Saturday, April 24, 2010
Salvaje 04/23/10 --The Wilding: A Neanderthal in Crisis
Capítulo 46
[CS2009 fans- It looks as if CS has been added to the 12 midnight/11 PM Central time slot beginning next Monday. Set your dvr’s. –ed.]
First, the redux deluxe in brief: In the bedroom, Aimee is lost in thought and tearfully worrying if she’ll be able to resist her irrisistable Juan once she finds herself alone with him now that he’s agreed to become the new administrator at Finca del Mar. Renato walks in on her and tells her they’re having dinner out because it’s their last night before returning to the finca. He explains that he needs to return because there was an epidemic among the workers, though, thanks to Dr. Pablo and Regina, it was contained. Aimee allows the adoring Renato to hug her and resigns herself to eventually having to meet up with Juan and face him as back at the hilltop casota, Juan informs Gabriel that he is going to work at the Finca del Mar for Renato Vidal because….deep down he needs to know why Aimee made a cuckolded fool of him. He’s told Noel and Renato that he no longer works for Aldama. Gabe will now be “Aldama’s” official representative. Gabe warns him that it’s like walking into the lion’s den [boca del lobo = literally the mouth of the wolf] to work there. Juan explains–almost as if trying to convince himself as well as young Gabe-- that one has to be close to his enemies, aka, Rodrigo Montes de Oca and Leonarda Vidal, to know what they’re planning and thinking.
Back at said finca, PE (personal enemy) #2, Leonarda, ventures into the bowels of the basement to dig out her stash of Maria del Rosario’s old jewelry to find something else to give Arcadio to buy his continued silence with. She takes the necklace Rodrigo once gave to MdR and gritches over it. As she passes by MdR’s cell, MdR begs her to have pity on her and tell her something about her son. Leona takes the opportunity to again mentally torture her half-insane sister by telling her how he’d been abandoned as a newborn in the jungle. She taunts her a bit more by saying that apparently he survived because one day Noel brought him to claim his rightful place in the family “--As if the bastard had any right!” This sets off Rosie, (Viewerville instinctively goes for the mute button.) “Of course he had a right because he is my son! My s-s-o-n -n-n!”
Juan instructs Gabe to buy Devil’s Rock and all the surrounding land under the name of Juan Aldama de la Cruz. He’s decided to build a large mansion, he explains, in memory of his father who lived and died on that land loving his mother. Juan will live there in his suffering from his betrayal, and because it’s the place where he was transformed into Juan del Diablo.
Leona continues her tormenting tale about Rosie’s long lost son: “When I ran him off he left and we never heard from him again. I suppose he could be alive, but most assuredly by now he’s dead.” Rosie cries out in anguish and refuses to believe he’s dead. Leona purposely provokes her again by saying she pities poor Rosie because now Rosie’s got nothing where, on the other hand, Leona has a son who loves her and lives with her. She also has Rodrigo (What a peach!) who is close to falling in love with her. And why? Because Leona is determined that he will be hers and only hers. Leona laughs evilly. She asks Rosie if she realizes who in the end has won, and then walks off leaving MdR wailing yet again in her misery. (Thank gawd for a mute button! Even with the mute on, we all know what Rosie’s screaming.) “Mi hijo!!! My son! My so-o-o-n-n-n! He has to be alive! Al-i-i-i-ive” FF>>
Upstairs in the kitchen Clemencia thinks Regina, smiling sugary-sweet and forever looking like Glenda, Good Witch of the North in those cotton-candy gowns of hers, has lost her mind for formally accepting Federico as a suitor. Regi says she had no choice because continuing to deny and defy Feddie only gets her more grief from Papa. Clem says she deserves better. (Viewerville tends to agree, but who pray tell? Who should it be?) Regi, with stars in her eyes, says there’s nobody better than Renato! Unfortunately, she adds, he’s somebody else’s now and she’s got to begin to accept her fate. FF>>
Gabe is back meeting up with Jimena again and trying to explain that he can’t love a gypsy because they’d be so different from him, and anyway, he only loves Estrella. Mena changes the subject and gives him one of her bracelets to thank him for giving her the mantilla which allowed her to enter the church. The dunderhead tells her he’ll keep it as an amulet in hopes that Estrella will return to him. (Just what the girl wants to hear –not!) He abruptly changes the subject and asks if she heard about the kidnapped little girl. Mena explains that she was the one who returned her and that it was Servando and her aunt who had taken her. Gabe wants to turn them in immediately, but she begs him to keep it just between the two of them. Otherwise she’ll lose the only other family she has, she pleads. If it happens again Mena swears she’ll turn them in herself. Gabe eventually agrees to keep mum.
Back in their cell, Mirta has brought Rosie some thread to embroider with apparently. Rosie has embroidered (you guessed it) “Juan de Dios” on an old rag of rag-baby’s. She remembers our Juan talking to her during her delirium and in her crazy way thinks it was JD Sr. and that somehow, some way, he’d said he’d come back for her. Rosie rambles on again that they’ll be together for eternity. She then tells Mirta that sometimes she can remember things. She remembers when her baby was born that Leonarda told her he was dead, but then right after she heard her say that he was alive. Now she’s telling her he’s dead again, but she doesn’t believe Leonarda. She thinks he’s alive and will soon come for her. FF>>
Back at the hilltop casota, Gabe hands Juan a cablegram which confirms that it’s unavoidable that the price of wood will fall. Juan is muy pleased to think that now nothing will be able to save Rodrigo Montes de Oca from financial ruin. Gabe and he agree that there would be no better punishment for the likes of Rod MdO than absolute poverty. “He will soon suffer the same fate he caused others to suffer.” Gabe is down with that.
Rodrigo, meanwhile, is getting a shoulder rub from his lovelorn Leona. She wants Dr. Pablo to have a look at him. He rejects the idea and says it’s not that serious. He’s just upset because of the sh!t fits [hacerle pasar corajes] Regina gives him. Leona tells him she only mentions it because she couldn’t stand for anything to happen to him. Rod the Rammer takes her hands in his and asks if she truly loves him that much. She pulls away from him, reminding him that she would never discuss that subject with him again. Rod says Noel wouldn’t appreciate her giving him this much attention. She sneers that she could care less what Noel thinks. In fact, the only thing Noel was good for was giving her a son.
Speaking of Nerdly Noel, he’s at the office paying Raul for the shares of the wood business that Raul sold off to Rod. Noel says Rod is now the sole owner of that enterprise. He only hopes that Rod isn’t sorry for not selling his shares when he told him to. Raul doesn’t fault Rod –an excellent businessman-- for believing in the wood enterprise, but adds he was told by somebody who knows even more about business dealings than Rod to sell out. Noel wants to know who that person might be. Raul realizes he’s just run off at the mouth and clams up. He hurriedly tells Noel that he’d prefer not to say, for safety’s sake, and then leaves in a rush.
Juan shows up at the gypsy camp asking (but at knife-point?) to speak alone with Jimena. When they’re alone Juan asks her how long she plans to keep up the ruse about the supposedly dying “Estrella” with Gabe. He cautions her against continuing to lie to somebody she loves. “It’s the same as double-crossing him!” Mena says she just hasn’t found a way yet to make Gabe forget about Estrella. The only reason she dreamed up the illness, she explains, was because at the time Gabe told her he was leaving there for good and she didn’t want him to suffer. When they decided to return everything backfired [voltearse contra] on her. Juan says Gabe will be furious with her if he finds out. She admits she truly loves him and simply doesn’t know what to do about it now. Gabe is such a dream come true for her. Juan understands, but insists she has to tell him the truth. He urges her to use the goodness of her heart and her love for Gabe as her weapon. That way she cannot fail to win him over. Mena insists Gabe will never fall in love with a gypsy girl. Juan believes that she can win him over if she is just herself with him.
Meanwhile, Gabe presents himself at Noel’s office as Juan Aldama’s new representative. When Noel asks about Juan San Roman, Gabe says he was fired. Noel says it doesn’t especially make him happy to hear the news, but he can’t say that the guy didn’t ask for it. Gabe then tells Noel that Aldama wants to buy Devil’s Rock and the surrounding land. Noel wonders what he wants with that God-forsaken place. Gabe says he hasn’t any idea. He is only following orders and doesn’t question.
Regina comes in to see how Papa Rod’s doing. He gripes that if she truly cared she wouldn’t be so rebellious, and then he complains to her that she doesn’t appreciate his efforts in getting her a decent husband. She tells him she finally has agreed to give Feddie a chance for the two of them to get to know each other better. Rod’s attitude changes for the better.
Across town, Fulgencio tells Feddie that he made a mighty nice profit from selling the guns up north as Feddie suggested and then hands Feddie his share of the loot. They figure there’ll be more where that came from, too.
Rosenda of the ever-bulging boobage brings Rod (a definite boob-man with a budding bulge of his own) dinner in his room. He wants her to feed him, he says. (Sort of gives the old saw “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” a nifty, gut-wrenching new twist.) She serves him a few sensual mouthfuls. (Needless to say, my supper turned a few somersaults in my gut just watching those two.) She tells him that she made the broth herself and this excites him even more.
Regi pays a visit to Leonarda and gets a lecture about obeying the Ten Commandments--in particular, the tricky one about honoring thy father and thy mother--for her trouble.
Rod and Rosenda make moves on each other. Clemencia walks by and happens to see them close to kissing through the French doors. She suspects she’ll need to warn Rosenda about the what-comes-next.
Rosenda’s mama, Marlene/Magda, meanwhile, has put together a basketful of presents and ordered Phillipe to deliver them to Rosenda. He tells her she shouldn’t expect to buy her daughter’s love with gifts. Marlene, though, thinks if she showers her daughter with nice goodies she can keep her from coveting [ambicionar] what others have. (Nice try, but about 10 years too late and totally off the wall.) She ignores his advice and sends Frenchy on his way.
As soon as Rosenda returns with the empty tray to the kitchen, Clemencia tells her she saw her a bit too close for comfort with Don Ram-Rod in his room a bit ago. Rosenda is caught-redhanded impactada.
The newlyweds return to the finca. Leonarda greets Renato and Aimee who have returned from their honeymoon. Ren is happy to be back and makes a big to do over how Aimee loves the country as much as he does. Aimee grits her teeth and pretends to agree.
Back in the kitchen, Rosenda tries to pretend it was all innocent, but Clem says she saw her, so Rosenda cannot deny what was going on in there. Clem says she’s not trying to scold her, only trying to get her to think it through. Don Ram-Rod will entertain himself with her for a bit, but when he’s tired of her he’ll throw her out into the street --if Doña Leonarda doesn’t first. Rosenda gets huffy and pretty much tells Clem to keep her advice to herself. Clemencia ignores her and suggests there are other ways of getting ahead in life, but that the one she’s obviously chosen will only lead to trouble.
Aimee leaves to go upstairs while Ren and Leona continue to chat. Yes, Mama, he’s very happy with Aimee and feels very blessed. (Starry-eyed dolt!)
Juan, meanwhile, is visiting Santos and the gang. He tells them that he’s going to work as the administrator at Finca del Mar in order to find out why Aimee betrayed him. They tell him he must have lost his mind or something and nothing good can come of it. Remigio isn’t buying it either and says Juan only wants to get close to Aimee. He tells them that he’s not trying to get close to her again because he loves her, but because he hates her. (Ok. So it’s supposed to be more believable the thousand and first time he says it or what?) Juan insists that is not the case. Santos warns him that his crazy obsession will be his undoing. Pedro tells him it seems that he is in love with her even though he keeps saying he hates her. Juan still insists he only wants to know the truth about why she lied to him and made a fool of him when she told him she couldn’t live without his kisses….. “Don’t you understand?” Apparently none of them do.
At the same time, the object of Juan’s misplaced desire, Aimee, is pacing in her room. The narrator starts in: “Aimee is distracted, uneasy and unable to control her nerves. She begins to contemplate her next encounter with Juan. Will she be able to retrain her fluster when she sees him? Will he betray her with his look? His words? The impatience in his voice? Thinking about it all becomes a torture for her, a torture that robs her peace of mind.”
Juan tells the guys that in the end he’s going to be close to his enemies and that’s enough for him. Vengeance is his destiny and sooner or later it will come to that. They all know this. He cannot put it off [postergar] any longer. He leaves. Remi says the truth is Juan is only fooling himself. Pedro agrees. “Juan just won’t give up.” In any event, they’ll have to respect his decision, he says. Nobody there is smiling. Juan seems doomed to self-destruction.
Clemencia comes in to Aimee and Renato’s room to greet her. She is ecstatic to have her back and thinks that Aimee must be the happiest woman in the world with a man like Renato at her side. Aimee smiles wanly and then complains that she misses the city and feels like a prisoner there. She begs off for a nap before dinner. Clem agrees that’s best and leaves. Aimee can only look out at the sea and worry about what comes next now that Juan is going to be working there.
Regi greets Ren near the stairs. He thanks her for helping out during the epidemic. He embarrasses her by telling her they now call her the Angel of Paradise and by telling her that that is what she is to him, too, an angel. So he changes the subject and mentions that he’s hired a new man to be the administrator for the finca. The man is energetic and determined and holds the same ideals they do. He’s perfect for the place. She asks who the man is. Ren says he isn’t sure if he tells her whether she’ll be happy or disgusted and so he’ll just let her be surprised next morning.
Juan finds out that there is nobody home at the MdO mansion in Veracruz and takes the opportunity to climb up the trellis and sneak in. (Will somebody wiser than I tell me the purpose of having him climb in FF>> mode?)
Ren surprises Aimee while she’s looking out at the sea again. They get a bit frisky on the bed. Ren then asks her the obvious, why she was looking out the window. He doesn’t seem to believe her when she says she was only trying to breathe in the sea breeze. He says her face had that far away look on it and he suddenly felt jealous. “Jealous?” She giggles nervously. He says yes, and he hopes he never has reason to be. It would be more than he could handle. He just felt that she was busy thinking about something –or someone—else. Aimee lies and tells him nobody else but he could ever be in her thoughts. (Yawn. How much longer will she be able to lie with a straight face? I’m counting the hours, the minutes, the seconds.) She brattishly whines about leaving her alone for too long and asks what kept him. He explains he was chatting with his mother and then with Regi to thank her for helping during the epidemic. (Aimee hides a major eye-roll.) Eventually Ren lets the testosterone kick in and they begin that newlywed kissy-face stuff again……
Back inside the Veracruz mansion, Juan gets his macho-maniacal cave-man thing going. He just has to see the bedroom where the two consummated their marriage and where Aimee eventually betrayed his love. He finds the bedroom and enters. “This is where she promised him eternal love, the same as she did with me!” He curses her and then takes his knife and starts ripping up the bed in a fit of uncontrolled jealousy. He doesn’t stop there. He turns over the furniture and throws it around, breaking whatever he comes across. The last thing he breaks is the mirror after imagining seeing Aimee’s face reflected in it. (OMG! 7 years more bad luck. --Does anyone care?) He stops and stares at himself in the broken mirror. “The time has come for my revenge! This damned Montes de Oca family will find out who Juan del Diablo is! I didn’t throw the first stone, nor did I spill the first drop of blood! They turned me into what I am! I stopped being Juan de Dios to become Juan del Diablo!”
