez says not even Rafa – he was like an angel dropped from heaven. If it hadn’t been for him, your life would have been a disaster. You’re just reaping what you sowed.

Rufi is changing the canary cage in the kitchen. Paloma tells her that Carlota is going to let Romina stay, and that maybe she’s judged Carlota too harshly. You think so? says Rufi. She’s really trying says Paloma. Rufi says and she never could stand Romina.

Paloma says she doesn’t want this affecting her relationship with Em, plus she really likes Camila and doesn’t want to hurt her. Rufi says let her stay a few days, and help her reconcile with her mom, then you can talk to Em. Paloma thanks her for being like a grandmother to her. They air-kiss at each other.

Diana comes home and gets a fright. The maid tells her that Em was there with some guy from work. Diana, looking like a cornered rabbit, thinks to herself that it must’ve been Orlando. Dios mio!

At work, Orlando is a bit distracted and fibs to Em that he was just thinking how Em is his partner, yet he knows so little about him. Em, smiley and bouncy as a Disney character, pulls up a chair, eager to oblige. Orlando wants to know where Em’s parents are from. Em says he and his dad are from here, but his mom is from Mexico City. He thinks she came to visit with a girlfriend and his father saw her and they fell in love. Now that they’re divorcing, she wishes she could take Em and go to Monterrey.

Orlando wants to know if it was his father who wanted the divorce. Em says yes, she’d become kind of dependent and demanding. She can’t get over it – she thinks my father should stay forever.

Romina, hanging out with Aron, gets a call from Paloma telling her that Carlota said she could come stay. Romina is gleeful and tells her she’s the best friend in the whole world. After she hangs up, Romina and Aron exult. Aron tells her she would make a great actress. Romina says now I’ll have more control over her, and I’ll tell her that you are a big catch.

Natalia is sitting in a coffee shop, on her cell phone with Chris, telling him all her woes right within the earshot of strangers who seem not to listen in. She tells him Alonso is a real problem since Inaki’s death and she’d like to come to Real del Monte and talk to Chris and get some advice. Chris is welcoming.

She adds that she’d like to get to see Paloma and Macarana. Chris’s face falls. He tells her the sad truth, and she is impactada. Gasp!

Rufi is at Dr B’s office, giving him Inaki’s mom’s phone number. Dr B says he’s sure Carlota and her lawyer are up to something fishy. You should have seen her reaction when I brought it up! Rufi says and now she knows you suspect. Cuidadito.

Dr B says Carlota even tried to accuse me of extortion! Originally I was going to investigate just for Macarena and Paloma’s sakes, but now I’m doing it for my ownb conscience. Doing nothing would be like being an accomplice to Carlota.

Lic. Rojas is being told off by a guy, apparently his law partner, for wanting to leave town for a few months. Seems they had talked about adding another partner, but couldn’t afford the salary. Rojas says okay, just hire somebody and I’ll pay his salary. The partner asks why he wants to leave so precipitously – is he in some kind of trouble? (I guess Rojas is so unappealing that the partner doesn’t suspect a beach & bimbo vacation.) No, no, lies Rojas, he just has been needing some time off and by golly, he’s going to take it now. The partner says if we get swamped while you’re gone, you are responsible for the consequences.

Orlando has the framed photo of Diana on his desk and he’s talking to it. It’s you and you live right here! That’s why I saw you in the restaurant! That’s why you didn’t come to the office party. You’re living in hiding. Is Em the child you were expecting?

At Diana’s, Romina is thanking her for taking her in, and says that it’ll be better at Paloma’s because, as Diana advised, she needs to be real close to Paloma. Through all this, Diana is very distracted and Romina notices that she’s not getting the 100% focus on her that she expects. Diana says oh, it’s nothing.

Romina says I know this isn’t necessary – she gets out a wad of cash and gives it Diana. Thank you! says Diana and Romina looks a bit disgusted.

Paloma is at Emiliano’s office, telling him about Romina coming to stay for a little while, and about Romina’s difficulties with Camila. Em is very suspicious and thinks that Romina is trying to come between them. Paloma, not at all enthusiastic, says she wants to help her reconcile with her mother.

Orlando is about to knock on Em’s office door when he hears there’s a conversation going on. He hears Em tell Paloma that he knows about Romina catching her mother kissing Rafa. Orlando morphs into a thunderhead and storms into his office. He gets out some wine and a glass, then gets all crazy tense and crushes the glass in his hand.

Angie comes running. Blood! Yikes! She runs for the first aid box, runs back in and starts dabbing. It’s nothing says studly Orlando. She looks up and OMG their faces are close together and for a moment they look in one another’s eyes. Some tentative music starts up.

You need to get some care so you don’t get a scar. She looks up in his face again. Deep wounds always leave scars he says with Great Meaning.

Fortunately the canaries aren’t on the kitchen table any more, because Carlota has come in to bark some orders to Rufi. Romina will stay in Macarena’s room, so get it ready. Rufi is taken back – can’t she stay in Paloma’s room? Carlota says I’m letting her in the house, but I don’t want them to be so close.

Rufi says I’m surprised you’re letting Romina stay. Carlota says you know I can’t stand her, but this house is Paloma’s as much as mine and I want her to feel comfortable in it, and I want her to be happy. Point two five percent of the viewership sigh Isn’t that sweet? This would be the same .25% of the viewers who got into the tequila.

Carlota also wants to know how that envelope of papers got in the house. Rufi says she doesn’t know, but since Carlota said they were just medical reports, why does it make any difference how they got to the house?

Camila comes up to Paloma on the street. They hug, and Camila gives her Mac’s pearl necklace, plus she gives Paloma back her money for it. Paloma protests that Camila shouldn’t pay, now that she had the money from the school, but Camila says it wasn’t me. A man bought them and gave them to me. Paloma wants to know what man, but Camila won’t say. Camila says it was more important that you have it. But if you ever want to sell it, let me know. Pal says I won’t be selling it. – it was my mama’s. I mean, my tia’s, but I loved her like a mother.

Camila is about to leave, but Paloma stops her and tells her that she’s sorry about her trouble with Romina, and that Romina is going to come stay with her a few days. Camila is impactada and grateful. She thanks Paloma for telling her, and says what a good influence Paloma has always been. Could she please convince Romina to talk to her at least?

Paloma promises to try, but Romina is muy confundida. Camila says it was just a kiss, that was all there was to it, and not what Romina thinks. They hug.

Meche is sitting on a park bench with Chris while the boys' soccer team practices in the background. She tells him Chava has been rebellious and Chris promises to keep an eye on him. She thanks him profusely and leaves.

Em comes up and tells Chris that guess what, Romina is going to be staying with Pal and it’s going to be a real problem with their secret love. Chris says well, don’t keep it a secret any more. This must be a sign that it’s time to tell everybody. Em goes oh yeah, huh? He grins.

At home Carlota says to Rufi Who? Come to see me? Make sure we’re left completely alone. Don’t let Paloma and Romina bother me either.

We’re supposed to be mystified as to who has come to see Carlota, but none of us are.

Orlando is at Camila’s door. She looks completely drained and she tells Orlando that she’s had a couple of horrible days and she’s just not up to talking right now. How about tomorrow? He says he won’t leave until they’ve talked.

Carlota looks sublimely smug. She leans her back against the heavy doors and says I knew one day you would seek me out. There in the shadows of the room is Chris who says I hate to contradict you, but I didn’t come for you. She slinks up to him and puts an arm around his neck. Are you sure? She strokes his lips with her finger.

Chris: What are you doing?
Carlota: What we’ve always wanted to do, live our love. (She paws him.) Now there are no obstacles.
Chris: (backs up) I am a man of the church!
Carlota: Leave it! You were about to anyway.
Chris: I came to talk about Paloma.
Carlota: (lunging at him again) But I want to talk about us.
Chris: There never was an “us.”
Carlota: There always was.
Chris: Maybe in your mind.
Carlota: We could make it a reality.
Chris: I only loved one woman in my life and you know very well it wasn’t you.
Carlota: A person can love again, desire again. You could do that with me. Because you are the only man who I have loved desperately, insanely.

Carlota twines her octopus arms around Chris, who rears back, eyes wide, looking at her like eeewwwww.

Blech. We need a break from that, but what we get is Camila looking exhausted, giving Orlando a cup of tea and wanting to know what it is that can’t wait until tomorrow. He asks how she and Rafa are doing. She says fine. He wants to know exactly and she says she thinks it’s not proper for her to discuss Rafa with him, but if he must know, they’ve decided not to see each other any more. Why? says Orlando.

Camila thoughtbubbles: I can’t tell him. I don’t want to start a fight between them.
Orlando thoughtbubbles: I don’t want you messing with me. I won’t ever let a woman do that again.

Camila says it’s better this way. Believe me.

Back to Carlota, who is still trying to force herself on Chris. He pushes her away. I’m sorry you try to keep seeing me as a simple mortal. Carlota says you could go back to being one! Like you were going to do for her. I know you could be one again for me. I know you, I sense it. Though you are in a priest’s clothes, I know the man hasn’t died. She tries to grab him and kiss him again.

Basta! Ya! He says, fending her off with some beginner martial arts moves

Carlota: Why don’t you recognize that there’s a man inside who desires me? That I make your blood boil? Your religion is just a refuge. You’re the one who’s responsible for making my sister so miserable.

Chris: If any one is guilty of that, it’s you. You’re the one who made sure we couldn’t live the life together that we wanted.

Carlota: When it comes to love, there are no obstacles and you don’t go around believing what other people say. It was very handy for you to think that she was dead. It took away the responsibility for having made her yours without having married her.

Chris: I can’t believe you actually believe your own lies. You’re nuts.

Carlota (smiling): Oooh, that’s the passionate fellow that attracted me.

Chris: Yes, for your sister I would have left the church and given her myself, body and soul. But you aren’t even worth the time to talk to.

He stomps out. Christobal, she sighs to herself swooningly.

Em is having dinner at home with his mother, a nice, healthy salad. She looks scared and said she heard he was here during the day with someone. Em says yes, with Orlando, and he saw your photo and said you look like you have a lot of personality. Diana gulps. She tells him that Romina moved out. Em says he’ll stay with German. She begs him to come back home for a while and he kindly says okay and pats her hand.

Orlando tells Camila maybe he should talk with Rafa. She says about what? He says why, about Em, who may be suffering from the divorce. He says Romina maybe would have an easier time if she had a brother. Camila says I’m too old for that! Orlando asks her about her friendship with Diana and she said it was very slight – they really didn’t have much in common. He wonders why they didn’t have more children. He wonders if Diana was pregnant when she married. Camila says what’s with all the questions?

Orlando says I don’t want to sound nosey. It’s just that the more I know about Emiliano, the more I can help him. Camila looks skeptical.

Diana has frantically called Inez, who is now at Diana’s. Diana says now Orlando knows who I am and how to find me. What do I do? Inez says he won’t hurt you, don’t forget that Em is his partner. But if Orlando finds out, you’ll have to give him his divorce and your son will lose all respect for you. Diana wails. Run for it, says Inez. Diana says I will – I’ll go to Monterrey and stay with my godfather until things calm down. She wrings her hands.

Orlando is in his car, fixating on the photo of Diana and looking stressed. He stares at the front of a house, which must be hers.

Avances: Em wants to tell Romina about his and Paloma’s Big Love. Romina reminds Paloma they swore never to fight over a man.

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Monday, October 19, 2009

un Gancho al Corazón Mon. 10/19/9 Katya Smells a Rat and Beto Gets Connie Wet


The friends and family gathered with Monita in the cemetery where she has just placed the ashes of her dead mother in a niche, slowly begin to disperse and wander away as she lingers, reluctant to leave her mom alone in such a cold and lonely place. Mauricio offers his support. Jero convinces Ximy that there's nothing more beautiful than a wedding after a death. Sal flirts with Gabi who warns him to cool it with his wife so close or he'll be the next stored in a niche in the cemetery. Oscar wheedles an assignation with Loriloca, reminding her to bring the whip. Nieves invites everyone over for los tamalitos and el atolito.

Cristian tries to summon the courage to confront Paula who is walking just ahead of him. He wants to talk with her but it's doubtless that he remembers their last dampening disastrous encounter in the men's room at the arena. She saves him the trouble turning to face him and express her sadness that they are no longer a couple. He succumbs but recovers his pride enough to demand a fine for her crimes. A thousand besos ought to do the trick. Turns out that Pau thinks that's fair and begins the payoff right then and there.

Next, Estrella tries her luck at smoothing things over with Tano. She is not so successful. Tano is too disgusted, though I think even more wounded, by her relationship with Aldo. She strikes out though I suspect he may later regret this and who knows? Maybe he will seek her out again. I really don't care. I'm in Aldo's corner right now.

In the patio bar, Connie and Beto are having drinks. He's got a beer and she is drinking a martini and nibbling coquettishly on her olive. Beto is in a deep funk over his loss of Moni but Connie insists that he cheer up. Her situation with Mao is the same. She's ready for some fun. He brightens up and becomes playful.