Labels: salvaje
Gancho Friday April 23rd Tender Hugs, a Fervent Kiss, But Not all is Bliss (the Serpent can still Hiss)
Alternate Title: Snakes Rattle and Roll
With at least a week left to go before the Gran Final, we shouldn’t delude ourselves. Sure, Isabel’s been unmasked. Salvador has returned from the dead to be joyously reunited with Gabriela, and Estrella found her cachorro. Paula and Cristian tied the knot. Coni may have learned her lesson after all, by losing everything, and spending a night in jail. But Jerry’s still alive and kicking (well, not so much from his hospital bed). Rolu and Arnie are fighting like dogs for a very lovely, but loopy, bone. And what about our canny, coiled cobra? Can Hissabel really be defanged yet? No way. Our slithering serpent is just too sly. She’ll twist, she’ll turn, she’ll slide, she’ll hide, she’ll trick, she’ll plot with all she’s got, until Marcos, Valentina and all the others who’ve made her the way she is, suffer. A lot. If it’s the last thing she does on this Earth!
But first, let’s rejoin our other characters. Xime’s been charmed by her dueling Man-Joe’s, Rolu and Arnie, singing up a storm to charm our tipsy gypsy. Mau and Moni arrived at the hospital to check on Hissy, who instead of checking in as a patient, has donned blue hospital garb, visited Jerónimo, and made some kind of a deal with him.
After a few supportive hugs from Mauricio, Moni demands the nurse check again, are you sure there’s no Isabel López here? She’s sure. Mau figures she may have gone to another hospital, and since there are so many (really Mau, this is a novela, you’re in the only one), they might as well go home and wait. Moni reluctantly agrees.
Beto’s kidding Nieves about all her curlers (she has quite a bunch, to go with her pink robe), when there’s a knock on the door. It’s Marcos, and Nieves, appalled to be seen like this (she shrieks mis fachas, or my unsightly appearance), slams the door right in Marcos’s face! She rushes back to change, as Beto greets Marcos, who’s rubbing his tooth. A few seconds later, Nieves makes her grand entrance, no more curlers, hair wild, wearing a tiger print dress with the strap in her teeth. Rowwwlll!
Marcos has great news. Constanza’s innocent, and she’s getting out of jail in the morning. Turns out she couldn’t have killed Salvador, because Salvador just happens to have appeared! Alive? questions Beto. He and Nieves are having trouble getting their heads around this one.It’s time to award the prize, a bottle of wine, for the best karaoke singer, and it’s between Rolu and Arnie. Both receive ovations, and our pugnacious pair try to get the crowd to pick them. Fair Xime can’t understand why they’d fight so much over a bottle of wine. No, says Lalu, they’re fighting over you, for your love. This is a bit much for Xime in her state, and she says she has to say farewell now. You’re going? asks Lalu. No, I’m gone, she says, falling directly backwards off her chair, dead drunk, out like a light. As her boys rush to help, we see Xime’s dream. Rolu’s smothering her with hot kisses, saying the hours he spends with her are driving him mad, he wishes time didn’t exist. Guess not, as Xime lifts up an hourglass, and there’s only one minute left. Then 50 seconds, etc., until (10 seconds early), Arnie bursts through the door, a rose in his teeth, big bouquet in hand, it’s time for HIS ten hours. Xime flips the hourglass, and Arnie’s ready. He lifts her into his arms, howls like a coyote, and up the stairs they go!
Back in reality, Lalu makes sure the two lovers don’t tear Xime in two as they carry her out of the bar.
Estrella is telling Aldo how great it is that the lies are over, she’ll finally get her best amiga back. Aldo agrees, but he also understands how disillusioned Moni must feel about her mother, the person she loved and trusted more than anyone else in the world. He felt something like that when he thought his Dad had betrayed him with Estrella, but it’s probably worse for Monita.
Mau and Moni arrive in the vecindad, she still shaken. Nieves comes out, and Moni asks for a hug. Nieves gladly hugs her. Moni is sorry for all the mean things she said to Nieves, but Nieves understands, and never stopped loving her. She also says Moni will be very happy with her handsome Mauricio, and the three of them hug. Next to enter are Aldo and Estrella. Moni says Mau should go home to his kids, so he and Aldo say goodbye. Moni looks at Estrella, can we talk? Of course, she says with a smile. As Nieves thanks the Virgencita, Moni and Estre go inside to rebuild their friendship.
They start with a hug, and Moni begs for forgiveness. Don’t worry about it, says Estre, I understand, with my reputation, but I’d never rob your boyfriend, although I did get to see him naked, and he sure is hot, you know
(she jokes, Moni smiling, playfully fake punching her). Seriously, says Estre, if I caught you with my puppy, I’d be super mad, too. Yeah, says Moni, I can just imagine your cachorro, just coming out of the shower, all fresh and clean….Hey, shut up, says Estre, but Moni was just joking, giving as good as she got, and they point at each other. Moni’s still sad, though, upset about her Mom, and also worried about her. Estre says she’s just tired, and they fall asleep comforting each other.A new day dawns, and Coni, head on the ground, is awakened by the sound of Cristian’s voice. Time to move. Are they transferring me to the main prison? Negativo, says Cris, all charges have been dropped. You’re a free woman. She can’t believe it, and lights up when Beto, wearing a green “Soy verde” (I’m green) tee shirt, enters to give her a hug, declaring her macho cabrio has returned. She kisses him, filled with need and emotion. Marcos arrives and she tearfully hugs him. Coni still feels guilty about letting Salvador die, she knows she must pay for her crimes. Maybe not, because here’s Sal too, not dead. Coni cries tears of joy and relief.
In the vecindad, Moni is wistfully going through the photos of her Mom, when Isabel enters, hair strangely askew. They glare at each other a few times, and Moni finally asks where she’s been. Hissy says she went to a different hospital, and spent the whole night in the emergency room, “as if you cared”. Yes, she lays on the guilt trip. Moni confronts her about the trap she did to Mauricio and Estrella, Aldo told her about it, but Hissy says she never lied, everyone else lied. And who are you going to believe, a drug addict like Aldo? Well, says Moni, Oscar also said you were working with him. And Constanza also accused you. Oh, shoots back Hissy, you believe a killer and the woman who hates you despite the fact that you’re her sister, more than you believe me? (Oooh, she’s good).
We have another hug, this time a Coni sandwich, with Beto and Marcos as the bread.
Hissabel continues, don’t you remember I took a bullet for you? And you still believe all those others? Moni calmly tells her, Salvador isn’t dead (of course Hissy knows this, but she pretends not to), and he told me he did argue with you in Mau’s office. Well, yes, Sal had just found out how Mauricio helped me fake my death, and didn’t like it, but you know all about that, and I assure you when I left the office, Salvador was fine. Moni’s still not buying it, you still haven’t explained the thing with Mau and Estrella, you took the pictures. Hissy goes back to the martyr strategy, whining that Moni is hurting her, making her sickness worse. I just hope when you cry at my tomb, you’ll be sorry! She walks out.
At Grupo Sermeño, Paula, now the office administrator, is imparting her wisdom to Alejandra, you have to work hard to move up the way I did, don’t just look at the guys. Ale assures her she isn’t looking at any guys, but when Ivan walks past, her head turns and the eyes follow. Ivan goes to prepare coffee, and Ale offers to help him. No way, Paula has her make some copies. The elevator opens, and it’s Gabi, looking around nervously. Paula wonders why. Gabi’s worried about Lorenza. Paula isn’t up to speed, so Gabi fills her in (after Pau beams about how she finally had her wedding night, on the Highway Vieja Cuernavaca). Gabi explains that Sal’s alive! Paula wants all the gossip with every juicy detail (con pelos y señales).
Meanwhile, Alejandra sneaks into the coffee room, and starts sexually assaulting Ivan. He tries and tries to stop her, they have to work. Fine, she says, you work at making the coffee, I’ll make the crackers with jelly (mermelada). She dips her finger in the jelly (apricot, chabacano), rubs it on her lip sensually, then goes to feed him, and when he moves, she gets it on his suit. Then she LICKS it off. Well, that’s it for Ivan, resistance is futile, and the lip-locking begins.
Of course, at this point, Mau arrives at the office with Aldo and Luisa. Gabi and Paula are happy to see them. Then Moni arrives with a downtrodden look, she’s feeling guilty about her argument (agarrón) with her Ma. As Mauricio comforts Moni, Aldo and Luisa go to get them coffee, and I think we’ve had just about enough tender hugging and happiness for this episode. It’s time for some drama!
Well, first a little more of Moni moping, Mau comforting, saying she’s noble, but also intelligent (as if he would know). She shouldn’t let her heart rule her mind. Let the chips fall where they may, you’re not alone, you have me, and all the people who care about you. Gracias, she says.
Okay, NOW for the fun. Luisa and Aldo are shocked to see Ivan kissing Alejandra. Ale smiles sneakily, and leaves to let them work it out. Ivan wants to explain, but Luisa won’t hear of it, and SLAPS him! She runs out, he tries to follow, but then Aldo defends his sister, and starts fighting with Ivan. They take it out to the main office, and the fists are flying. No sooner have the boys been separated, than Luisa and Ale start, too, grabbing each other’s hair,
until Mau and Moni, rousted from their sappiness session, move in to restore order.
We now flip over to Xime’s house, as she gingerly takes the last step down the spiral staircase, wearing sunglasses, holding her head, mightily hung over. Rolu and Arnie have prepared a wonderful breakfast for her, replete with all sorts of hangover remedies. Rolu has mineral water with lemon and salt, Arnie orange juice. She wants coffee. Rolu has chilaquiles and aspirin for her. Ah, Rolu, you made chilaquiles? Well, no, it was Arnie. Oh, well, Arnie how nice to bring me aspirin. Ummm, sorry, that was Rolu’s idea. Doorbell rings, and Xime, holding her head, gets it. It’s a strange envelope. After telling the delivery man her name is Penelope Cruz….Perez, she signs for it. It’s addressed to Jerónimo Sermeño, not to be opened by his sister Ximena under any circumstances. Of course she immediately opens it. It’s a dvd, and of course they’ll watch it. Arnie’ll get the popcorn. Both boys rush to make the popcorn, but Xime says I also want…..tomato juice. They rush to the kitchen, as she says, I also want (they rush back in together)…..a soda with just a few bubbles. They rush out, she says, I also want (they rush back in)
…..two onion tostadas with a little avocado and a pair of flautas without cream but with lettuce. They rush out again, but she yells after them, Just kidding boys. I only wanted the popcorn. And the soda and the tomato juice. They rush out again. She’s loving this, in fact, she’s so happy, her hangover (cruda) is gone!Aaaaoooooooo! The wolf is back, Lobo’s in the vecindad, runs into Estrella, who informs him that he might as well leave, Moni’s reconciled with Mauricio, it was cleared up that Mau and she never did anything. So hit the road, Jack. Lobo say he loves Valentina, and he’s not the type who gives up easily. He glares at her, and walks off, setting us up for some more trouble.
Mauricio orders Ivan to wait for him in Mau’s office, they need to have a serious discussion. Aldo is ordered to take Luisa home, he’ll talk with her later. Moni comforts her, telling her love is not so easy (that’s for sure!). As they get in the elevator, Paula pulls Gabi, Moni and Mau aside, and says they should fire that hussy Alejandra. Mau says he’ll talk with said hussy later, too.
Coni is just happy to be in the open air (al aire libre), with all the people moving around, the noise of the cars, she knows she’s made so many mistakes, she really wants to change. Ah, THAT’s the word I wanted to hear, says Beto, smiling, kissing her hands, he’s there to help. Coni’s made a decision, too. She’s going to return the vecindad to him, to Valentina, and to all the neighbors. All right! Beto kisses her, this is the best! She continues, she has nothing left, sold her boutique, her house, cleaned out her bank account, for the first time in her life she has nothing, she’s okay with that, but she doesn’t have anywhere to live. Don’t you worry about a thing, honey, says Beto, you have me, and I’m going to work night and day to buy you all the things you like, your fashion sunglasses, your expensive perfumes, your clothes, your handbags, everything. By the way, though, what about Monita, can you stop fighting with her? Coni needs time. Don’t worry, reassures Beto, step by step, with time, with saliva, and with muchas ganas (desire)….oh, speaking of that,…. Let’s get it on (he says porqué no vamos a lo oscurito a verle el esternon al peluche de mono huelo, which is something like why don’t we go to the dark to see the sternum of the smelly stuffed monkey, but you get the idea). She’s ready.
Okay, is Mauricio going to have all those serious discussions with everybody about responsibility and office procedures? Course not, Xime’s here, envelope in hand, and when Xime calls, duty stalls. She cries out Mao Tsé Tung, Monu, Gabirú, Pao, we have to watch this video, it’s urgentísimo, ajá! Mau protests, but he’s no match for Xime’s three things. Una, I came running here to bring it to you, Dos, it’s not going to win an Oscar, because he doesn’t exist anymore, and Tres, it’s very important you all watch it with me. Mauricio wants to watch it later, but Xime says it has to be “now, Mao”,
and Mau finally gives the green light. Into the meeting room they go. Paula tells Ale, whom she calls besucona, or Miss Kissy, to bring the coffee and cookies, and hers gets two sugars, so move it!Xime promises it’ll be super revelador (revealing) and aterriguau (combination of terrifying and Wow). Cue movie, and it’s Jero talking, saying
Hello, dear Oscar. If you’re watching this video, then surely I’m taking a plane to a paradise beach where I’ll be waited on by beautiful and delicious women, enjoying all the money I’ve robbed from you. I’m really sorry your vacation has to be in jail, since I sent a copy of this video to my dummy sister. Hola Ximena. (she says, Hola Jero, how ya doin? We’re all watching, dumb-bro’, and gives him an air kiss). If I’m not wrong, my idiot sister answered my question and surely will show this recording to my cousin Mauricio and he to the police. Oscar, my betrayal of you won’t be complete unless I list all your crimes such as, for example, the death of Licensiado Araujo, of Detective Bocanegra, although I had no participation, of course. Gabriela, Gabriela, if you’re there, Salvador, your old man, smells like puke, but he’s not dead. Oscar has him hidden in a cabaña, the address is on the envelope in which I’m sending this video (thanks for telling me now, you creep, says Gabi). I also had nothing to do with this, right Oscar? Same for the time that you hid in the hovel of that saucy Estrella to sedate her and Mauricio, with the idea of extorting my dear cousin, and who is, by the way, not as handsome or clever as I am. I don’t know how Isabel López found out about that. Well, she went to the cabaña to scold you for besmirching her daughter. And for sure, you looked very bad, threatening that poor woman with killing Monita if she revealed your plans!
(You could hear a pin drop in the room. Wow!)
Yes, Hissy’s not dead. She’s just getting ssssssssssssstarted!!!!!!
Previews: Hissy manipulates Jero, manipulates Lobo, and manipulates Moni. The rattlesnake is on a roll.