Moni is still at her mother's tomb with Mao sticking close. Her offers consolation and she reasserts her love and appreciation for him. His cell phone rings and it's...Isabel calling him from her hospital bed. She's alive! Of course we all knew this from the previews, but I've still got my panties in a wad over it; what a heartless cow. And Mao was part of a plot hatched by Isabela in order to get a chunk of daughter Moni's bone marrow without having to hassle with that whole mama-thing. Shame on you Mauricio for agreeing to such a distasteful thing. As for you Isabela, I've seen guppies with more maternal affection. Monita asks him who it is. He lies that it is a long-distance business call. Mauricio tells Isabel to disappear, he never wants to see or hear from her again, confirming our fears that we will.

Beto and Connie arrive at her place and begin to grope each other like rodents in rut. Connie checks by calling out that she is home and is answered by Katya. Drat and double drat. Beto silently curses his bad luck. He really did this well.Trying to conceal him, Connie pushes him to his knees, bringing him face to face with his needs. "Well!" he says approvingly as she pushes him on further down to hide behind the sofa.

Katya comes out and is distraught. She's been waiting and hoping for a call from Aldo, but he hasn't called. As she sniffs back her tears, she catches a whiff of the hiding Beto. "Did you step in dog poop?" she asks Connie. Connie checks. "No." Katya is about to check behind the sofa for that offensive odor but suddenly Connie spots a rat and let's out a blood-curdling scream which sends Katya scrambling for the higher ground of the arm chair.

Moni's still at her mother's crypt and Mao is still consoling, as he has a flashback to Isabel's cold indecent proposition during which a rooster crows. Looks now like he's having second thoughts or at least feeling badly about what he's done as he embraces Moni.

Meintras tanto, back at Connie's there is still pandemonium as Katya flees to her room from the invisible but odiferous rat. Well, maybe not so invisible. Beto crawls out from behind the couch and picks up where he left off. Connie weakly resists, finally telling him to wait for her outside. He suggests that they rent a room but she is not willing to pay for a room to make love to him in. No problem, making love is not what he's after, he wants sex. They grope some more, He lays her back on the ottoman and they almost knock off a quickie right then and there. He strives his Fantasma pose and leaves as she lies back and basks in sort of a mixture of frustration and afterglow.

Back at the cemetery, Moni mourns mom more. Mauricio flashes back to Isabel outlining her plan somehow convincing him, though I certainly was not convinced. Basically, she gets a transplant and Moni gets a few days with a repentant, loving mother. What a deal. Finally, and mercifully for us, they leave.

Connie is still recovering from her encounter with Beto. Katya cautiously peeks out. All clear. Well, maybe a little of Beto still hangs in the air. With Katya hurting from here rejection by Aldo, Connie takes the opportunity to share with her the photos she took of Aldo and Estrella outside the Hotel Notel. Well that ices it, she is ready to join in a vengeful plot with Connie which involves Aldo's sisters.

Leaving the cemetery M&M bump into Alicia who invites Moni to come and visit, she has something for her. Mao has yet another flashback as we learn more of the evil contract he made with Isabel. She threatened to tell Moni the truth. That was the hook? If he didn't go along, she would tell Monita about the awful rape and how for her Monita would forever be a reminder of that horrible night, how much she hated her from the first knowledge that she was in her womb. So I guess Mauricio, a stickler for truthfulness, decided that Moni can't handle the truth. At least we learn that Alicia wasn't in on it. Only Isabel and Mao.
Beto escorts Connie to the gym and he pulls her into the ring with him. There they engage in some curious foreplay with him bouncing her off the ropes and into his arms. They melt into the mat in a passionate embrace. Could this actually have been a good idea after all?

M&M have made it back to her place and she is safely tucked in. She invites him into her bed to spend the night holding her. He takes off his jacket and shoes and crawls in beside her holding her close. He has more guilty flashbacks of his convincing her to accept her mother and of Nieves warning him about Isabel.

It's the next morning and Nieves carrying a warm beverage, atole, for Moni discovers her the arms of Mao. She awakens her with a feigned sneeze. She sort of approves because they are novios, but she feels sorry for Beto whom she thinks that Moni has treated badly. She leaves them alone and Mao awakens. He's in no hurry to go to work and gives Moni the day off. That's big of him. Moni urges him to drink the atole and go but not before a lot of kisses.

Back in the gym, Beto and Connie look exhausted, sprawled in the middle of the Carona logo in the center of the ring. She is covered by what looks like a thermal blanket and he, clad in blue boxers and a black tee shirt. They are lying on a striped, colorful Mexican blanket. He is also covered below the waist with a lavender something. She mentions that she had a rough night because he snores like a bear (oso) notices his odor. ( Beto smells manly in the morning) and his stong breath. He comments on her cold feet. He is ready for another go-at-it, noting that wrestling matches last three rounds. He leaps up, climbs atop the ring's turnbuckle, does his Fantasma gesture and dives...

It's a lovely morning in the hood for Estrella who emerges from her apartment to catch sight of Moni kissing Mau goodbye and Pau sending Cristian off in a similar manner. She shrugs observing that she has only herself to blame for being so stupid.

The kids arrive a little early or school. 'Catch you later," Aldo has places to go, people to see, things to do. He passes Katya on the steps, gives a curt nod and,"Buenas días," and hurries off. She is sure, as are we, that he is off to sniff around Estrella. She complains to Luisa. Seems as though all is not well between Luisa and Ivan either. The girls commiserate over the unfairness of being female, Ivan's last girlfriend did it all and she's not ready and Aldo's wanting the same from Estrella. They are joined by Dani and change the subject.

Moni, replacing fluids with a well positioned bottle of water, passes Nieves folding clothes. When Nieves asks where she is going, she tells her that she is off to workout. No, no, no. Nieves insists that she must go back and rest but Moni resists. Nieves tries unsuccessfully to enlist the support of Estrella, then accusing her of being an uncaring friend. Estrella points out that Monita needs to unwind, that it's better for her to punch the pear (punching bag) than Nieves.

Meanwhile back at the gym, well I wasn't planning on pictures but... eat your hearts out you ladies watching Sortilegio.
They sink below our sight beneath the gentle pelting by the warm shower.

Estrella is on the phone leaving a rather desperate message on Tano's voice mail, her fifth, when there is a knock on the door. Gee, I wonder who that could be. At least he knocks. "No, no, no, no, there's nothing for you here." He doesn't understand since she was willing before. "I was wrong." He tries begging, just one night, then threatening to take his quest for enlightenment to the street. She is adamant and kicks his horny little butt out. Well, heck!... OK, OK, way to go Estrella. Stars in your crown.

Costeño has arrived to open the gym and seeing the unoccupied clothing strewn about the ring suddenly realizes why Beto requested his own set of keys. He picks up Connie's red knit dress and in what is either an awww or an ewww moment, sniffs it and proceeds to caress his face and body with it. His reverie is shattered by the sudden appearance of Moni who startles him. Before he has a chance to explain, Connie emerges behind him wrapped in a towel drying her hair. Moni is stunned but recovers quickly. "Mummy, I wasn't acquainted with your predilections."

Carlos

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Saturday, October 17, 2009

ENDA October 16. An unholy alliance is formed.

From Thursday: Emiliano’s love cures all ills. Paloma decides she can overcome her crisis of faith and marry him, and she goes off to talk to Carlota about it. Romina catches Rafael and Camila sittin’ in a tree…er, standing in the parlor, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

Today: Romina, hoping to avert the love, marriage, and baby carriage crisis, throws a tantrum. She makes a good argument for avoiding parenthood, if nothing else. Camila begs for forgiveness and swears she was not seeing Rafael before he filed for divorce, but Romina is convinced they are having a huge torrid affair and it is a huge betrayal she will nunca jamás forgive, not least because Rafa is the father of the love of her life. Romina says they are no longer family. She leaves.

Rafa sits on a stone wall and calls Joel for reinforcement.

Cruelota refuses to discuss a wedding while she’s still thinking up a way to murder Emiliano, oops, I mean because they are still in mourning. Cruelota thinks Paloma is just flighty and capricious. Paloma swears it’s the real deal and they are going to marry, so Cruel gets all purple and crafty and says she will support them if it lasts, but it’s best to wait awhile. Marrying so soon would just look bad. She refuses to speak to Emiliano yet. After Paloma leaves, she goes back to her fake praying and gets an evil glint in her eye.

Camila sobs and gets Romina’s voicemail. Romina sits in a café ignoring the calls. She looks sad, but probably just because everything is not suiting her whims, not because she feels bad about the misery she’s causing.

Paloma reports to Emo that Cruel doesn’t think they’re really in love. Emo doesn’t care and doesn’t want to wait to marry, and to heck with Cruel. Paloma likes the way he thinks.

Rafael and Joel meet at Rafa’s apartment so that he can properly wallow in misery, in a bathrobe. He must have already finished the ice cream; I don’t see it. Joel thinks the divorce will be more complicated if Diana finds out about Camila. Rafa is more worried that things are bad between Camila and her daughter. Joel reminds him he also needs to worry about Emiliano, who is after all Diana’s son.

Romina goes to Germán’s apartment. He momentarily freaks out that Emiliano could arrive at any moment, but his hormones quickly short out his brain. They kiss passionately and stagger to the bedroom.

The Purple Peoplekiller rants that a wedding is the last thing she needs. She’ll solve this by making Paloma realize that Emiliano is not for her.

Rafael calls Camila, feeling horribly guilty about the whole situation. He thinks they need each other more than ever now, and offers to try to talk to Romina. Cami thinks it’s hopeless, and isn’t sure it’s a good idea for them to be together.

Emiliano returns to the bachelor pad. The movie is still playing, but Germs is not in sight. Germy and Romina, on the bed, stop mid-writhe but don’t answer Emo’s calls. Finally Germs goes out to listen to Emiliano’s swoony report that he and Paloma are in love and will marry soon regardless of Cruel’s crabbiness. Romina overhears all this, and leaves while Emiliano is looking the other way. Emo hears the door slam and teases Germy about sneaking out a lady friend, but doesn’t know who it was.

Emo moons.

Paloma and Emo exchange sweet nothing text messages.

The next day:

Carlota yells at Licenciado Rosas. He will help her whether he likes it or not. Rosas thinks it’s too late; Dr. Bermúdez knows too much and won’t stop investigating. Carlota wants to send Rosas on a long all-expenses-paid vacation. He agrees, not knowing what kind of one-way trips she typically sends people on. They will destroy the evidence before he goes.

The madre superiora wants Cris to give classes to the kids. He’ll think about it. Romina and Paloma walk by, and Cris asks to speak with Paloma. Romina looks irritated and/or suspicious.

Camila, completely falling apart, calls Angélica and begs her to see her.

Padre JuanCris wants to help Paloma get her faith back and marry Emiliano. They share a long hug.

Rafael and Emiliano meet for breakfast. Rafa tells Emo about Camila. Emo is not at all happy, but is gracious and understanding. They agree that Diana would NOT be understanding.

Romina makes a call, presumably to Aaron, and says that he needs to make her (presumably Paloma) feel bad. Now that’s love. She hangs up and calls Carlota, offering to form an alliance. When Paloma appears she claims to have been looking for a room to rent, as she needs to move after the awful thing she found out. Romina spews crocodile tears while Paloma hugs her.

Rafael just can’t stay away. He goes to Camila’s shop. Bad move. Camila wants to end their partnership and their friendship so she can try to fix things with Romina by letting her get her bratty way as usual.

Emiliano talks to Padre Juan about his parents’ divorce. PJ counsels him to be supportive of them both but not to feel responsible for any of it; this is their business.

Romina recounts the horror of The Kiss to Paloma. She thinks it is absolutely the worst thing that could ever possibly happen, and calls Camila a slut (golfa). Paloma is shocked and defends Camila. Romina says she can’t look Diana in the face and must leave her house, but her mother still has control of her money and she has nothing. She asks to stay with Paloma.

At the office, Orlando chastises Emiliano for not focusing on his work. Emo says he’ll get the batteries in (poner las pilas). After Orly leave, Emo moons.

Paloma doesn’t think Cruelota will agree to have Romina as a guest, and doesn’t look happy at the prospect of asking. Romina hands Paloma off to Aaron, who gets straight to the abuse setup by accusing her of treating him coldly and just using him. Paloma and her new backbone protest that he was the one telling people they were novios and she never led him on, but she is polite and apologizes for the misunderstanding. He says he wants her. Run, Paloma, run.

Cruelota goes to Dr. Rodolfo’s office to yell at him to stay away from her family, right in front of his secretary. She threatens to sue him for extortion and intimidation if he doesn’t stop his investigation. It is ever more a mystery why she has a reputation as a fine upstanding citizen. All Carlota ever does is yell and threaten people, when she’s not busy murdering them. The doc smiles to himself. There must be something to find if she’s trying to stop him.

Rufi flips through an address book and finds Carmen’s information.

Orlando reminds Emiliano that he said he had some papers on marketing strategies which they could apply at the platería. They go off to Emo’s house to get them.