Vocabulario:
Facha – appearance, look
Con pelos y señales – with all the juicy details
Mermelada de chabacano – apricot jam, chabacano can also mean vulgar
Agarrón – an argument or fight, literally, a grabbing
Al aire libre – in the open air, outside
Besucona – a gal who likes to kiss
Labels: gancho
El Clon, Fri., April 23 - And where are the clones? There ought to be clones. Well, maybe next episode... (apologies to Stephen Sondheim)
Roberto tells Lucas that the Arab businessman's wife is named Jade. Lucas claims that he doesn't know her. Roberto is inviting Lucas to have a drink in a new bar with a hot chica when their women come in. "Later," ("Para la próxima") says Roberto quickly.
Marisa sweetly asks Lucas if he had a good afternoon and displays a huge diamond ring she has bought.
In their room, Lucia is surprised that Marisa is taking Lucas' betrayal so calmly. If it were her husband... Marisa replies that Roberto probably has strayed - he's a man (es hombre). She says that Lucas has no idea how she will make him pay for this (cómo me lo cobraré) and all the other insults to her in their marriage.
Alone with Lucas, Roberto tells Lucas not to play dumb (no te hagas). He knows that look. Lucas acknowledges that he was with someone. He says that he is trying to live life like his dead brother, Diego, would have with no attachments or suffering. He says that his marriage with Marisa ended long ago if it ever began. "No justification is necessary," says Roberto, "Flesh is weak (la carne es débil). Don't fall in love." Lucas says that won't happen. He fell in love once and it turned out very badly.
Meanwhile, Jade tells Zoraida that post Lucas, she will never love again. Said is a nice guy but she doesn't love him.
Mohamed finds Prince Amin (PA) at the girl fight. He says that they will leave immediately - as soon as they find out who wins.
Things are not going too well for Karla in the fight until she finds out that her opponent is Alej's ex.
After the fight Karla is furious with Alej and accuses him of knowingly arranging the fight with his ex-girlfriend. Alej apparently doesn't belong to the Leo/Lucas/Roberto school of dealing with women. When Karla demands that he look her in the eyes and tell her the truth, he does. Does this honesty help him? No, Karla is still furious and says that she never wants to see him again.
Mohamed hustles PA back to their apartment. Mohamed is in the liars group. He tells Latifa that PA was helping the Red Cross collect money. Zamira tells Latifa that Mohamed is covering up PA's sin. Latifa forbids her to slander her father.
Latifa tells Mohamed that it wasn't her fault that PA ran away. She says that she is afraid PA is heading down the wrong path ("el camino del mal").[Considering how he reacted to cage-fighting women, you'd better worry about Mohamed on that camino, too, Latifa, remember, el carne es débil.]
Lucas asks Marisa how much the ring cost and says that she shouldn't make such large purchases without consulting him. Marisa says that she tried to contact him but he wasn't in the office and his cell phone was turned off. Lucas mumbles that he was at a business meeting at a bank. Marisa replies that she deserves the ring for all she has had to put up with in her marriage with him.
Said tells Jade that he wants to talk about Lucas. He says that the trip to Miami will be a test of their marriage. Jade was honest with him from the beginning about her her love for Lucas. He hoped that over time, she would come to love him and he thinks that he has succeeded. The trip to Miami will be a test of this. Jade begs to stay in Morocco with Jadiya and leave her past behind. Said insists that she come with him to the US and go to his business events. He won't encourage her to meet Lucas but he won't prevent it either.
Lucas tells Rosa that the Jade from his past is coming to Miami. He asks Rosa not to mention this to Marisa and says that everything was in the past and he has thrown her out of his heart (ya la saqué de mi corazón). [And we believe that, right?]
Mohamed has a dream about boxin' babes and wakes up yelling, haram! He tells Latifa that it was a terrible nightmare (pesadilla horrible) It was so terrible that he can't tell her what it was about.
At the club, Osvaldo tells Miguel that he is going to meet Karla the next day. I guess Karla didn't think the boxing match was good for her career. She told Osvaldo that she had to take care of her grandmother. Miguel asks Osvaldo how he is going to make Karla believe his tall tale ('cuento chino') about being a talent agent. Osvaldo says that he has that under control. Dora and Vicki come into the club, Miguel warns Osvaldo, "It smells like death and it's not me," ("huele a muerto y no soy yo"). Dora is looking for Daniel. Osvaldo says that he has things to do and leaves without saying a word to Dora. She tells Vicki that Osvaldo is over her.
Natalia is all happy. She tells Rosa about how Fernando kissed her yesterday and went over to his house and they play music. She is going to meet him at the beach (without Andrea.)
Natalia arrives at the beach and the odious Fernando is with another girl.
Ramon invites Karla to Gloria's restaurant for empanadas that evening. She accuses him of spying on her for Alej. Osvaldo arrives with flowers for Karla. He dodges her questions about her contract and his fancy car and invites her to come dancing with him. She in turn invites him to a party. Up comes Mohamed and tells Karla that Mohamed is his sister's boyfriend. [Wasn't that like 10 years ago?] He tells Osvaldo that his sister will be pleased when he tells her that they ran into one another.
Zoraida tells Ali that Nariza has come to hear him read the Koran. She warns him not to let Nariza deceive him. "A person doesn't change change overnight like that," ("no puedo creer que lala Nazira se duerma como aceite and se despierte como miel," literally, "I can't believe that Nariza went to sleep as oil and woke up as honey,") says Zoriada. Ali thinks that he would be better off with a witness and takes Zoraida with him to hear the the Koran read.
Nariza tells Ali how much better she understands the Koran when he reads it an interprets it. She tries to send Zoraida off to make tea but Zoriada says that she is staying for the reading. At that moment, Said and Abdul arrive. Abdul tells Nariza that he wants her to come to the States with them to babysit Jadiya. Nariza throws a fit demonstrating how far from 'submissive' she really is. She says that she refuses to leave when she is so close to happiness in Morocco. Said and Abdul ask what happiness she is talking about and Nariza runs out of the room. Zoraida's and Ali's reaction:
Escobar complains about his son and tells Albieri and Julio that they are lucky not to have children. Albieri says that he didn't want to have his own children because they were already born. He lost one to death and the other to life. Julio is happy with his pet iguana and doesn't have a wife or children.
Lucas' assistant, Carolina, runs into Enrique (literally) again. Clara gives her the lowdown: not married, not gay. Perfect!
Marisa is apparently paying for sex. [Can't she get it on with the pool boy or her tennis coach?] She meets a gigolo (is that what you call these guys now? male escort? male prostitute?) in a hotel room. She is wearing the ugliest of her many ugly dresses. She actually looks vulnerable in this situation.
Poor Natalia. She tells Rosa about Fernando on the beach. She says everything in her life is bad. Her friends think she is a nerd. She doesn't fit in anywhere. She has no one. [God, how I remember this teenage agony.]
Luisa's long lost cousin, Alicia, is coming to stay with her and Albieri.
The party is on at Gloria's restaurant. Mohamed and Latifa watch from their house with disapproval. Zamira is dancing to the music with her friends. Mohamed orders her back inside the house. Zamira wants to dance and go to the movies with her friends. Latifa tries to tells her that confrontation is not the way to get what she wants from her father. 'I'm not going to wear a veil after I get my first period, either.' announces Zamira. 'We'll talk about it when that happens,' Latifa replies.
Ramon tells Alej about Karla's new boyfriend and then Karla and Osvaldo show up at the party.
We meet Alicia, Luisa's cousin.
Marisa comes home and tells Lucas that she has found a way to be happier.
'Is that so? replies Lucas, 'That's nice.' He tells her that Rosa was trying to reach her but her phone was turned off. When Lucas leaves, Marisa says that this is just the beginning. Her ring is just the first example of all the money she is going to spend. [How exactly is this taking revenge on Lucas? Isn't there plenty of money?]
Escobar has a fight with Clara. He is of the opinion that his job is more important than hers and she should spend more time cooking and cleaning for him. Clara says that she is his wife not his servant. She is tired of picking up after two men who can't do a thing for themselves, etc. etc.
Alej cuts in on Osvaldo and Karla dancing. Karla tells him to get lost (esfumate). Osvaldo says that the lady is connected to his chest (pecho). "The lady," replies Alej, "is my girlfriend. Get out or I'll break the connection and your chest." Osvaldo splits and Alej pretends to call his ex. Karla is jealous and they seem to get back together.
Zamira tells Latifa that she doesn't care about the customs of their religion. She was born here and just wants to be like other girls.
Mohamed tells Latifa that they have made a lot of money living in the US but as the expense of their tranquility and the ability to raise their children as good Muslims. Latifa suggests that they spend more time with the children going to malls, parks and the movies so that they don't hang out in the street.[Brilliant idea - the kids are going to love to be seen with their parents who look so different than anyone else.
It's late. Albieri is reading a book. The phone rings. It's the clone on line one. "Dad?" he says.
The credits roll.
Marisa sweetly asks Lucas if he had a good afternoon and displays a huge diamond ring she has bought.
In their room, Lucia is surprised that Marisa is taking Lucas' betrayal so calmly. If it were her husband... Marisa replies that Roberto probably has strayed - he's a man (es hombre). She says that Lucas has no idea how she will make him pay for this (cómo me lo cobraré) and all the other insults to her in their marriage.
Alone with Lucas, Roberto tells Lucas not to play dumb (no te hagas). He knows that look. Lucas acknowledges that he was with someone. He says that he is trying to live life like his dead brother, Diego, would have with no attachments or suffering. He says that his marriage with Marisa ended long ago if it ever began. "No justification is necessary," says Roberto, "Flesh is weak (la carne es débil). Don't fall in love." Lucas says that won't happen. He fell in love once and it turned out very badly.
Meanwhile, Jade tells Zoraida that post Lucas, she will never love again. Said is a nice guy but she doesn't love him.
Mohamed finds Prince Amin (PA) at the girl fight. He says that they will leave immediately - as soon as they find out who wins.
Things are not going too well for Karla in the fight until she finds out that her opponent is Alej's ex.
After the fight Karla is furious with Alej and accuses him of knowingly arranging the fight with his ex-girlfriend. Alej apparently doesn't belong to the Leo/Lucas/Roberto school of dealing with women. When Karla demands that he look her in the eyes and tell her the truth, he does. Does this honesty help him? No, Karla is still furious and says that she never wants to see him again.
Mohamed hustles PA back to their apartment. Mohamed is in the liars group. He tells Latifa that PA was helping the Red Cross collect money. Zamira tells Latifa that Mohamed is covering up PA's sin. Latifa forbids her to slander her father.
Latifa tells Mohamed that it wasn't her fault that PA ran away. She says that she is afraid PA is heading down the wrong path ("el camino del mal").[Considering how he reacted to cage-fighting women, you'd better worry about Mohamed on that camino, too, Latifa, remember, el carne es débil.]
Lucas asks Marisa how much the ring cost and says that she shouldn't make such large purchases without consulting him. Marisa says that she tried to contact him but he wasn't in the office and his cell phone was turned off. Lucas mumbles that he was at a business meeting at a bank. Marisa replies that she deserves the ring for all she has had to put up with in her marriage with him.
Said tells Jade that he wants to talk about Lucas. He says that the trip to Miami will be a test of their marriage. Jade was honest with him from the beginning about her her love for Lucas. He hoped that over time, she would come to love him and he thinks that he has succeeded. The trip to Miami will be a test of this. Jade begs to stay in Morocco with Jadiya and leave her past behind. Said insists that she come with him to the US and go to his business events. He won't encourage her to meet Lucas but he won't prevent it either.
Lucas tells Rosa that the Jade from his past is coming to Miami. He asks Rosa not to mention this to Marisa and says that everything was in the past and he has thrown her out of his heart (ya la saqué de mi corazón). [And we believe that, right?]
Mohamed has a dream about boxin' babes and wakes up yelling, haram! He tells Latifa that it was a terrible nightmare (pesadilla horrible) It was so terrible that he can't tell her what it was about.
At the club, Osvaldo tells Miguel that he is going to meet Karla the next day. I guess Karla didn't think the boxing match was good for her career. She told Osvaldo that she had to take care of her grandmother. Miguel asks Osvaldo how he is going to make Karla believe his tall tale ('cuento chino') about being a talent agent. Osvaldo says that he has that under control. Dora and Vicki come into the club, Miguel warns Osvaldo, "It smells like death and it's not me," ("huele a muerto y no soy yo"). Dora is looking for Daniel. Osvaldo says that he has things to do and leaves without saying a word to Dora. She tells Vicki that Osvaldo is over her.
Natalia is all happy. She tells Rosa about how Fernando kissed her yesterday and went over to his house and they play music. She is going to meet him at the beach (without Andrea.)
Natalia arrives at the beach and the odious Fernando is with another girl.
Ramon invites Karla to Gloria's restaurant for empanadas that evening. She accuses him of spying on her for Alej. Osvaldo arrives with flowers for Karla. He dodges her questions about her contract and his fancy car and invites her to come dancing with him. She in turn invites him to a party. Up comes Mohamed and tells Karla that Mohamed is his sister's boyfriend. [Wasn't that like 10 years ago?] He tells Osvaldo that his sister will be pleased when he tells her that they ran into one another.
Zoraida tells Ali that Nariza has come to hear him read the Koran. She warns him not to let Nariza deceive him. "A person doesn't change change overnight like that," ("no puedo creer que lala Nazira se duerma como aceite and se despierte como miel," literally, "I can't believe that Nariza went to sleep as oil and woke up as honey,") says Zoriada. Ali thinks that he would be better off with a witness and takes Zoraida with him to hear the the Koran read.
Nariza tells Ali how much better she understands the Koran when he reads it an interprets it. She tries to send Zoraida off to make tea but Zoriada says that she is staying for the reading. At that moment, Said and Abdul arrive. Abdul tells Nariza that he wants her to come to the States with them to babysit Jadiya. Nariza throws a fit demonstrating how far from 'submissive' she really is. She says that she refuses to leave when she is so close to happiness in Morocco. Said and Abdul ask what happiness she is talking about and Nariza runs out of the room. Zoraida's and Ali's reaction:
Escobar complains about his son and tells Albieri and Julio that they are lucky not to have children. Albieri says that he didn't want to have his own children because they were already born. He lost one to death and the other to life. Julio is happy with his pet iguana and doesn't have a wife or children.
Lucas' assistant, Carolina, runs into Enrique (literally) again. Clara gives her the lowdown: not married, not gay. Perfect!
Marisa is apparently paying for sex. [Can't she get it on with the pool boy or her tennis coach?] She meets a gigolo (is that what you call these guys now? male escort? male prostitute?) in a hotel room. She is wearing the ugliest of her many ugly dresses. She actually looks vulnerable in this situation.
Poor Natalia. She tells Rosa about Fernando on the beach. She says everything in her life is bad. Her friends think she is a nerd. She doesn't fit in anywhere. She has no one. [God, how I remember this teenage agony.]
Luisa's long lost cousin, Alicia, is coming to stay with her and Albieri.
The party is on at Gloria's restaurant. Mohamed and Latifa watch from their house with disapproval. Zamira is dancing to the music with her friends. Mohamed orders her back inside the house. Zamira wants to dance and go to the movies with her friends. Latifa tries to tells her that confrontation is not the way to get what she wants from her father. 'I'm not going to wear a veil after I get my first period, either.' announces Zamira. 'We'll talk about it when that happens,' Latifa replies.