Paloma tells Rufi she’s not really excited about helping Romina. Rufi says that’s because Romina is a bad friend. Paloma still feels sorry for her. Rufi thinks Romina should just make up with Camila, and if she stays with the Espinoza de los Monstruos family Paloma will either have to stay away from Emo or tell Romina they’re novios.

Romina convinces Cruelota to go along with her plan and compliments her on being such a great maestra of evil. Carlota is pleased. That’s probably the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to her.

Paloma asks Cruelota for permission for Romina to stay in their house. Cruel agrees too easily and Paloma is stunned. Carlota claims Mac’s death has made her more sensitive, and she wants Paloma to be happy.

Orlando and Emiliano go to Diana’s house. Orly waits in the living room while Emo goes to look for the papers and calls out to Diana. Orlando sees a photo of Diana and is muy, pero muy impactado. It is Gudelia!

Avances: Cruelota and Romina act like jerks.

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Sortilegio #9, 10/16/09: Finders Keepers


[Better take your shoes off and get comfy with the brew of your choice. This one is full of fine moments and Hubby wanted the complete rundown. –ed.]

First the redux from the night before: The dark and brooding Bruno, aka Broodo, has barged into Mary Jo’s bedroom while she was getting changed and gives her the third degree about what she and Alex were talking about earlier. Bruno’s pissed cuz she ignored him the entire day and spent it with Alex. She finishes putting her bathrobe on and sasses back with a “why not?” since Alex is tons better company. Bruno asks if Alex is wise yet and if he went to Saqui to investigate. MJ plays dumb. Bruno warns her again not to fool around with Alex because he’ll tell AJ the whole story then, and it won’t matter to Bruno what happens to her once the feces hits the proverbial fan. Just then Papi Pedro walks into her room with those stupid flowers for MJ (giving some of us in Viewerville a weird and totally unwanted Henry Gibson goes Latin moment). Bruno takes one look at him and yells “What’s HE doing here?” This time Alex actually hears the commotion and heads for MJ’s room. MJ and Bruno go out through the balcony window just as Alex walks in. When Alex asks Pedro where they were going Pedro plays dumb. When Alex catches Pedro in a lie about not knowing Bruno from before, Pedro blames his faulty memory on being an old codger. Alex smiles and invites the old guy for a drink.


Outside, Broodo and Mary Jo –in her bathrobe and sans “foundations” -- discuss their next steps. (Ok. Ok. It’s either very risqué or very déclassé. Either way, she’s walking around an estate like that with her supposed B-I-L in just a bathrobe and pants. I choose option #2 –totally trashy. MJ’s humbler roots are definitely peeking through.) Mary Jo tells Bruno he can blame himself for the miserable situation they find themselves in, but she allows that it is what it is and suggests they find a plausible way to get themselves away from there ASAP. Bruno asks what she thinks is “plausible.” MJ says she wishes she’d been courageous enough to have explained things from the start and then there might be more options, and, as it is the last thing she wants is for her daddy to spend the rest of his days in jail. Unfortunately, they are up to their necks in it now. She adds he knows Alex well enough to realize that they won’t get anywhere by forcing things with him. Anyway, Alex has now accepted the idea of a divorce.

Bruno wants her to tell Alex tomorrow morning to start getting the paperwork ready. She says they can’t pressure him and besides, Alex has been very good to her and to her father. Bruno says it’s only because the only thing that Alex wants now is to sleep with her because he’s hot for her bod. “Or hasn’t he suggested it by now?” (Eh! There could be worse things in life --and having to sleep with a creep like Bruno would definitely be leading my top 10.) He gets rough with her when she won’t answer him directly. MJ gets in his face and says sure he has, but adds that at least Alex was decent enough to let her be when she refused. Ruh-Roh! Bruno’s machismo has just been called into question. “Decent! Ha! He’s a hypocrite,” he tells her. He praises women, gives them jewels and gifts just to win them over, and once he has them he sends them packing! That’s what he’s doing with her. Sure he’s going to give her a divorce, but only after Alex has succeeded in getting his way.

Inside, meanwhile, AJ loosens up Pedro’s tongue with a few, well-timed, tragos [drinks/literally, swallows]. Pete eagerly tells him about his merchandise biz. Alex hints about some of it possibly being illegal, but P-I-L Pedro, with both sets of his fingers and toes secretly crossed, swears that none of it is illegit [chueco]. AJ smiles and offers him another hit o’ hooch.

Back outside again, Mary Jo says this is all Bruno’s doing. He listens attentively and pretends again to be sorry for getting her into this mess, then agrees it’s best if she does leave there ASAP. MJ shakes her head wearily and says things are getting more and more complicated for her there. He’s made things so difficult for them all. He promises again to get her out of it without hurting any of them. For that reason, he says, he hopes she doesn’t do anything “naughty” [with AJ] because he wouldn’t be able to endure it. MJ, now properly primed, asks Bruno why he did this to her since they could have been so happy together otherwise. She tears up. “I loved you so much!” Bruno caresses her cheek and asks if she doesn’t still love him. After a few wavering seconds, Mary Jo comes to her senses and refuses to answer that one. Instead she tells him she never imagined he could do such a horrible thing to her and then asks him to swear he had nothing to do with the semi-trailer that nearly killed Alex.

Bruno swears on his mama’s life (a ready stack of bibles being currently inaccessible) that he didn’t. He tries stringing her along then with the same cockamamie story about so many other attempts on Alex’s life and that sooner or later somebody would have succeeded in killing him anyway. MJ says he can’t possibly think she could believe something so absurd, because what it would mean is that Bruno planned this deception thinking about Alex’s probable death. “How many years were you willing to wait? Ten? Twenty?” But then, too, she says, it would mean that he knows who these people are and if that’s true, he has to stop them or else, by keeping quiet, he becomes their accomplice! Duhn-duhn-n-n! Bruno pretends to see her side of things and says he’ll agree to tell, but only after MJ’s gotten divorced.

Back inside, Pau comes downstairs and finds her papi still flapping his jaws with Alex and reminiscing about the good ol’ days when he still had two good legs to chase his women with. Vicki walks in and tells them supper’s ready. Mary Jo comes back inside and says she hasn’t been with Bruno. Alex stays back a minute with her to ask why she fibbed to the others about being with Bruno. MJ fibs again and says that Bruno only wanted to know why they had brought back her father. Alex thinks to himself that in order to lie well, one has to have a good memory. He’ll see how well she does.