Ramon tells Alej about Karla's new boyfriend and then Karla and Osvaldo show up at the party.
We meet Alicia, Luisa's cousin.
Marisa comes home and tells Lucas that she has found a way to be happier.
'Is that so? replies Lucas, 'That's nice.' He tells her that Rosa was trying to reach her but her phone was turned off. When Lucas leaves, Marisa says that this is just the beginning. Her ring is just the first example of all the money she is going to spend. [How exactly is this taking revenge on Lucas? Isn't there plenty of money?]
Escobar has a fight with Clara. He is of the opinion that his job is more important than hers and she should spend more time cooking and cleaning for him. Clara says that she is his wife not his servant. She is tired of picking up after two men who can't do a thing for themselves, etc. etc.
Alej cuts in on Osvaldo and Karla dancing. Karla tells him to get lost (esfumate). Osvaldo says that the lady is connected to his chest (pecho). "The lady," replies Alej, "is my girlfriend. Get out or I'll break the connection and your chest." Osvaldo splits and Alej pretends to call his ex. Karla is jealous and they seem to get back together.
Zamira tells Latifa that she doesn't care about the customs of their religion. She was born here and just wants to be like other girls.
Mohamed tells Latifa that they have made a lot of money living in the US but as the expense of their tranquility and the ability to raise their children as good Muslims. Latifa suggests that they spend more time with the children going to malls, parks and the movies so that they don't hang out in the street.[Brilliant idea - the kids are going to love to be seen with their parents who look so different than anyone else.
It's late. Albieri is reading a book. The phone rings. It's the clone on line one. "Dad?" he says.
The credits roll.
Labels: clon
Mujeres Asesinas 2, Thursday, April 22: The case of the fillet o' fishmonger.
Tonight, María Sorté is "María, Pescadera" (María, fishmonger).
A body is wheeled out on a stretcher through a supermarket. One of the DIEM crew walks a handcuffed and bloody-handed María out, while Aranda walkies Capellan that they're on the way.
You got it, Gloria, it's gonna get bloody tonight.
Capellan watches María Gonzalez get walked into an interrogation room by Moran. She's looking like she was rode hard and put away wet. Gerardo tells Capellan that they're not going to be able to do much--they've got a body, witnesses, and a suspect. Aranda says they found a knife, too. Capellan says they might not have much to do, but they investigate the "How?"…She investigates the "Why?" Touché, madame, touché. Capellan walks into the room and introduces herself.
Flashback: It's 4:30 in the morning. A young woman stumbles toward María's bed and wakes her up. This would appear to be her daughter, Luchi, who has some kind of physical or developmental disability. María hands her a crutch so she can walk to the bathroom. Later, she braids her daughter's hair and comments that they ought to try getting up earlier in the morning instead of having baths at night. María vetoes lip gloss for Luchi saying she's already told her "no". María and Luchi have breakfast. María announces that it's late and she asks Luchi to wash the dishes. Luchi holds out a hand and María remembers she has to give Luchi her massage. She starts stretching out Luchi's fingers, then stops to massage her own hand, which is getting a little stiff. She goes back to massaging Luchi's hand and asks if it feels nice. María tells Luchi that her godmother will be there at 9 to take her to therapy, because it's Tuesday. This would be godmother Carmelita. Luchi reaches her other hand over and strokes María's hand, asking her if it feels nice. María assures her that it does and reminds her again to wash the dishes, brush her teeth, and don't do anything naughty. Luchi nods. María left money for Carmelita for the therapy. She asks Luchi if she remembers. "Mom! I'm not stupid!" "Of course you're not." "You are mom!" "Hey!" "You forgot I go to get tortillas today." "You're right! What would I do without you?" "You wouldn't eat tortillas." María kisses Luchi and blesses her.
María makes her way to her stall in the market, wishing everyone a good morning as she goes. She puts on an apron and starts putting out ice in the display case. The ice is hurting her hand. She starts laying out the fish.
Present: "That's how it was for years. The same thing always. An endless nightmare. Only my daughter got me through."
Flashback: Blanca and Ramón walk through the market. Ramón gets an eyeful of María. Blanca teases him that there's nothing to see there. Ramón says "If I told you, you'd get mad." Blanca goes over and bitches out María for not having her hair back. She says she's been warned before and she'd better get it taken care of or she'll report her to the health inspector. Blanca says it's Don Ramón who pays them off. Blanca walks off. Ramón takes an extra few seconds to linger before he says goodbye.
María calls Luchi at home from a pay phone. She has to convince her to let her godmother have the phone. María checks to make sure that Luchi gave her godmother the money. María, repeating what Carmelita is telling her, says for our benefit that she has to take Luchi to a checkup tomorrow. She thanks Carmelita for feeding Luchi, "I know how much she eats! And she's so skinny." María goes back to her stall and her neighbor, Lupita, offers her half her sandwich. María tries to refuse, but gives in, saying she hasn't had time to eat anything. She and Lupita chat about how Luchi is doing. Lupita has noticed that Blanca is giving María a hard time. María says they're after her spot. Lupita encourages her to talk to Pancho, the union rep. That's what their dues are for. María says she doesn't want to get the union involved. If she ticks off Ramón he might take her spot. Lupita notices that María's arm is still bothering her. María says sometimes she loses feeling in it. She won't go to a doctor, though, because she'd have to ask Blanca's permission. She gets the idea to ask Don Ramón directly, since he's the owner. Lupita laughs that he's Blanca's boyfriend, a little fishie told her.
Blanca comes up to Ramón in the market. She asks him if he remembers telling her that he wanted to rent the fish stall with a higher rent. She's got people interested. Blanca notices him looking at María again and says she's slow and dirty. Plus she figures she's so dumb that if they took the stall away from her she wouldn't even be able to find another job. Ramón laughs and says you don’t have to go to university to know how to cut the heads off fish. He then remembers that Blanca used to do the same thing. "Hey, don’t compare me to her! Besides, I'm not so dumb. You made me administrator!" He says he just meant that she was "perrada" (a dirty trick?). She totally agrees. He calls her a tigress. He asks if María is her friend and she gets pissed off again. He reminds her that he's the owner. "Fine. DON Ramón." She walks down to the stall.
Lupita gives María a warning when she sees Blanca coming. Blanca asks María if she's tired. "You've been cutting fish as long as Lupita and you've only done half what she's done." María tells her to back off, what business is it of hers how fast she does her job. Blanca says it is her business because if María doesn't work, she doesn't sell, and if she doesn't sell, she can't pay the rent. Blanca tells her Don Ramón isn't going to cover her rent. Lupita blurts out that María's having a problem with her arm. Lupita keeps encouraging María to tell her and says it's what they've all got. María says it's tendinitis. She tries to downplay it, but Lupita says she needs to go to the doctor. Blanca says "ok, go to the doctor, then." Oh, but she's going to make María pay a penalty for being out. Lupita says she'll pay it and insists that María really needs to go. "Or have you already forgotten how our arms hurt when we cut fish? You don't remember anymore?" Blanca tells María to go to the doctor and pay the fee for having the stall closed. María doesn't think it's fair and Blanca mocks her, asking if she thinks they ought to pay the doctor bill for her too. Blanca lists her options as going to the doctor and paying the fine or losing the stall altogether. That's as fair as Don Ramón wants to be, she says. Blanca leaves and Lupita apologizes for making things worse. María's not worried about it--she can take advantage of the day and take Luchi to her appointment. They go back to cutting fish.
The doctor tells María that she should be proud of Luchi--she's been doing her exercises. Luchi says she has been, but Mom hasn't. "Oh yeah, what haven't I done?" Luchi tells the doctor that her mom cries because they don't have money and her arm hurts. The doctor asks about it, but she tries to play it off, at least until he stretches her arm out and it hurts. The doctor pronounces it a severe tendinitis and recommends she rest it for at least 15 days. The doc confirms that she's working at the fish stall in the market, all day, standing. He tells her she needs to work sitting down, maybe on a bar stool. María tells him the administrator won't like it. He offers her some anti-inflammatories and some muscle relaxants. María protests that the appointment is for Luchi. "And if you're sick, who takes care of Luchi? Luchi is well, you're the one who needs to take care of herself. This is very delicate and it could turn into a paralysis." Luchi looks upset. María tells her not to worry and hugs her.
The alarm goes off at 4:45am. The gals go through their morning routine. Carmelita comes over. María is going to try to close up at work early. Carmelita is worried about what will happen if Luchi has another "attack," but María says they're just spasms, don't worry, it's not epilepsy. María says goodbye to Luchi.
Present: María cries. Capellan wonders if even with the doctor's note, María still had problems with the administrator.
Flashback: Blanca sneers at 15 days of rest. She asks why María doesn't just give up the stall, but María can't. Then Blanca notices María is supposed to work sitting down, "Oh, anything else? Do you want coffee? Cookies?" María reminds her that tendinitis is serious, not to mention her arthritis and her legs. "You remember what it's like to work this job. Do you remember when you started getting arthritis?"
Two years ago: Blanca is in María's house bragging about telling off Don Ramón. Blanca is rubbing her wrist. She says it's horrible, either they take away your job or send you in back where no one can see you. Blanca says she's brought María a present, a really nice knife. María asks if she stole it. Blanca laughs that it's fair payback for all her hard work. María recognizes it as one of Don Ramón's special knives. Blanca doesn't think she'll get caught, or if she does, she doesn't care. María notices that Blanca's wrist is hurting. "I told you to wear gloves when you put your hands in the ice." Blanca asks who's going to buy her gloves. María asks Luchi to pass her the arnica cream. She won't accept the knife. María takes Blanca's hand and massages it with the arnica. Blanca puts some arnica on Luchi's hand and starts rubbing it. So I guess we know how that little ritual started.
Blanca tells María she doesn't remember it and has no idea what she's talking about. Bitch. Blanca says she can do whatever she wants, but she won't stand up for her if she's late on the rent again. "Thanks to me, you're not on the street. I haven't done anything but watch your back." María starts to leave. She turns back to tell Blanca that Luchi asks about her and misses her. "She's well. She's a young lady now. But she asks why her Tía Blanca doesn't come to visit. I tell her that I haven't seen her in a long time either." Blanca looks sad.
A year ago: María leaves Lupita in charge of her stall and goes to pay Don Ramón the rent. When she knocks on the office door and pushes it open, Ramón is screwing Blanca. Blanca goes running out after María and Ramón laughs. María and Blanca get into a strange argument. María is perfectly willing to keep her mouth shut and isn't judging Blanca, but Blanca acts like María can't wait to blab it to everyone and is looking down on her. Blanca is offended at María saying "to each his own" and takes it as María thinking she's better than Blanca, as opposed to agreeing that she would've done it too.
Blanca thinks about that day and sniffs, collecting herself. She sits back down at her desk and reviews the file of health inspections. There's a certificate saying that María has complied with health department regulations. Blanca signs it, but I don't get what's going on with this.
Present: Capellan visits the lab. Gerardo says she may not want to hear it, but the victim's blood was on the suspect, the fingerprints match, and she did it in front of witnesses, so let's close this case already. Capellan says she won't until she has a full picture of what's going on. She accuses the team of only being interested in blood, fingerprints, and criminals. Well, in their defense, they are cops. Capellan seems to be in a particularly pissy mood today.
Flashback: What it looks like is that Blanca has signed a complaint to the health department. Ramón looks at a couple of them and gripes that he'll have to talk to the union. He doesn't like the idea of getting rid of María, though. He says she's got a sick daughter. Blanca complains that she's always late with the rent and wants to work sitting down. She accuses Ramón of being into her. Ramón says fine, he'll get rid of her if Blanca wants, but first he's going to screw her. Ramón laughs that there's nothing like a woman to screw another woman over. "Why are you so mad at her? Because she saw us that time? It's been almost a year. Ah, you're mad because she saw what a pig you could be. Or maybe because you gave it up so easily, but she's a decent woman. Or because she has a daughter and you don't even have a dog to bark at you." Blanca starts to say something about his wife, but Ramón reminds her that topic is off limits. He proposes they make a bet--Blanca will do everything she can to break her, to get her to leave, and Ramón will do everything he can to get her into bed (or desk, as the case may be). Blanca takes the bet.
Present: Lupita gives Capellan the 411 about the work environment. She calls Blanca and Ramón pigs, "Begging your pardon, ma'am" (ha ha, didn't realize they called cops "pigs" in Spanish too). Blanca and Ramón were sleeping together, but if Ramón wanted someone, Blanca would get her for him. They would make bets, or rather, Ramón would. And he did have a thing for María.
Flashback: María is leaving for the day, but Lupita reminds her it's the feast day of San Ramón. That means a party for the boss. Lupita tries to convince her to stay. Ramón walks up and scolds her for leaving without staying for the party. María apologizes for being a month behind in rent. Ramón brushes that off and says nothing's going to happen to María's daughter if she stays for just one dance. "You're the only one I haven't danced with." Lupita says he hasn't danced with her either. Ramón's like, "uh, yeah, later maybe." He sends her off to help her coworkers. Ramón starts schmoozing María. "You're a very attractive woman and I like you. But I'm a gentleman, so I'm going to let you go home and see your daughter, but just this once. You have to give me a chance to ask you out for dinner sometime, away from the market." While he's schmoozing, Blanca is smuggling the fancy knife into María's bag. She goes over to tell María and Ramon that she needs to see them both in the office right away.
Ramón wonders what's going on. Blanca tells María to put her bag on the table and starts searching it. She pulls out a knife and María is shocked. Blanca now demands that María strip so that Blanca can search her. María starts undressing, but won't strip past her undershirt. "Touch me if you want, I can't hide anything in here." Blanca tells Ramón that she wants him to take a good look at her, "If she stole this, who knows what else she stole." María accuses Blanca of putting the knife in her bag. Ramón asks to be left alone with María. Blanca gets upset, "Fine, if you don't care that she's stealing, maybe you should know that the health inspector wants to close her down for two days to disinfect." She leaves. María wants to look at the report. María says she didn't steal the knife. Ramón starts putting the moves on her and asks what he can do to compensate her. He claims not to be able to do anything about the two day shut-down, but he offers to pay the fine. He tries to get her to use "tú" with him. He reminds her that he owns half the market and is also Blanca's boss. "Blanca is difficult. Imagine! She says you're ugly, but you're really pretty. I want you to be ok, and to trust me. If she gets bad, come to my office and we'll talk."
Present: Capellan questions Ramón. He claims it was just a chick fight. Capellan asks him if he had an "emotional" relationship with Blanca. He denies that he did. I'm inclined to agree. She asks if he was interested in María. "Well, yeah, I like women." Capellan tells him his interest is the reason she's got a cadaver in the morgue, so he'd better behave himself. He's not in a good situation--she can accuse him of workplace violence and sexual assault.
Flashback: Maria is just waking up and its after 9. Luchi is in the kitchen filling cups with green liquid. She's proud of herself for making jello to sell so that mom won't be sad. She did it all by herself. María asks what she can help with. Luchi tells her to put them in the refrigerator, but carefully. "Don't spill."
María is still home and in her pj's when Carmelita comes over to take Luchi to therapy. Carmelita offers to let María take her. María hesitates, so Luchi jumps in and says they don't have money because they closed down her stall for two days. Carmelita is sure it was Blanca. "Ever since I've known her, I've seen her bad intentions!" María wants her to hush in front of the girl, but Luchi reminds her she's not a little girl anymore. Carmelita offers to give her money. She insists she's taking Luchi to therapy, and no paying back later. Luchi asks Carmelita if she'll buy some gelatinas. Carmelita will buy them all, but after therapy.
Present: Capellan confirms that Blanca was suspended for two days-Tuesday and Wednesday-and went back to work yesterday, Thursday. "What happened yesterday?" María says that Blanca told her that Ramón had stocked the stall with fish for her and she needed to pay him back for it, and she should be grateful not to be kicked out.
Flashback: Ramón is leaving the market, but he changes his mind when he hears that María is working late. He visits her at her stall and gives her a scare. She says she's making up for the time she lost. Ramón tells her that he does need her to pay him back for the fish. He goes behind the counter while she's washing her hands and starts touching her. She knows what's up and tells him to back up. Ramón says he'll do her a favor and report her the next time he sees her working late. María sits on the floor of her stall and cries.
Present: Capellan asks what happened today.
Flashback: María gets to her stall and finds it plastered with signs saying it's closed. There's an envelope for her. Lupita wants to know what it says, but María won't talk, so Lupita takes it from her and reads it herself. They took the stall from her.
In his office, Ramón laughs. Blanca is upset again. "I ran her off, see! I won!" Ramón keeps laughing and just wants to know if when she talked to the union rep she was as close to him as she is to Ramón now. She calls him an idiot and leaves.
María is ripping the signs off her stall. She goes behind the counter and tears off all the signs and the tape she can get her hands on. Blanca and Ramón see her and Blanca says she's crazy.
Present: Capellan asks what happened. "It was the lowest of humiliations. They made me feel like my life was worth less than a fish with no head or guts."
Flashback: Blanca comes over and yells at María. "Can't you read? It's not yours anymore! It says closed." Blanca keeps harping on it and saying they're going to throw María in jail. She's a pig, an idiot, she's disrespecting her authority. María yells back to shut up, stabs her, and keeps twisting the knife, holding one hand over Blanca's mouth and shushing her. Blanca bleeds all over some unfortunate produce and the bloody butterflies fly away. María yanks the knife out.
"María Gonzalez was tried for homicide. The judge in charge of her case took into account the recommendations of Sofia Capellan and judged the crime as a product of a violent emotion produced by extreme workplace violence. She was condemned to three years in prison. The provisional guardianship of Luchi was given to her godmother Carmen Gomez. Luchi continued attending therapy."
A body is wheeled out on a stretcher through a supermarket. One of the DIEM crew walks a handcuffed and bloody-handed María out, while Aranda walkies Capellan that they're on the way.
You got it, Gloria, it's gonna get bloody tonight.
Capellan watches María Gonzalez get walked into an interrogation room by Moran. She's looking like she was rode hard and put away wet. Gerardo tells Capellan that they're not going to be able to do much--they've got a body, witnesses, and a suspect. Aranda says they found a knife, too. Capellan says they might not have much to do, but they investigate the "How?"…She investigates the "Why?" Touché, madame, touché. Capellan walks into the room and introduces herself.
Flashback: It's 4:30 in the morning. A young woman stumbles toward María's bed and wakes her up. This would appear to be her daughter, Luchi, who has some kind of physical or developmental disability. María hands her a crutch so she can walk to the bathroom. Later, she braids her daughter's hair and comments that they ought to try getting up earlier in the morning instead of having baths at night. María vetoes lip gloss for Luchi saying she's already told her "no". María and Luchi have breakfast. María announces that it's late and she asks Luchi to wash the dishes. Luchi holds out a hand and María remembers she has to give Luchi her massage. She starts stretching out Luchi's fingers, then stops to massage her own hand, which is getting a little stiff. She goes back to massaging Luchi's hand and asks if it feels nice. María tells Luchi that her godmother will be there at 9 to take her to therapy, because it's Tuesday. This would be godmother Carmelita. Luchi reaches her other hand over and strokes María's hand, asking her if it feels nice. María assures her that it does and reminds her again to wash the dishes, brush her teeth, and don't do anything naughty. Luchi nods. María left money for Carmelita for the therapy. She asks Luchi if she remembers. "Mom! I'm not stupid!" "Of course you're not." "You are mom!" "Hey!" "You forgot I go to get tortillas today." "You're right! What would I do without you?" "You wouldn't eat tortillas." María kisses Luchi and blesses her.
María makes her way to her stall in the market, wishing everyone a good morning as she goes. She puts on an apron and starts putting out ice in the display case. The ice is hurting her hand. She starts laying out the fish.
Present: "That's how it was for years. The same thing always. An endless nightmare. Only my daughter got me through."
Flashback: Blanca and Ramón walk through the market. Ramón gets an eyeful of María. Blanca teases him that there's nothing to see there. Ramón says "If I told you, you'd get mad." Blanca goes over and bitches out María for not having her hair back. She says she's been warned before and she'd better get it taken care of or she'll report her to the health inspector. Blanca says it's Don Ramón who pays them off. Blanca walks off. Ramón takes an extra few seconds to linger before he says goodbye.
María calls Luchi at home from a pay phone. She has to convince her to let her godmother have the phone. María checks to make sure that Luchi gave her godmother the money. María, repeating what Carmelita is telling her, says for our benefit that she has to take Luchi to a checkup tomorrow. She thanks Carmelita for feeding Luchi, "I know how much she eats! And she's so skinny." María goes back to her stall and her neighbor, Lupita, offers her half her sandwich. María tries to refuse, but gives in, saying she hasn't had time to eat anything. She and Lupita chat about how Luchi is doing. Lupita has noticed that Blanca is giving María a hard time. María says they're after her spot. Lupita encourages her to talk to Pancho, the union rep. That's what their dues are for. María says she doesn't want to get the union involved. If she ticks off Ramón he might take her spot. Lupita notices that María's arm is still bothering her. María says sometimes she loses feeling in it. She won't go to a doctor, though, because she'd have to ask Blanca's permission. She gets the idea to ask Don Ramón directly, since he's the owner. Lupita laughs that he's Blanca's boyfriend, a little fishie told her.
Blanca comes up to Ramón in the market. She asks him if he remembers telling her that he wanted to rent the fish stall with a higher rent. She's got people interested. Blanca notices him looking at María again and says she's slow and dirty. Plus she figures she's so dumb that if they took the stall away from her she wouldn't even be able to find another job. Ramón laughs and says you don’t have to go to university to know how to cut the heads off fish. He then remembers that Blanca used to do the same thing. "Hey, don’t compare me to her! Besides, I'm not so dumb. You made me administrator!" He says he just meant that she was "perrada" (a dirty trick?). She totally agrees. He calls her a tigress. He asks if María is her friend and she gets pissed off again. He reminds her that he's the owner. "Fine. DON Ramón." She walks down to the stall.
Lupita gives María a warning when she sees Blanca coming. Blanca asks María if she's tired. "You've been cutting fish as long as Lupita and you've only done half what she's done." María tells her to back off, what business is it of hers how fast she does her job. Blanca says it is her business because if María doesn't work, she doesn't sell, and if she doesn't sell, she can't pay the rent. Blanca tells her Don Ramón isn't going to cover her rent. Lupita blurts out that María's having a problem with her arm. Lupita keeps encouraging María to tell her and says it's what they've all got. María says it's tendinitis. She tries to downplay it, but Lupita says she needs to go to the doctor. Blanca says "ok, go to the doctor, then." Oh, but she's going to make María pay a penalty for being out. Lupita says she'll pay it and insists that María really needs to go. "Or have you already forgotten how our arms hurt when we cut fish? You don't remember anymore?" Blanca tells María to go to the doctor and pay the fee for having the stall closed. María doesn't think it's fair and Blanca mocks her, asking if she thinks they ought to pay the doctor bill for her too. Blanca lists her options as going to the doctor and paying the fine or losing the stall altogether. That's as fair as Don Ramón wants to be, she says. Blanca leaves and Lupita apologizes for making things worse. María's not worried about it--she can take advantage of the day and take Luchi to her appointment. They go back to cutting fish.
The doctor tells María that she should be proud of Luchi--she's been doing her exercises. Luchi says she has been, but Mom hasn't. "Oh yeah, what haven't I done?" Luchi tells the doctor that her mom cries because they don't have money and her arm hurts. The doctor asks about it, but she tries to play it off, at least until he stretches her arm out and it hurts. The doctor pronounces it a severe tendinitis and recommends she rest it for at least 15 days. The doc confirms that she's working at the fish stall in the market, all day, standing. He tells her she needs to work sitting down, maybe on a bar stool. María tells him the administrator won't like it. He offers her some anti-inflammatories and some muscle relaxants. María protests that the appointment is for Luchi. "And if you're sick, who takes care of Luchi? Luchi is well, you're the one who needs to take care of herself. This is very delicate and it could turn into a paralysis." Luchi looks upset. María tells her not to worry and hugs her.
The alarm goes off at 4:45am. The gals go through their morning routine. Carmelita comes over. María is going to try to close up at work early. Carmelita is worried about what will happen if Luchi has another "attack," but María says they're just spasms, don't worry, it's not epilepsy. María says goodbye to Luchi.
Present: María cries. Capellan wonders if even with the doctor's note, María still had problems with the administrator.
Flashback: Blanca sneers at 15 days of rest. She asks why María doesn't just give up the stall, but María can't. Then Blanca notices María is supposed to work sitting down, "Oh, anything else? Do you want coffee? Cookies?" María reminds her that tendinitis is serious, not to mention her arthritis and her legs. "You remember what it's like to work this job. Do you remember when you started getting arthritis?"
Two years ago: Blanca is in María's house bragging about telling off Don Ramón. Blanca is rubbing her wrist. She says it's horrible, either they take away your job or send you in back where no one can see you. Blanca says she's brought María a present, a really nice knife. María asks if she stole it. Blanca laughs that it's fair payback for all her hard work. María recognizes it as one of Don Ramón's special knives. Blanca doesn't think she'll get caught, or if she does, she doesn't care. María notices that Blanca's wrist is hurting. "I told you to wear gloves when you put your hands in the ice." Blanca asks who's going to buy her gloves. María asks Luchi to pass her the arnica cream. She won't accept the knife. María takes Blanca's hand and massages it with the arnica. Blanca puts some arnica on Luchi's hand and starts rubbing it. So I guess we know how that little ritual started.
Blanca tells María she doesn't remember it and has no idea what she's talking about. Bitch. Blanca says she can do whatever she wants, but she won't stand up for her if she's late on the rent again. "Thanks to me, you're not on the street. I haven't done anything but watch your back." María starts to leave. She turns back to tell Blanca that Luchi asks about her and misses her. "She's well. She's a young lady now. But she asks why her Tía Blanca doesn't come to visit. I tell her that I haven't seen her in a long time either." Blanca looks sad.
A year ago: María leaves Lupita in charge of her stall and goes to pay Don Ramón the rent. When she knocks on the office door and pushes it open, Ramón is screwing Blanca. Blanca goes running out after María and Ramón laughs. María and Blanca get into a strange argument. María is perfectly willing to keep her mouth shut and isn't judging Blanca, but Blanca acts like María can't wait to blab it to everyone and is looking down on her. Blanca is offended at María saying "to each his own" and takes it as María thinking she's better than Blanca, as opposed to agreeing that she would've done it too.
Blanca thinks about that day and sniffs, collecting herself. She sits back down at her desk and reviews the file of health inspections. There's a certificate saying that María has complied with health department regulations. Blanca signs it, but I don't get what's going on with this.
Present: Capellan visits the lab. Gerardo says she may not want to hear it, but the victim's blood was on the suspect, the fingerprints match, and she did it in front of witnesses, so let's close this case already. Capellan says she won't until she has a full picture of what's going on. She accuses the team of only being interested in blood, fingerprints, and criminals. Well, in their defense, they are cops. Capellan seems to be in a particularly pissy mood today.
Flashback: What it looks like is that Blanca has signed a complaint to the health department. Ramón looks at a couple of them and gripes that he'll have to talk to the union. He doesn't like the idea of getting rid of María, though. He says she's got a sick daughter. Blanca complains that she's always late with the rent and wants to work sitting down. She accuses Ramón of being into her. Ramón says fine, he'll get rid of her if Blanca wants, but first he's going to screw her. Ramón laughs that there's nothing like a woman to screw another woman over. "Why are you so mad at her? Because she saw us that time? It's been almost a year. Ah, you're mad because she saw what a pig you could be. Or maybe because you gave it up so easily, but she's a decent woman. Or because she has a daughter and you don't even have a dog to bark at you." Blanca starts to say something about his wife, but Ramón reminds her that topic is off limits. He proposes they make a bet--Blanca will do everything she can to break her, to get her to leave, and Ramón will do everything he can to get her into bed (or desk, as the case may be). Blanca takes the bet.
Present: Lupita gives Capellan the 411 about the work environment. She calls Blanca and Ramón pigs, "Begging your pardon, ma'am" (ha ha, didn't realize they called cops "pigs" in Spanish too). Blanca and Ramón were sleeping together, but if Ramón wanted someone, Blanca would get her for him. They would make bets, or rather, Ramón would. And he did have a thing for María.
Flashback: María is leaving for the day, but Lupita reminds her it's the feast day of San Ramón. That means a party for the boss. Lupita tries to convince her to stay. Ramón walks up and scolds her for leaving without staying for the party. María apologizes for being a month behind in rent. Ramón brushes that off and says nothing's going to happen to María's daughter if she stays for just one dance. "You're the only one I haven't danced with." Lupita says he hasn't danced with her either. Ramón's like, "uh, yeah, later maybe." He sends her off to help her coworkers. Ramón starts schmoozing María. "You're a very attractive woman and I like you. But I'm a gentleman, so I'm going to let you go home and see your daughter, but just this once. You have to give me a chance to ask you out for dinner sometime, away from the market." While he's schmoozing, Blanca is smuggling the fancy knife into María's bag. She goes over to tell María and Ramon that she needs to see them both in the office right away.
Ramón wonders what's going on. Blanca tells María to put her bag on the table and starts searching it. She pulls out a knife and María is shocked. Blanca now demands that María strip so that Blanca can search her. María starts undressing, but won't strip past her undershirt. "Touch me if you want, I can't hide anything in here." Blanca tells Ramón that she wants him to take a good look at her, "If she stole this, who knows what else she stole." María accuses Blanca of putting the knife in her bag. Ramón asks to be left alone with María. Blanca gets upset, "Fine, if you don't care that she's stealing, maybe you should know that the health inspector wants to close her down for two days to disinfect." She leaves. María wants to look at the report. María says she didn't steal the knife. Ramón starts putting the moves on her and asks what he can do to compensate her. He claims not to be able to do anything about the two day shut-down, but he offers to pay the fine. He tries to get her to use "tú" with him. He reminds her that he owns half the market and is also Blanca's boss. "Blanca is difficult. Imagine! She says you're ugly, but you're really pretty. I want you to be ok, and to trust me. If she gets bad, come to my office and we'll talk."