Just then Alex notices Bruno coming back inside the house and, feeling the need to mark his territory a bit better, AJ immediately lays a major lip-lock on Mary Jo while pretending not to notice Bruno’s there and forced to watch the two of them. (Interesting how this feral display of canine-infused machismo immediately grabs one’s semi-snoozing hubster’s attention and produces a tribal guffaw. It’s something akin to a pack of howling wolves under a full moon.) Bruno takes one sour look at the way MJ seems to be enjoying herself and leaves with his tail dragging between his legs. Once the door slams shut, AJ shakes his hind leg and beams. He’s still top dog, so it’s back to Mary Jo and mojo.

Somewhere in town, at the club perhaps, Maura and her kid sister are having dinner together. Mau is complaining to her that about now Mary Jo is thinking she’s the lady of the house and probably sitting down to dinner with Alex. Kid Sis says, well, even though it’s got to be rough for Raquel and Vicki, she’s married to him now and if Alex is in love with her, it’s got to be expected. Mau can’t believe he’s in love and anyway, everybody knew Mau and he were romantically involved [tener que ver]. All things considered, she’s feeling like a fool and it’s as if he’d slapped her in the face.

Kid Sis tries to offer some sisterly advice like turning the page and finding somebody new. Mau isn’t having any. She thinks MJ is just a rustic novelty for Alex and that eventually he’ll get bored, “just like Roberto said.” Kid Sis wonders what she means. Mau offers that Bobo seems to think that Bruno and MJ knew each other from before and for some reason have not told anyone. Kid Sis laughs and says Bobo’s got nothing to do all day so he goes around making up things out of boredom. Mau wants her sister to make friends with MJ so that the two of them might find out something juicy about her. Kid Sis says bad idea; it wouldn’t work, especially since she is Mau’s sister.

After dinner Vicki finds Alex in the study. She tells him she has the feeling people are hiding things from her. She wants to know if he really married MJ or not. Alex says of course he did and then tells her not to worry, that he’s begun to remember some things, though the wedding isn’t one of them. She wonders why he and Mary Jo still aren’t sleeping together. He explains MJ’s not wanting to rush things since he still has his doubts. Vicki says she doesn’t believe him then asks if he got married on the sly because he was ashamed of MJ’s humble family situation. Alex says she knows he’s not prejudiced about people’s humble beginnings and gives Fernando as the perfect example: he had nothing, but his scholarships and his tenacity got him where he is today. Vicki reminds him she was talking about Mary Jo and not ‘Nando. Alex says it was something that happened and he surprised them is all. She still doesn’t believe him but won’t force it. After Vicki leaves, Alex tells himself he knows he should tell her the truth, but he won’t since he knows it would only hurt her. (Ever heard of “tough love,” Alex?)

Back at the restaurant Mau gives her sister the 411 about the “Mrs. Robinson-Graduate” thing ‘Nando and Vicki apparently had going on the night before. The two giggle and figure if Bruno and Raquel found out they’d have a heart attack. (That means the t-n gods have given it their stamp of approval then. Sorry, but a close college buddy of one’s son is a bit too incestuous for me. Let her carouse through Cougar Heights if she wants, but not with her son’s best bud. Double Ewwww!)

A bit later Pau, Pedro and MJ are taking a walk on the grounds. Pedro tells them both about his flub-up with Alex over knowing Broodo from before. He doesn’t think Alex suspects anything but he warns Mary Jo to be careful around Bruno because Alex saw them leave together; and Pedro didn’t like the look Alex had on his face one bit. MJ wonders what was said after. Pedro fills her in on the lie he told and MJ is at a loss what to say if he asks her about it. Pau offers something inane but MJ says she’s already told so many lies it is getting hard to keep them all straight. She doesn’t need to add another one. They go inside and start up the stairs for bed.

Bruno stops MJ and tells her they need to talk. She says no, she’s going to bed. He won’t let her. Alex walks in on them at that point and tells her to go on up. Broodo starts up behind them but Alex calls him back. (Here’s where the CC cuts out, so I’m flying without a net.) Alex says he wants Bruno to tell him everything that’s gone on between Bruno and MJ up to now. He warns his stepbrother not to try lying to him either. Bruno says there’s nothing to tell, but Alex says there darned well is. “You met her three months ago; you set yourself up in an apartment that you rented in my name; you bought a judge who, by the way, supposedly disappeared--as have others involved in this, and you obtained a marriage certificate in mine and Mary Jo’s names. Afterwards, you arranged a semi-trailer accident from which I was saved but which killed an innocent man!”

Bruno of course denies it all but in the next breath says Alex has no proof with which to accuse him. Alex agrees that he hasn’t yet because the judge’s record-book with his signature is gone; but he’s sure that the signature in it was faked. Bruno shoots back that AJ’s lost his memory along with his sanity and insists Alex is trying to persecute him now because he hates him. It’s just a way for Alex to get rid of him, he says. (Infantile, but effective.) Alex yells back at Bruno: “You did it to kill me!” “—I wish!” [Ojalá=would to God] Yeah, I wish to God you had died! Nothing would give me more pleasure than to see you dead for real!”

Vicki races back down the stairs from the ruckus. She wants to know why they’re arguing. Alex warns his mother not to believe a word he says. Bruno lies to her and says that Alex has gone crazy, that MJ won’t pay attention to him and so he’s blaming him, thinking they’ve got something going on. (It’s like a couple of jr. high kids fighting. Happy Days in reverse. Ugh! Unpleasant flashbacks of fraternal fracases with my two who, at least, finally grew up! Viewerville commiserates with Victoria and appreciates the reason she’s cornered the market on brown hair dye.) Broodo turns around then to Alex and tells him it’s not his fault if Alex rubs his wife the wrong way [caer mal] and then races off up the stairs. (Nanny-nanny-boo-boo!) Vicki asks Alex if that’s really what they were arguing about. “Are you really jealous of him?” Alex pauses, then turns around with all the wrath of Cain for Abel in his eyes. “I want Bruno out of this house!” Vicki is maternally impactada.

At the same time, Bruno knocks furiously on MJ’s door. When she answers, he tells her that if Alex comes upstairs asking about him to tell him that they only met after she arrived there; and no matter how much he insists not to tell him otherwise or anything about the rest of it. She wonders if Alex found them out. Bruno says Alex suspects but doesn’t have any proof. “Tomorrow morning you get those divorce papers started! If you don’t want to end up in jail with your father and sister, you have to do what I tell you to! Understood? He might try to pressure you by saying he won’t do anything against you, but don’t you believe a word!”

Downstairs Vicki wonders if MJ suggested something. Alex, still fit to be tied, tells her it was nothing like that. “It’s just better this way and that all there is to it. I want him out of here! Period. End of discussion!” That’s not good enough for her. Alex tries to explain and says he can’t stand being around him right now and if Bruno stays, something terrible could happen. She’s got to understand that they’ll never get along and things have gotten to the point that it’s best he cuts the cord right then and there. Bruno should leave for a while; and he should even leave the country. (The CC reappears here.)