Present: Capellan questions Ramón. He claims it was just a chick fight. Capellan asks him if he had an "emotional" relationship with Blanca. He denies that he did. I'm inclined to agree. She asks if he was interested in María. "Well, yeah, I like women." Capellan tells him his interest is the reason she's got a cadaver in the morgue, so he'd better behave himself. He's not in a good situation--she can accuse him of workplace violence and sexual assault.
Flashback: Maria is just waking up and its after 9. Luchi is in the kitchen filling cups with green liquid. She's proud of herself for making jello to sell so that mom won't be sad. She did it all by herself. María asks what she can help with. Luchi tells her to put them in the refrigerator, but carefully. "Don't spill."
María is still home and in her pj's when Carmelita comes over to take Luchi to therapy. Carmelita offers to let María take her. María hesitates, so Luchi jumps in and says they don't have money because they closed down her stall for two days. Carmelita is sure it was Blanca. "Ever since I've known her, I've seen her bad intentions!" María wants her to hush in front of the girl, but Luchi reminds her she's not a little girl anymore. Carmelita offers to give her money. She insists she's taking Luchi to therapy, and no paying back later. Luchi asks Carmelita if she'll buy some gelatinas. Carmelita will buy them all, but after therapy.
Present: Capellan confirms that Blanca was suspended for two days-Tuesday and Wednesday-and went back to work yesterday, Thursday. "What happened yesterday?" María says that Blanca told her that Ramón had stocked the stall with fish for her and she needed to pay him back for it, and she should be grateful not to be kicked out.
Flashback: Ramón is leaving the market, but he changes his mind when he hears that María is working late. He visits her at her stall and gives her a scare. She says she's making up for the time she lost. Ramón tells her that he does need her to pay him back for the fish. He goes behind the counter while she's washing her hands and starts touching her. She knows what's up and tells him to back up. Ramón says he'll do her a favor and report her the next time he sees her working late. María sits on the floor of her stall and cries.
Present: Capellan asks what happened today.
Flashback: María gets to her stall and finds it plastered with signs saying it's closed. There's an envelope for her. Lupita wants to know what it says, but María won't talk, so Lupita takes it from her and reads it herself. They took the stall from her.
In his office, Ramón laughs. Blanca is upset again. "I ran her off, see! I won!" Ramón keeps laughing and just wants to know if when she talked to the union rep she was as close to him as she is to Ramón now. She calls him an idiot and leaves.
María is ripping the signs off her stall. She goes behind the counter and tears off all the signs and the tape she can get her hands on. Blanca and Ramón see her and Blanca says she's crazy.
Present: Capellan asks what happened. "It was the lowest of humiliations. They made me feel like my life was worth less than a fish with no head or guts."
Flashback: Blanca comes over and yells at María. "Can't you read? It's not yours anymore! It says closed." Blanca keeps harping on it and saying they're going to throw María in jail. She's a pig, an idiot, she's disrespecting her authority. María yells back to shut up, stabs her, and keeps twisting the knife, holding one hand over Blanca's mouth and shushing her. Blanca bleeds all over some unfortunate produce and the bloody butterflies fly away. María yanks the knife out.
"María Gonzalez was tried for homicide. The judge in charge of her case took into account the recommendations of Sofia Capellan and judged the crime as a product of a violent emotion produced by extreme workplace violence. She was condemned to three years in prison. The provisional guardianship of Luchi was given to her godmother Carmen Gomez. Luchi continued attending therapy."
Labels: asesinas
Dinero #70, 4/23/10: You’ve got to have friends.
Buenos dias a todos! We've had a busy week so let's get to it.
Rafa walks in the front door just as Vicky pries her lips off Jaime. He greets Rafa and leaves in a hurry. Vicky hugs close to Rafa; she just missed him so much. Rafa pulls away because the last time they talked, their relationship was over. Vicky says there is no way they could be broken up; she forgives him and now they’re going to be married. Rafa tries to get Vicky to understand that it isn’t that simple.
Marco pushes Ale to get Rafa to pay off his debt as soon as possible. Ale is short with him but apologizes. Marco notices Rafa’s shirt in Ale’s suitcase and asks where it came from. Ale evades the truth but has to own up to it; she must have accidentally picked up Rafa’s shirt while she was packing. Marco says since Ale and Rafa have done so much traveling together, they must be great friends by now. Ale tells him to cut it out; the deal will be official the following day and Rafa will be leaving the Siglo.
Marco leaves and takes the shirt so he can burn it. Ale tries to stop him but chickens out.
Vicky’s hermanos stop by Rafa’s and pull out their knives. They’re ready to annihilate Rafa for breaking up with their sister. Vicky says as long as Rafa is her novio, her brothers have no right to kill him. They are back together and better than ever. Rafa hesitates, but since he would rather not see the business end of a knife, he agrees. The hermanos threaten Rafa as usual and drag Vicky home.
Rafa unpacks in his room when Leonor gives him a big hug to welcome him home. She’s thrilled to hear Rafa has nearly closed the deal; if he hadn’t, he would have ended up in jail again. Leonor asks if he’ll still work at the Siglo but he says no, it would be impossible. He digs through his suitcase and can’t find his favorite shirt. Rafa figures it must have been mixed in with Ale’s things.
Ale admires a picture from the famous wedding reception when Azucena interrupts to ask what she should do with Rafa’s shirt. Ale takes the shirt and says she’ll take care of it. She tenderly wraps the picture in the shirt and smells it before throwing it dismissively into a drawer. Ale, still clearly conflicted, grabs her cell phone and asks Susana to meet her for some girl talk.
Similarly, Rafa calls Jaime and asks to talk with him right away. Jaime flips out and thinks Rafa want to talk about his tryst with Vicky. Rafa tells Jaime to stop panicking; he just needs to talk with a friend.
The Siglo crew, minus Ismael, has drinks at the Trancazo. Marino, being the self-declared best salesman, offers to buy drinks for all of them. Ramiro tries to cut out because of his demon of a mujer. Dandy tells Ramiro he needs to use his “powers of seduction” like Dandy did to get Susana under his control. (Bah. He spends too much time with Marino.) Speaking of Marino, Ramirez pulls off Marino’s wig to reveal a full head of hair.
Marco is furious about Rafa’s shirt being in Ale’s suitcase. He tells Chavez the Ale is behaving strangely; he suspects something happened between Ale and Rafa.
Susana and Ale sit down at a nice restaurant and get straight to the good stuff. What happened at Playa Estrella? Ale says she “had a romance with a killer”. Straight-laced Susana flags down a waiter and orders a martini to prepare for the rest of the story.
Rafa meets Jaime in a bar. Jaime is a nervous wreck; he orders a double tequila and lights up a cigarette. Rafa is concerned since Jaime never used to drink or smoke. Jaime asks how it went with Vicky. Rafa tells him they’re novios again because her brothers forced him into it. Rafa would rather talk about something other than Vicky: the fact that he is in love with Alejandra Alvarez del Castillo.
Ale tells Susana all about pretending to be married to Rafa; she says he was very caring but very immature at times. They danced, he sang to her, and they kissed when the crowed started chanting. And it wasn’t fake or the only one. Susana is riveted and asks if Rafa is a good kisser. Ale nods and Susana melts.
Rafa tells Jaime he went along with the marriage story and began to feel as though it were real. “There was a moment that she took me by the hand in a different way. She wasn’t acting. And those kisses, God, they felt so real. I was happy and I thought my life had changed forever because of that night. That only night we spent together in that room in front of the ocean and the sunrise with her sleeping in my arms.” Jaime asks if anything else happened. “Of course not! I’m a gentleman. I watched her sleep. I swear I have never been so happy to see someone sleeping.”
Ale is gushing in a similar way to Susana. “I was so unlike myself. So happy and moved by the ocean, the dancing, and the night. If I hadn’t fallen asleep, we might have slept together.” Susana doesn’t think it would have been such a terrible thing but Ale is sure she would’ve regretted it. She’s getting married to Marco in 2 days and he doesn’t deserve to be treated that way.
Susana says Ale should cancel the wedding but it isn’t that simple. Susana makes Ale look her in the eyes when she asks Ale if she loves Rafa. Ale cries that she can’t afford to think about it. She can’t be in love with him and blames what happened on the alcohol. Susana doesn’t buy it for a second and gets Ale to admit she has feelings for Rafa.
Rafa is upset he fooled himself so badly. Ale is still getting married in 2 days. If Marco found out about what happened during the trip, he would do anything he could to get Rafa thrown in jail or have Leonor’s house taken. Besides, Rafa could hardly leave Vicky for another woman, let alone Ale, because of her father and brothers.
The Siglo crew is toasted and enjoying themselves at the Trancazo. Marino swears he’s going to make Rafa regret he ever messed with “Edgar Marino, the best salesman!” Dandy tells everyone that Ale and Rafa are supposed to be back the next morning. Ramiro, with Marino’s wig on his head, bumps into Claudia as he’s leaving and gets bopped on the head for staring at her chest.
At everyone’s favorite beauty salon, B/V and Ovi talk about astronauts after seeing an article in a magazine.
Jaime asks Rafa what Ale thinks about that night. “She said to forget it. I can’t have such fantasies anymore. Ale is so refined and so beautiful. She needs an elegant man of means, unlike myself or that vicious novio of her’s. I should have told her what I saw him doing.” Jaime thinks telling Ale about Marco’s wandering eye would just drive a bigger wedge between her and Rafa. Rafa says it’s the only weapon he has to fight for her. “But it’s a weapon with wet gunpowder.” (“Un arma con pólvora mojada”)
Ale says she can’t think about her feelings for Rafa because then she would have to think of what to say to her family if she canceled the wedding and the huge scandal that would erupt at the Siglo. The most important thing for Ale is that Rafa disappears as soon as possible. She never wants to see him again because having him around is a danger to her marriage and family.
Marco is still pacing because of the shirt in Ale’s bag. Chavez thinks the allures of the beach would be very tempting and says if he were Rafa, he would have gone for it. Marco keeps repeating to himself that Ale is loyal and would never trade him for a mess like Rafa. “If something did happen between them, rest assured I will have him jailed, shot, and killed.”
Meanwhile, Ale hopes Marco doesn’t suspect because of the shirt. She doesn’t want Marco to have reason to be jealous. Ale says that the next day, she and Rafa will finish with his debt and they will both return to their own lives. In 2 days, she will be married to Marco.
Jaime asks what Rafa is going to do about Vicky once he gets his debt squared away. He isn’t looking forward to a life of being under her thumb. Rafa decides he needs a woman with integrity, who truly loves him. “My mom, sister, her, and you are the only people I trust in the world.” Jaime downs another shot and says he needs to tell Rafa something.
Avances: Vicky makes out with Jaime again. Rafa tells Ale he loves her and when they hug an enraged Marco pulls her away.
Labels: dinero
Friday, April 23, 2010
El Clon #48, Thur, April 22: In which Jade crams for the test, Marisa shows off her parenting skills, and Mohamed gets an eyeful.
Some Arab guy named Said called this house? says Lucas to Mama Rosa. And he spoke Spanish? Pues, sí. (So um.. Mama Rosa could have taken a message in Arabic?).
-----------------
Allah sometimes puts the faithful to the test (a veces pone a prueba a sus fieles), Tío Ali explains to Jade. If she can’t avoid seeing Lucas in Miami, she must prepare herself for the experience. Nazira enters demurely. ¡Que verguenza!, she bleats, am I interrupting something? She withdraws with exaggerated modesty, leaving Ali scratching his head. She’s taking the test to be your fourth wife (Se está poniendo a prueba para ser su cuarta esposa), explains an amused Jade.
----------------
Hola Ozzie, coos Karla with a K as Ozvaldo pulls up in his fancy wheels (it’s his lunes a viernes car – you gotta see the one he drives on the weekend!) He agrees to let her drive while he tells her all about his ‘management.’
---------------------------
At Gloria’s, Ramon serves up a meal to aspiring luchador Alejandro and tells him he wants in on the luchas. I can start by helping out with the Karla v Diana match, he says. Uh oh. You didn’t know about that? Apparently not. Pablo’s gonna put my girlfriend up against my ex? says Alej incredulously.
¿Cómo se te ocurre? (what the hell were you thinking?) Alej says to Pablo, now on the scene too. Take it easy, man, (tómalo suave) they don’t have to know about each other. (ok, the ladies aren’t Nobel Prize material, but really, how dumb do you think they are?)
-----------------------------
¡Este sitio es super nice! enthuses Karla as she and Ozzie scan the menu in a pricey South Beach bistro. Virgencita de la Agarradera, thought-bubbles Ozzie, qué caro. Mi negro, quiero todo bubbles K thoughtlessly. She orders lobster and calamari; he orders tomato soup. He’s eaten here so often, he’s tired of the menu.
Later, in Caliente, Osvaldo brags to Miguel about his date with K. Whatcha doing with dos hembritas a la vez? (two woman at the same time)? Dora was looking for you, says Miguel.
Karla tells her mother, Hilda, about the date. Mom tells her to wise up and not trust Ozzie, Alej or Pablo. You need a man who can take care of you. Alej no tiene donde caerse muerto (he’s so poor, he doesn’t even have a place to fall down dead)
-----------------------------
Dora comes into Caliente. A young guy was asking for you, says Miguel. His name? Um, I think he said ‘Daniel’… ¡Es mi hijo! cries Dora. It’s my son! And I wasn’t here for him! Vicki steers the tearful Dora to the exit just as Ozzie approaches, ready to greet her with a hug. She’s too upset to pay attention to him.
Back at the apartment, Dora agonizes about Daniel wandering alone in an unfamiliar city, but Vicki reminds her he is a grown man. They read a postcard from Cris who’s now in Madrid: Madrid es bella, alegre, igual a nosotras. Besos. (M is beautiful, happy, just like us. Kisses)
--------------------------------
Elsewhere in Miami Enrique remarks to Leo that a friend saw Cristina in a restaurant in Madrid and she is más bonita que nunca (more beautiful than ever). Not possible to be more beautiful, says Leo. By the way, my new squeeze is Sofia Johns, a smart, classy, stylish lady. Nothing like Cris.
Enter Lucas with Carolina, his new assistant. Enrique seems smitten.
-------------------------------
The boy prince Amin is leafing through some papers in a small box, looking very sneaky. Mohamed rushes in and frantically tells Latifa that some cartulinas (poster boards? cards?) are gone from the store. We wuz robbed!
---------------------------------
Meanwhile Prince Amin’s sister Zamira and their cousin are spying on the energetically affectionate couple, Alej and Karla, across the street (Apparently my tv station was as scandalized as Latifa would have been since they totally blocked the picture for a few seconds!) When I’m the champ, he says, we’ll have so much money even your ma will accept me. Who’s my opponent in the fight, she asks. Dunno, he lies.
-------------------
Albieri and his assistant, Escobar, are debating the ethics of cloning. Es una locura (madness) says Escobar. Albi’s hypocritical claptrap is cut short when the doorbell rings. It’s Dora: ¡Mi hijo apareció!
Albi does not drop dead from fear, thus displaying a surprising level of cardiovascular fitness. Dora hasn’t actually seen him, just knows that he’s in Miami.