Vicki’s in tears and says Bruno’s bitterness is getting worse by the day and she’s afraid that he’ll start hanging with a bad crowd and that it could destroy him if he’s left alone to his own devices. (OMG! Cut the damned apron strings already, woman! He’s freaking 32 years old!!) Alex states the obvous: Bruno’s a grown man and can get along by himself now. AJ can’t deal with him anymore and he shouldn’t have to. After all, he’s not the guy’s father. Anyway, it’s not his fault that Bruno’s the way he is. Vicki says no, it’s hers. She made too many mistakes along the way. (Cue the violins.) He never accepted her marrying Alex’s dad and then giving Baby Alex her attentions afterwards.

Vicki tearfully admits to being a failure as a mother. Alex, the Good Son, tells her she’s all wrong about that. She says maybe not with him, but she was definitely a failure with Raquel and Bruno. He says she shouldn’t blame herself for them because they have their own personalities. Anyway, he knows she loved his dad and she says, yes, he was the love of her life. Vicki stands up then and tells him to think through kicking out his brother like this because the idea of breaking up the family will be extremely hard on her. He nods, but we all know a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do; and Bruno better not let the door hit him where the good Lord split him.

It starts pouring outside now. MJ’s staring out the window waiting for the next shoe to drop. Alex walks in on her and asks, “According to you, what works best with a woman? Kindness or force? Or rather, what would work best with you?” MJ doesn’t understand what he’s getting at. “Getting you to tell me the truth,” he says. He corners her at the window. “Surely Bruno already gave you a heads-up. Wasn’t he just here?” “—No.” “—Don’t lie. Don’t. Lie. He did come and he told you I am aware of everything. And you know what? I can put you in jail for the rest of your life --and not just you, but your father and your little sister, too! (Guess AJ decided on option #2.) If you tell me everything from the beginning, then perhaps, perhaps I might decide to be generous with you.” He starts the inquisiton. “When did Bruno suggest the plan to you? How did he convince you to pass as my wife? How did he do it, Mary Jo? HOW???”

MJ manages to get out from under and runs out onto the balcony and into the rain. Alex chases after her. She slips in a mud puddle by the lake. Alex has a sudden change of heart. “What are you trying to do? Catch pneumonia and die?” She breaks into tears and says yes, that’s exactly what she wants to do. She wishes she could die. “—Don’t say that! Don’t!” He pulls her out of the mud and hugs her closely. “I can’t let you die on account of that miserable jerk!” They stare into each other’s eyes for a long, rain-drenched, romantic moment before he carries her back into the house and up into his room.

Mary Jo is sobbing inconsolably. “Calm down. Calm down now.” He sits her on the bed and tells her to get her clothes off. She says no. He tells her either she takes them off or he’ll take them off for her. She has a modestly drenched tank top on over her bra. He hands her his robe and a towel to dry her hair. He takes off his muddy sweater. (YUMMY! Unfortunately for female Viewerville, he stops there.) He sneaks a peek. “Go on, start talking.” She starts her wearied tale of woe. (Viewerville gets a peek at him changing on the other side his bed.) “—I married Bruno thinking he was named Alejandro Lombardo. We all knew him as that. He never wanted us to introduce him to our friends.” AJ tells her to keep going. “—After a civil ceremony we went to eat at his apartment. A drunk hit the car and then he got a call from his work telling him he had to return to Merida to take care of some business for some clients. The next day [al otro día] Sra. Victoria called me saying they’d found the receipt from the marriage license and that Alex had died. The next day I arrived here, but Bruno didn’t come home until that evening.”

AJ asks her why she didn’t say anything to him once she realized what was going on. MJ explains how Bruno had threatened the three of them with jail, and that she felt it was totally unfair. Alex wants to know why she came back. She tells him how she couldn’t stand deceiving everybody and went home, how Bruno threatened and frightened her and made her return. AJ sits down next to her, looks her in the eye, and asks her if Bruno is in love with her. She says that’s what he tells her, but if you love somebody –AJ interrupts and wants to know how she feels about Bruno. MJ admits that she used to love him, but she is emphatic that now she does not. He asks if they’ve ever slept together. She says never, neither before nor after the wedding. He wonders why not. She explains she’d always believed in waiting till after the wedding, but well, she’s already explained the rest.

Alex then asks her what Bruno told her about the accident. Mary Jo gives him Bruno’s bull sh!t explanation about the many murder attempts on Alex’s life and how she tried to get him to warn Alex. AJ’s angry that she could have believed this claptrap, but she defends herself saying how could she have known otherwise? Besides, he got her so involved in such a tangled mess that she was desperate to know what else she could have done. Alex asks how Bruno got her father to go along with it. “Did he find something out about him?” MJ nods and asks if he’s going to go to the police now. “I’m begging you. Please don’t put my sister and dad in jail. I was the coward, it’s all my fault. Please!”

Alex says he won’t, provided she does what he asks. Mary Jo says she’ll do anything at all. “Then get undressed. We’ll take a shower together since we both need one. Afterwards we’ll go to bed together.” She pauses a couple of seconds and then refuses. He hugs her again and kisses her forehead. “Don’t worry. I only wanted to test you.” (¡Ay! Enough of this torturing her already!) He tells her he’s not that despicable and only wants her to keep mum about it all. She’s not to tell a soul. Not her father, her sister, Bruno and least of all, Victoria. He’ll try to figure something out in the meantime. MJ promises and then cries out the rest of it as he continues to hold her in his arms and comfort her. (I’m on hanky box #2 by now.) She says he’s got to think the worst of her after all this. He’s surprised by her comment and asks if it really matters to her. She looks pathetically up at him and says it matters a lot. He’s speechless. She finally picks up her things from the floor and pads away. He sits down to mull it all over as Uni allows us a much needed bio break while they take care of insuring a payroll.

The next morning, Bruno is sleeping in. Vicki walks in and opens the curtains. “—What the Hell?” Vicki wants a chat with #1 Son. She tells him Alex wants him to leave and wants to send him out of the country. This gets him going with a start. “Why?” (As if he didn’t know already.) AJ thinks he’s rude, intolerant, whatever. They just have never gotten along. Mama advises a little begging for mercy by promising to behave. (Get real, Ma!) He refuses to humiliate himself like that. (No duh, Vicki!) Bruno says that he’s already decided to split, but it’ll be him who decides and not Alex! Mama cautions him to be careful since the clause in his daddy’s will may say Alex has to take care of him till the day he dies, but it doesn’t specify how much he has to give him. All he has to do is give him just enough to keep a roof over his head and food to eat and Bruno’s obviously been used to getting quite a bit more than the bare minimum around there.

Bruno tries a sympathy ploy here. “I’m your son and you wouldn’t let me go without, now would you?” She’s ready to smack him. “--If you’d just try getting along better with others!” She warns him if he doesn’t mend his ways not only will he be locked out, but everyone will eventually shun him. “Now get dressed and go down for breakfast!”

Vicki heads downstairs to her office and begins a conversation with Felipa. She gripes to Felipa about the same ol’ same ol’ and then tells her about Alex’s decision. Felipa says it’s about time Bruno goes off on his own anyway. He’s old enough to have a family and yada, yada… (Why are the poor and humble always the clearest thinkers in these things?) Of course, Felipa still thinks it’s best to come out with the truth about their being siblings and see if it doesn’t change things for the better. Vicki is afraid Bruno will only get even angrier and doesn’t dare try it. Anyway, it’s her fault for falling in love like mad with Alex’s father, she says. And what would she tell them: I cheated on your father, you were born and my lover was Alex’s daddy? It would end up like a Greek Tragedy. (Vicki, I’d say you were living through one already. You just don’t know it yet, lady.)

Alex is on his way out and headed for work when Mary Jo comes down the stairs and says “Hi.” MJ is off to visit her dad. AJ reminds her to keep mum. She says of course she will, and then asks Alex what is going to happen to her now, how long is he going to let her stay there? Alex tells her that they’ll just have to wait and see, then invites her to dinner that night. He warns her not to try to skip out on him because he’s given orders not to let her go out. She says she had no intention of skipping out on him, but with that attitude--! He interrupts her and says she’s not in a position to make demands on him. “Don’t take my decisions as a show of weakness towards a pretty woman.” She gives in and he sends her off to visit with her dad.

Broodo races down the stairs and tries avoiding a confrontation with AJ. Alex, though, is anxious to grind him down a bit more, no doubt making up for all that bullying back in the day. “Hey, Bruno. I really want to thank you!” Bruno asks what he means. Alex smiles a little too disingenuously. “—That I really like the wife you chose for me and I’m thinking I’m gonna keep her.” He winks and struts out the door. Zingo! Broodo is now seething.

Mary Jo has a chat with her papi over coffee and donuts. He wonders how things went last night with her and Sr. Alex. She says fine and that she’s decided to give it up to God. That, of course, makes Pedro feel much better. Pete struggles to discuss things he says would be better for a mother and daughter chat, but bottom line, he doesn’t want her to feel obligated to stick it out with Alex if she’s against it. He suggests a divorce. She says they’ve already discussed it and they’re getting one. She figures they’ll discuss the details at dinner tonight since they’re going out to eat.

On her way back to the main house Mary Jo runs into Bruno. He’s hoping she kept mum with Alex when he questioned her. She lies that he didn’t say a word to her about it. Bruno runs on about how Alex is probably waiting to tell her after he’s gone to bed with her. He says this time though, Alex isn’t going to get his own way. Tonight, Bruno says, he’s arranged for them all to leave for the U.S. MJ says they haven’t got passports and such. He says they’ll stop in the capital first to get them and it will be easy to do. The main thing is to disappear without Alex knowing where they’ve gone to. She refuses to go like that. She wants to leave in a more respectable way and reminds Bruno that Alex has already agreed to the divorce. Bruno says she’s crazy if she thinks AJ’s really going to give her one, especially now that he suspects the truth. She refuses. He demands she does what he tells her but before MJ can refuse again, Vicki comes outside looking for him. MJ escapes into the house.

Vicki wonders what’s going on between the two of them. Bruno lies and says he’s only trying to mingle and asked MJ out for a walk. Vicki says he’s lost his mind. That’s all he needs after getting into it with Alex over her the night before. He insists it was all innocent and walks off.

Meanwhile, at the office, Fernando tells AJ that the photo of him and Mary Jo is indeed a fake. Alex says he suspected as much and when he discussed things with Bruno last night he, of course, denied everything. “---What do you mean?” “—That Bruno showed up claiming to be me, falsified documents, etc., etc.” Afterwards, though, AJ explains further, he spoke to Mary Jo and she told him the truth, all of it. ‘Nando asks if he’s going to turn them into the police. AJ says no, he isn’t. ‘Nando thinks that’s a bad idea and that MJ’s dazzled him. Alex gets upset and says no she hasn’t, that Mary Jo is only a victim in all of this and that the one who should be reported to the police is Bruno! Fernando tells him he’s got to think about his mother. This sets off Alex even more.

“The only thing that matters to you is my mother, right?” ‘Nando takes a quick step back and says AJ’s family matters, too.” (Fernando, you’ve turned into such a disappointment. What a waste of blonde chromosomes. Sheesh.) AJ yells back at him that MJ also has a family: a family who is poor and desperate and that has been forced by circumstances to lie and to carry on a charade!” (Viewerville is on its feet and cheering! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! You go, guy! You handsome hunk o’ he-man!) Fernando backs off just as the phone rings but warns his friend he might be falling for a woman with the face of an angel who is very much of the flesh. AJ gives him a dismissive “We’ll see about that” as Bruno saunters in.

Bruno says his mother told him AJ wants him out of the country. Alex says yep, he does. Bruno surprises him by saying he’s fine with that. There’s one hitch though. He wants a million bucks before he goes. They dicker a bit and Alex agrees to $500,000 American. Take it or leave it. Bruno says fine. He leaves to get his check cut. Alex stops him first to give the knife an extra twist. “What about Mary Jo? Are you leaving her to me without a fight?” Bruno doesn’t take the bait, but does slam the door on his way out.

Fernando tells Alex he’s being too provocative. AJ says that’s exactly his intention. Let him fume! [¡Que reviente!] Alex says he’s set up his security to insure that Bruno doesn’t take MJ away. Fernando reminds him he’s got one month from the time of his supposed marriage to annul it, unless he’s had sexual relations with Mary Jo. “You should think about that because you only have a few days left.” Question is, will Alex be up to the challenge?

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Sortilegio: Hello from a new recapper

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the Caray, Caray! blog (and to the blogosphere, for that matter) and so I'm just posting a test post to see where it will show up and also to say hello. I'm looking forward to blogging this - it looks like a tremendous amount of fun and I've loved the comments I've seen from the readers.

Hasta pronto - I'll be blogging Sortilegio on Monday, October 19.

Saludos y besos,
Chavala

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