And Luisa and Señora Escobar, that is, Clara, Leo’s new secretary are talking kids. Luisa shows Daniel’s picture to Clara, says they haven’t seen him for years, he’d be twenty (yes, twenty!) by now. Clara boasts a little, kvetches a little, as moms will do, about her son Fernando. Her cell rings. It’s her boy, asking to borrow her car so he can go to a bar. But he’s not gonna drink. ‘I’m under 21 – they won’t sell alcohol to me.’
Natalia and Andrea are with Fernando, listening to his conversation with his ma. What a liar you are, says Nat, you’re drinking a beer right now. Beer’s not drinking, he says. No seas tan anticuada (don’t be so old-fashioned). Yo gotta be cool, man (No kidding, he actually says this. In English. God, I’m so glad I’m not a teenager).
Natalia heads home (smart girl!) instead of going with Fer and Andrea. Mama Rosa is there to greet her. ‘Te parezco bonita?’ asks the quietly lovely Natalia. (Do you think I’m pretty?) ‘Mama dice que no tengo gracia.’ (Mama says that I have no grace/elegance). She tells Rosa she feels tormented by everyone’s expectations of her.
You need to talk to your daughter, Rosa tells Marisa, she’s got problems. Marisa looks bored. But she’ll give it a shot. She explains to Natalia that women have to make themselves beautiful to attract men. It’s what’s on the outside that counts. Remember, Todos los hombres son iguales. (All men are the same). All they care about is having a beautiful woman, marrying her, and showing her off to their friends.
---------------------------------
Jade and Jadiyah are also talking about love and marriage. Jade wants her daughter to study a profession, be independent, then choose a man she loves to be her husband. Jadiyah is quite happy to have Tío Ali pick someone for her, as long as he’s guapo y rico y que me llene de oro. (handsome and rich and he fills/showers me with gold.) Tío Ali later admonishes Jade for imposing her frustrated dreams on her daughter. Jadiyah, he tells her, has both feet firmly planted here while you are straddling two worlds.
----------------------------------------------------------
Q: Did dad marry you because you were beautiful? Natalia asks Marisa.
A: Well no, I tricked him into marrying me because I wanted his money and position and his twin brother, who I really had the hots for, had died. Ok, she didn’t say that. She said ‘That was one of the reasons.’ [Have I mentioned how much I despise this character?]
Q: Were you in love with dad?
A: For a marriage to last so many years, believe me, the last thing that matters is love. (and yes, gentle reader, she really did say that).
-------------------------------
In Fez, the love and marriage catechism continues.
Q: Are you in love with my dad? asks Jadiya
A: He’s a very good and generous man, asks Jade kindly, if obliquely.
So then you are in love says Jadiya happily.
-------------------------------------------------------
Dora sees Daniel in Caliente, goes up and touches his shoulder. A stranger turns around and stares at her. Oh Dora.
------------------------------------
Nazira tells Said she’d like to go to Miami with the family.
Ali is teaching his children about the Koran. Nazira joins them. It turns out she loooves to listen to the Koran. Who’d a thunk it?
Zoraida tells Jade she hopes Nazira doesn’t snare Ali. Jade thinks it’s unlikely, but as Zoraida says los hombres siempre se pierden por los ojos. (men always get themselves into trouble by their eyes). And Nazira, she says, is a beautiful woman.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Lucas tells Roberto that he doesn’t want to be in any meetings with the Arab investors. He also asks him to find out if Said is married.
Leo introduces his novia, Sofia, to Lucas and Roberto. Never saw your dad so enthusiastic about a woman, Roberto remarks to Lucas. That’s cuz you didn’t know him in Cristina’s time, says Lucas.
Natalia is getting ready to go to the beach. She’s in a bikini and cover-up. ¿No me veo muy vulgar? (I don’t look too vulgar, do I?) [Too bad Marisa never thought to ask herself that question.] Apparently Fernando doesn’t think so. At the beach, as Andrea looks on approvingly, he swoops Natalia up in his arms, carries her into the sea, and gives her a big fat cinematic kiss.
----------------------------------------
Karla and Diana are practicing their moves in the lucha gym. Alej watches, hidden, thinking what an idiot Pablo was to put those two in the ring together.
Ramon is pasting notices about the match on a street post outside the Gloria’s bar. Little Amin is there helping, selling tickets. [Maybe they made the posters from the cartulinas Amin stole from the store?]
--------------------------------
Natalia comes home smiling, calls Andrea to ask if Fernando said they were novios? Oh no, well, he didn’t say we weren’t. Same thing, right?
-----------------------------
Zamira, whose lot in life seems to be spying from the window (maybe that’s how Nazira’s character was formed) sees Amin go off with Gloria’s boys. She tells Latifa, then goes across the street to ask where they went. To the lucha gym. Mohamed sees her clenches his fists, assumes his wild-eyed crazy man face. Zamira deflects his rage by telling him: ¡Amin desapareció! (Amin has disappeared)
---------------------
Marisa is out with Lucia (Roberto’s wife) when they spot Lucas sitting at a table with a woman. You caught him con las manos en la masa (with his hands in the dough, ie red-handed) says Lucia. I’ll tear her into shreds for you, she offers helpfully. (La despedazo para ti) Marisa needs to think it through.
--------------------
Mohamed has reached the gym and, stunned by the sight of the mamacitas in the ring, seems to have lost track of his errand – to fetch the little prince.
-------------------------
In the final scene, Lucas asks Roberto: ¿Averiguaste? Did you find out? Yes, Said is coming with his wife and daughter. His wife’s name is…..Jade!
-----------------
Allah sometimes puts the faithful to the test (a veces pone a prueba a sus fieles), Tío Ali explains to Jade. If she can’t avoid seeing Lucas in Miami, she must prepare herself for the experience. Nazira enters demurely. ¡Que verguenza!, she bleats, am I interrupting something? She withdraws with exaggerated modesty, leaving Ali scratching his head. She’s taking the test to be your fourth wife (Se está poniendo a prueba para ser su cuarta esposa), explains an amused Jade.
----------------
Hola Ozzie, coos Karla with a K as Ozvaldo pulls up in his fancy wheels (it’s his lunes a viernes car – you gotta see the one he drives on the weekend!) He agrees to let her drive while he tells her all about his ‘management.’
---------------------------
At Gloria’s, Ramon serves up a meal to aspiring luchador Alejandro and tells him he wants in on the luchas. I can start by helping out with the Karla v Diana match, he says. Uh oh. You didn’t know about that? Apparently not. Pablo’s gonna put my girlfriend up against my ex? says Alej incredulously.
¿Cómo se te ocurre? (what the hell were you thinking?) Alej says to Pablo, now on the scene too. Take it easy, man, (tómalo suave) they don’t have to know about each other. (ok, the ladies aren’t Nobel Prize material, but really, how dumb do you think they are?)
-----------------------------
¡Este sitio es super nice! enthuses Karla as she and Ozzie scan the menu in a pricey South Beach bistro. Virgencita de la Agarradera, thought-bubbles Ozzie, qué caro. Mi negro, quiero todo bubbles K thoughtlessly. She orders lobster and calamari; he orders tomato soup. He’s eaten here so often, he’s tired of the menu.
Later, in Caliente, Osvaldo brags to Miguel about his date with K. Whatcha doing with dos hembritas a la vez? (two woman at the same time)? Dora was looking for you, says Miguel.
Karla tells her mother, Hilda, about the date. Mom tells her to wise up and not trust Ozzie, Alej or Pablo. You need a man who can take care of you. Alej no tiene donde caerse muerto (he’s so poor, he doesn’t even have a place to fall down dead)
-----------------------------
Dora comes into Caliente. A young guy was asking for you, says Miguel. His name? Um, I think he said ‘Daniel’… ¡Es mi hijo! cries Dora. It’s my son! And I wasn’t here for him! Vicki steers the tearful Dora to the exit just as Ozzie approaches, ready to greet her with a hug. She’s too upset to pay attention to him.
Back at the apartment, Dora agonizes about Daniel wandering alone in an unfamiliar city, but Vicki reminds her he is a grown man. They read a postcard from Cris who’s now in Madrid: Madrid es bella, alegre, igual a nosotras. Besos. (M is beautiful, happy, just like us. Kisses)
--------------------------------
Elsewhere in Miami Enrique remarks to Leo that a friend saw Cristina in a restaurant in Madrid and she is más bonita que nunca (more beautiful than ever). Not possible to be more beautiful, says Leo. By the way, my new squeeze is Sofia Johns, a smart, classy, stylish lady. Nothing like Cris.
Enter Lucas with Carolina, his new assistant. Enrique seems smitten.
-------------------------------
The boy prince Amin is leafing through some papers in a small box, looking very sneaky. Mohamed rushes in and frantically tells Latifa that some cartulinas (poster boards? cards?) are gone from the store. We wuz robbed!
---------------------------------
Meanwhile Prince Amin’s sister Zamira and their cousin are spying on the energetically affectionate couple, Alej and Karla, across the street (Apparently my tv station was as scandalized as Latifa would have been since they totally blocked the picture for a few seconds!) When I’m the champ, he says, we’ll have so much money even your ma will accept me. Who’s my opponent in the fight, she asks. Dunno, he lies.
-------------------
Albieri and his assistant, Escobar, are debating the ethics of cloning. Es una locura (madness) says Escobar. Albi’s hypocritical claptrap is cut short when the doorbell rings. It’s Dora: ¡Mi hijo apareció!
Albi does not drop dead from fear, thus displaying a surprising level of cardiovascular fitness. Dora hasn’t actually seen him, just knows that he’s in Miami.
And Luisa and Señora Escobar, that is, Clara, Leo’s new secretary are talking kids. Luisa shows Daniel’s picture to Clara, says they haven’t seen him for years, he’d be twenty (yes, twenty!) by now. Clara boasts a little, kvetches a little, as moms will do, about her son Fernando. Her cell rings. It’s her boy, asking to borrow her car so he can go to a bar. But he’s not gonna drink. ‘I’m under 21 – they won’t sell alcohol to me.’
Natalia and Andrea are with Fernando, listening to his conversation with his ma. What a liar you are, says Nat, you’re drinking a beer right now. Beer’s not drinking, he says. No seas tan anticuada (don’t be so old-fashioned). Yo gotta be cool, man (No kidding, he actually says this. In English. God, I’m so glad I’m not a teenager).
Natalia heads home (smart girl!) instead of going with Fer and Andrea. Mama Rosa is there to greet her. ‘Te parezco bonita?’ asks the quietly lovely Natalia. (Do you think I’m pretty?) ‘Mama dice que no tengo gracia.’ (Mama says that I have no grace/elegance). She tells Rosa she feels tormented by everyone’s expectations of her.
You need to talk to your daughter, Rosa tells Marisa, she’s got problems. Marisa looks bored. But she’ll give it a shot. She explains to Natalia that women have to make themselves beautiful to attract men. It’s what’s on the outside that counts. Remember, Todos los hombres son iguales. (All men are the same). All they care about is having a beautiful woman, marrying her, and showing her off to their friends.
---------------------------------
Jade and Jadiyah are also talking about love and marriage. Jade wants her daughter to study a profession, be independent, then choose a man she loves to be her husband. Jadiyah is quite happy to have Tío Ali pick someone for her, as long as he’s guapo y rico y que me llene de oro. (handsome and rich and he fills/showers me with gold.) Tío Ali later admonishes Jade for imposing her frustrated dreams on her daughter. Jadiyah, he tells her, has both feet firmly planted here while you are straddling two worlds.
----------------------------------------------------------
Q: Did dad marry you because you were beautiful? Natalia asks Marisa.
A: Well no, I tricked him into marrying me because I wanted his money and position and his twin brother, who I really had the hots for, had died. Ok, she didn’t say that. She said ‘That was one of the reasons.’ [Have I mentioned how much I despise this character?]
Q: Were you in love with dad?
A: For a marriage to last so many years, believe me, the last thing that matters is love. (and yes, gentle reader, she really did say that).
-------------------------------
In Fez, the love and marriage catechism continues.
Q: Are you in love with my dad? asks Jadiya
A: He’s a very good and generous man, asks Jade kindly, if obliquely.
So then you are in love says Jadiya happily.
-------------------------------------------------------
Dora sees Daniel in Caliente, goes up and touches his shoulder. A stranger turns around and stares at her. Oh Dora.
------------------------------------
Nazira tells Said she’d like to go to Miami with the family.
Ali is teaching his children about the Koran. Nazira joins them. It turns out she loooves to listen to the Koran. Who’d a thunk it?
Zoraida tells Jade she hopes Nazira doesn’t snare Ali. Jade thinks it’s unlikely, but as Zoraida says los hombres siempre se pierden por los ojos. (men always get themselves into trouble by their eyes). And Nazira, she says, is a beautiful woman.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Lucas tells Roberto that he doesn’t want to be in any meetings with the Arab investors. He also asks him to find out if Said is married.
Leo introduces his novia, Sofia, to Lucas and Roberto. Never saw your dad so enthusiastic about a woman, Roberto remarks to Lucas. That’s cuz you didn’t know him in Cristina’s time, says Lucas.
Natalia is getting ready to go to the beach. She’s in a bikini and cover-up. ¿No me veo muy vulgar? (I don’t look too vulgar, do I?) [Too bad Marisa never thought to ask herself that question.] Apparently Fernando doesn’t think so. At the beach, as Andrea looks on approvingly, he swoops Natalia up in his arms, carries her into the sea, and gives her a big fat cinematic kiss.
----------------------------------------
Karla and Diana are practicing their moves in the lucha gym. Alej watches, hidden, thinking what an idiot Pablo was to put those two in the ring together.
Ramon is pasting notices about the match on a street post outside the Gloria’s bar. Little Amin is there helping, selling tickets. [Maybe they made the posters from the cartulinas Amin stole from the store?]
--------------------------------
Natalia comes home smiling, calls Andrea to ask if Fernando said they were novios? Oh no, well, he didn’t say we weren’t. Same thing, right?
-----------------------------
Zamira, whose lot in life seems to be spying from the window (maybe that’s how Nazira’s character was formed) sees Amin go off with Gloria’s boys. She tells Latifa, then goes across the street to ask where they went. To the lucha gym. Mohamed sees her clenches his fists, assumes his wild-eyed crazy man face. Zamira deflects his rage by telling him: ¡Amin desapareció! (Amin has disappeared)
---------------------
Marisa is out with Lucia (Roberto’s wife) when they spot Lucas sitting at a table with a woman. You caught him con las manos en la masa (with his hands in the dough, ie red-handed) says Lucia. I’ll tear her into shreds for you, she offers helpfully. (La despedazo para ti) Marisa needs to think it through.
--------------------
Mohamed has reached the gym and, stunned by the sight of the mamacitas in the ring, seems to have lost track of his errand – to fetch the little prince.
-------------------------
In the final scene, Lucas asks Roberto: ¿Averiguaste? Did you find out? Yes, Said is coming with his wife and daughter. His wife’s name is…..Jade!
Labels: clon
Corazon Salvaje April 22, 2010 Father Thinks he Knows Best
Noel mentions Juan San Roman to Rod. Enough already says Rod. Noel thinks it is more than a coincidence. Rod still thinks he’s a ruffian and is not of their class. Whatever. Rod and Raul (a/k/a Twitchy) have a discussion about wood. Noel watches Rod. FF>>
Juan and Gabe are also talking about wood. Juan says that if the price of wood falls here and in America Rod will be in ruin. They gloat gleefully. Gabe can’t figure him out. He has a great fortune but he hangs out with the fisher folk. Well that’s where I came from.
Some woman is praying to the Virgin about her daughter. (I’m assuming Jimena’s mom). She implores the Virgin to let her see her daughter again. Meanwhile….
Jimena is in church also praying for her mother. A couple and a young girl enter and pause next to Mena. She looks at the girl like she knows her (was this the one that was kidnapped?)
In town a woman is informing the masses that the girl was returned to her parents. It was a miracle, a miracle. Servando and Tia are hovering and hear the great news.
Tia is looking for her next sucker--uh, client. Some soldiers run up, look retarded, then leave. Servando says they should get back to the camp.
Fed wants to talk to Rod. Rod wants to know what about. Well, at your daughter’s wedding I tried to kiss Regina. It was all very innocent. Yeah, right. Rod looks a little pissed but Fed says something way too fast and Rod says no problema. Don’t worry about it. You are a righteous dude. On the day of your wedding you will receive a fortune. Fed’s eyes light up with dollar signs at the news.
Leo is nervously pacing the tent waiting for Tia to return. Tia is very happy to see her. I have been waiting for hours. Well, I’ve been thinking about you. I could come to the house. Oh, no. Never come to the house. Leo wants to know about the man that she loves. Tia lays the cards on the table.
Rod returns home to find Rosenda waiting for him. She takes his walking cane sensuously from his hand. Where is Leonarda? She left. No one is at home at the moment. Famous last words.
Tia says that the man Leo loves will have problems. He needs her more than ever. If you help him he will be in your debt always.
Randy Rod is putting his grubby mitts on Rosenda’s face. He loves her skin. Gack! He moves in for the kill--uh, the kiss. Uh oh! Regina is looking for her jailer--I mean her dad. Holy Mother of God! What is that thing she is wearing?! If you popped those sleeves do you think she would whiz around the room like a balloon? Rod says he talked to Fed and he told him what happened at the wedding. You interpreted it wrong. I’m telling you again that you will marry Fed or else. It’s your decision. (Which really means you will do it BECAUSE I SAID SO.)
Fed is fondly recalling the fact that he will receive a fortune when he marries. Doorbell. It is Fifi come to pay a visit. The houseman who acts more like a policeman directing traffic shows her in. Ever tactful, Fed demands to know what she is doing here. Oh don’t worry lover-boy nobody saw me. She brought him a coin for good luck. They start sucking face. What a man-whore.
Santos has a hot date. The guys give him a hard time. They wonder where Curly is. FF>>
Curly is down on the beach doing his important job of watching the caves. He drinks some water and spits it out. His trusty sidekick must be thirsty too because it looks like he’s drinking the water that spilled on Curly’s shoulder. He reports to Juan (with the bird in his hair) that he saw nobody on the beach. Juan pays him for his services. (Do you know how much fun it is to get bird poop out of your hair?) Gross. Juan wants to make a wager with him. Curly thinks about it and the bird says ok. Heads or tails? Heads. Oh imagine that! He wins! Juan pays him double. He reminds Curly to keep his eyes open and to report immediately if he sees anything.
At the Finca Remi brings Clemencia a huge bag of sugar. Clemencia asks him a question. How do you know Juan? Remi says that when he was a child he found Juan abandoned in the forest. He brought him home and they raised him as part of the family. She is amazed that he is the one that saved Juan. There was a letter that said to name him Juan de Dios. Clemencia fesses up and says she is the one that wrote the letter. Clemencia says that thanks to him Juan is alive. We see a tear slowing trickle down Remi’s face. Clemencia thinks it was a miracle.
At the Can Can’t Club we are again going to be entertained (NOT) by another fabulous dance. Frenchie the Fop introduces the girls and their magnificent dance of the veil. Will the madness ever end? Actually it was one of their better performances. The audience is all atwitter.
Juan sits morosely in his study remembering the day he ran into Renato and his woman. Your woman was mine. He comes to some decision and hurriedly gets up and grabs his coat. This can’t be good but at least he does it quietly.
Aimee is awake next to Renato. She is thinking about Juan. (I’m thinking how long does it take to get that glow-in-the-dark red lipstick out of the white sheets?) She needs some air. Renato stirs. Juan rides through the night and stops outside the house. Luckily for him he’s had plenty of practice climbing up on balconies with a rather large sombrero on so this time it should be a piece of cake. Aimee goes out on the balcony and magically Juan appears at her side and scares the bejesus out of her. She freaks. What are you doing here. They argue about her being married. She tries to explain it to him. It was her father’s fault. He forced her to marry Renato. (Because he said so, of course.) Surely someone would hear this by now. He is very hurt. He sort of kisses her. She goes back inside. Rento hears a horse and wakes up. Where were you? I couldn’t sleep. I heard a horse. There is no one. Aimee is relieved. He wants a little something, something, but she is too tired. Juan rides off into the night.
The next day Regina comes downstairs to find Fed waiting for her. She reminds him that they don’t have anything to talk about. Rod interrupts and tells her that she is a Montes de Oca and she will comport herself befitting that name. I invited him here so you could talk. She obviously doesn’t want to talk to him so get over it. Rod has a pain in his chest. Woo hoo! His life alert must have gone off because Leo comes in to see what happened. Everybody flutters around him. Leo wants Regina to get lost. Fed takes her outside. Leo helps him to his room. Outside Regina wants Fed to leave her alone.
Mena tells Gabe she went to church to pray for her mother. They talk about her mother, Gabe tells her she is his best friend. Yawn. FF>>
Renato comes downstairs to find Juan waiting for him. He’s glad to see him. Juan would like to help him out at the Finca. Renato doesn’t know what to think. Aimee hides on the stairs and listens. Renato thinks it is a great idea. Juan says great and he leaves. Aimee is not real happy about the whole idea. She voices her concern but me thinks the lady doth protest too much. Renato is a little confused by her reaction.
Regina and Fed are still arguing. She does not love him in her heart. Well that’s ok because Fed only loves her in his wallet.
Aimee is still stewing. She’s afraid the savage will ruin the family. It is dangerous. She thinks her dad will be pissed. Think what you are doing. Something bad will happen. Renato looks frustrated and says she is worrying for nothing. Regina’s lines, Renato’s lines. Shut the hell up already. She bites her fan. What to do, what to do?
Fed and Regina are still arguing. He wants them to spend time together to get to know each other better. He kisses her hand. She looks like she wants to barf.
Renato is thinking about Aimee’s words. He runs into the Doc. Renato tells Doc he looks tired. Well, we’ve had a lot of sick folks to take care of. He tells him about the epidemic at the Finca. Renato hasn’t got a clue. He didn’t know anything about it. Regina has been helping us. He seems surprised. Renato wants to know if the doc thinks Regina could have a secret love. Are you serious? He doesn’t think so.
(Gag alert, gag alert!)
Orca is manhandling Leo. He’s about run out of patience. Leo tells him he doesn’t have to worry. She thinks she can change Renato’s mind and he can have his job back. They argue. She strokes his face lovingly and makes googly eyes at him. (Gag! I told you.)
Aimee is still worrying about Juan. She doesn’t know what she will do. Renato sneaks up on her and she jumps. She is crying and he is worried about her. He tells her they are heading back to the Finca. He just found out there is an epidemic at the Finca and he needs to go see what is going on. She doesn’t look very happy. He wants her to go to dinner with him. She thinks she and Juan will be face to face.
Tomorrow: More Jimena and Gabe, Renato and Aimee are in bed, Juan climbs the balcony--again.
Juan and Gabe are also talking about wood. Juan says that if the price of wood falls here and in America Rod will be in ruin. They gloat gleefully. Gabe can’t figure him out. He has a great fortune but he hangs out with the fisher folk. Well that’s where I came from.
Some woman is praying to the Virgin about her daughter. (I’m assuming Jimena’s mom). She implores the Virgin to let her see her daughter again. Meanwhile….
Jimena is in church also praying for her mother. A couple and a young girl enter and pause next to Mena. She looks at the girl like she knows her (was this the one that was kidnapped?)
In town a woman is informing the masses that the girl was returned to her parents. It was a miracle, a miracle. Servando and Tia are hovering and hear the great news.
Tia is looking for her next sucker--uh, client. Some soldiers run up, look retarded, then leave. Servando says they should get back to the camp.
Fed wants to talk to Rod. Rod wants to know what about. Well, at your daughter’s wedding I tried to kiss Regina. It was all very innocent. Yeah, right. Rod looks a little pissed but Fed says something way too fast and Rod says no problema. Don’t worry about it. You are a righteous dude. On the day of your wedding you will receive a fortune. Fed’s eyes light up with dollar signs at the news.
Leo is nervously pacing the tent waiting for Tia to return. Tia is very happy to see her. I have been waiting for hours. Well, I’ve been thinking about you. I could come to the house. Oh, no. Never come to the house. Leo wants to know about the man that she loves. Tia lays the cards on the table.
Rod returns home to find Rosenda waiting for him. She takes his walking cane sensuously from his hand. Where is Leonarda? She left. No one is at home at the moment. Famous last words.
Tia says that the man Leo loves will have problems. He needs her more than ever. If you help him he will be in your debt always.
Randy Rod is putting his grubby mitts on Rosenda’s face. He loves her skin. Gack! He moves in for the kill--uh, the kiss. Uh oh! Regina is looking for her jailer--I mean her dad. Holy Mother of God! What is that thing she is wearing?! If you popped those sleeves do you think she would whiz around the room like a balloon? Rod says he talked to Fed and he told him what happened at the wedding. You interpreted it wrong. I’m telling you again that you will marry Fed or else. It’s your decision. (Which really means you will do it BECAUSE I SAID SO.)
Fed is fondly recalling the fact that he will receive a fortune when he marries. Doorbell. It is Fifi come to pay a visit. The houseman who acts more like a policeman directing traffic shows her in. Ever tactful, Fed demands to know what she is doing here. Oh don’t worry lover-boy nobody saw me. She brought him a coin for good luck. They start sucking face. What a man-whore.
Santos has a hot date. The guys give him a hard time. They wonder where Curly is. FF>>
Curly is down on the beach doing his important job of watching the caves. He drinks some water and spits it out. His trusty sidekick must be thirsty too because it looks like he’s drinking the water that spilled on Curly’s shoulder. He reports to Juan (with the bird in his hair) that he saw nobody on the beach. Juan pays him for his services. (Do you know how much fun it is to get bird poop out of your hair?) Gross. Juan wants to make a wager with him. Curly thinks about it and the bird says ok. Heads or tails? Heads. Oh imagine that! He wins! Juan pays him double. He reminds Curly to keep his eyes open and to report immediately if he sees anything.
At the Finca Remi brings Clemencia a huge bag of sugar. Clemencia asks him a question. How do you know Juan? Remi says that when he was a child he found Juan abandoned in the forest. He brought him home and they raised him as part of the family. She is amazed that he is the one that saved Juan. There was a letter that said to name him Juan de Dios. Clemencia fesses up and says she is the one that wrote the letter. Clemencia says that thanks to him Juan is alive. We see a tear slowing trickle down Remi’s face. Clemencia thinks it was a miracle.
At the Can Can’t Club we are again going to be entertained (NOT) by another fabulous dance. Frenchie the Fop introduces the girls and their magnificent dance of the veil. Will the madness ever end? Actually it was one of their better performances. The audience is all atwitter.
Juan sits morosely in his study remembering the day he ran into Renato and his woman. Your woman was mine. He comes to some decision and hurriedly gets up and grabs his coat. This can’t be good but at least he does it quietly.
Aimee is awake next to Renato. She is thinking about Juan. (I’m thinking how long does it take to get that glow-in-the-dark red lipstick out of the white sheets?) She needs some air. Renato stirs. Juan rides through the night and stops outside the house. Luckily for him he’s had plenty of practice climbing up on balconies with a rather large sombrero on so this time it should be a piece of cake. Aimee goes out on the balcony and magically Juan appears at her side and scares the bejesus out of her. She freaks. What are you doing here. They argue about her being married. She tries to explain it to him. It was her father’s fault. He forced her to marry Renato. (Because he said so, of course.) Surely someone would hear this by now. He is very hurt. He sort of kisses her. She goes back inside. Rento hears a horse and wakes up. Where were you? I couldn’t sleep. I heard a horse. There is no one. Aimee is relieved. He wants a little something, something, but she is too tired. Juan rides off into the night.
The next day Regina comes downstairs to find Fed waiting for her. She reminds him that they don’t have anything to talk about. Rod interrupts and tells her that she is a Montes de Oca and she will comport herself befitting that name. I invited him here so you could talk. She obviously doesn’t want to talk to him so get over it. Rod has a pain in his chest. Woo hoo! His life alert must have gone off because Leo comes in to see what happened. Everybody flutters around him. Leo wants Regina to get lost. Fed takes her outside. Leo helps him to his room. Outside Regina wants Fed to leave her alone.
Mena tells Gabe she went to church to pray for her mother. They talk about her mother, Gabe tells her she is his best friend. Yawn. FF>>
Renato comes downstairs to find Juan waiting for him. He’s glad to see him. Juan would like to help him out at the Finca. Renato doesn’t know what to think. Aimee hides on the stairs and listens. Renato thinks it is a great idea. Juan says great and he leaves. Aimee is not real happy about the whole idea. She voices her concern but me thinks the lady doth protest too much. Renato is a little confused by her reaction.
Regina and Fed are still arguing. She does not love him in her heart. Well that’s ok because Fed only loves her in his wallet.
Aimee is still stewing. She’s afraid the savage will ruin the family. It is dangerous. She thinks her dad will be pissed. Think what you are doing. Something bad will happen. Renato looks frustrated and says she is worrying for nothing. Regina’s lines, Renato’s lines. Shut the hell up already. She bites her fan. What to do, what to do?
Fed and Regina are still arguing. He wants them to spend time together to get to know each other better. He kisses her hand. She looks like she wants to barf.
Renato is thinking about Aimee’s words. He runs into the Doc. Renato tells Doc he looks tired. Well, we’ve had a lot of sick folks to take care of. He tells him about the epidemic at the Finca. Renato hasn’t got a clue. He didn’t know anything about it. Regina has been helping us. He seems surprised. Renato wants to know if the doc thinks Regina could have a secret love. Are you serious? He doesn’t think so.
(Gag alert, gag alert!)
Orca is manhandling Leo. He’s about run out of patience. Leo tells him he doesn’t have to worry. She thinks she can change Renato’s mind and he can have his job back. They argue. She strokes his face lovingly and makes googly eyes at him. (Gag! I told you.)
Aimee is still worrying about Juan. She doesn’t know what she will do. Renato sneaks up on her and she jumps. She is crying and he is worried about her. He tells her they are heading back to the Finca. He just found out there is an epidemic at the Finca and he needs to go see what is going on. She doesn’t look very happy. He wants her to go to dinner with him. She thinks she and Juan will be face to face.
Tomorrow: More Jimena and Gabe, Renato and Aimee are in bed, Juan climbs the balcony--again.
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