Caray, Caray!

Rafa gets drunk. Ale gets drunk. And even Rubi gets drunk. Nelson tries but as a born again vegetarian, into only natural food and drink, he just can't manage it. And that's it for the recap! Going to bed now.



Oh, you want more? You insist? Okay, a few more details then.



We open with a delicious replay of Rafa outfoxing Marino by giving the secretary a big discount on a future car purchase. This wins him a brief moment with the boss before Marino's scheduled appointment and presto! Rafa's got the contract and Marino's got the booby prize.



Back at Auto Siglo, Ale's trying to calm down Beltran, promising him he'll feel better when Marino comes back with the contract. Marino comes back with nada and Beltran feels a heart attack coming on. Didn't you tell me you were going to kill Medina? sneers Ale to Marino. Bring me his cadaver then.



Worse news once she huddles with Beltran. He decides the sales force needs more motivation so he'll give one percent of Ale's commission on institutional sales to them instead. Why not my whole salary? she snaps. Good idea, he chuckles. Grim prospect indeed.



But for Jaime and Julieta, it's coming up roses. Love is in full bloom. He's trying to help her with her homework but she's more interested in hot kisses. Within a moment, so is he. Major smooching. Homework forgotten.



After the ads, they're still kissing. Getting better with practice. Elsewhere, Rafa and Ale are both drinking their love woes away...separately. But they need help. He calls Jaime. She calls Susana. Here's the short version. She hates him. She loves him. She wants to kill him. She misses him. He's the love of her life. Short version Rafa style. New boss wonderful. Decent hours. Sunday off. Everybody super nice. I miss her. I miss her torture, the yelling, the humiliation, the slaps, the mistreatment. I love her!

How can I forget him?

How can I forget her?

What crime did I commit that she was put in my path?

What an idiot I was to hire him, train him and now he's killing Auto Siglo as the competition?

I miss her.

I miss him.

You get the picture.



Brief scene where a distraught Beltran hits the accelerator instead of the brake and bashes the back of our two cops' patrol car. He promises to fix things up for them at Auto Siglo and they agree as long as they can have a little "cafecito" while they wait. Things get better when they catch sight of the two hospitality girls with short skirts and awesome legs. Hope no crimes get committed while these two are ogling the merchandise.



Meanwhile, the drunken conversations are continuing. Susana is mildly amused and happy to sense that Marcos no longer figures in any of Alejandra's thoughts. Nope. But he's practically living at my house, sitting with Tia Rosario, helping out with dad.



Rafa mientras tanto is wondering what he can do about Vicky. The relationship is totally off track. He doesn't have the feelings necessary to continue with her. But her brothers will kill me if I don't. Jaime's advice. Marry her. Take off for Bangladesh. Lock her up. Lose her at the beach. Whatever. Come back and take up your life again. Okay....no counselor's license for Jaime. Who knew?



Vicky's also deeply engaged in conversation--with her good side and her bad side. Bad side looks like more fun and has a better costume. It's a toss-up. Act decently. No, go for it. Discussion interrupted by Dad and the need to fix dinner.



Back to our borrachos. Ale's chin is now resting on the table as she proposes having a pill to forget painful love affairs. How about something called "Olvidatex"? (sounds good to me, there was a time I could have used a lobotomy to get over a disastrous love affair). And Lordy, even Nelson is having a whack at getting drunk! But no, there's no natural healthy way to do it. He's doomed to deal with his feelings. Good boy.



From there we segue to Rubi's boobs. And I'm not kidding. The camera is practically nestling in her cleavage. And so is Jorge. She's spoon feeding him his dinner and he gets a big dose of bosom with every bite. And is positively thriving on it. But he's tired (no wonder) and wants to skip the bedtime story tonight if it's alright with Nursey. It is. She tucks him in, wishes him sweet dreams (you betcha) and is off to her other clients...er, patients.



Rafa arrives home, stone drunk, falling all over the couch, causing an uproar. Mom comes out and there's hell to pay. It's not just this one night. She knows about the half empty bottle of tequila in the cabinet. And she's afraid he's going to turn out like his dad the borracho. And she's not having it. Every night you shut yourself up with the tequila bottle until you go to sleep. You're becoming an alcoholic. Basta ya!



Same drill at Ale's house. With Tia Rosario leading the catechism lesson. You're so drunk you couldn't drive home. What if your dad saw you in this state? Absolutely decadent. What's more, I know about the bottle you're hiding in the office. And don't tell me it's work problems. You've had problems at work before. You're losing your grip. You're not the same. Ever since that...that man came into your life.



Life isn't any rosier at Auto Siglo. We see Nelson the next morning, at his desk early, making paper clip chains and hoping for a smile from Susana. He doesn't get it. But he does field a nasty ribbing from Marinero and a little support from Claudia who offers to link him up with the psychiatrist who treated pilots (at her previous workplace) who were suffering from mean-spirited wives. Zetina, mientras tanto, is making a little ecumenical shrine of his desk to chase away the evil spirits. (Every other salesman at that spot, including our dear Medina, has departed in disgrace). Marino kvetches about the nasty incense and once again Claudia is supportive, saying it's a free country and if Zetina wants to worship Hare Krishna and the Virgencita, go right ahead. (what's gotten into our Claudia? repentance? so early in the game?)



A repentant, and thoroughly hungover Ale, is trying to escape the house while Rubi, getting uppity, is yelling at the maid that the orange juice is too high in sugar for her Georgie. When Ale snaps, Rubi assures her that Papa wouldn't like Ale yelling at her either. I see trouble ahead. Ale manages to leave after another scolding from Tia. And drags into work late. The salespeople are buzzing and continuing their mutual insults. Marino is being characterized as the Hugo Sanchez of sales. And that name, alas, no longer signifies success. Since Marino knows nothing about soccer, and everything about his own importance, he misses the joke at first.



Ale heads straight for her office and a little girl talk with Susana. Upshot. Susana is like the black box in an airplane. The information she contains (about Ale's love life) will only be revealed if there's an accident. Otherwise....lips and black box sealed. Understood? Ale's had a little talk with God and is on the straight and narrow. Now gimme that Alka-Seltzer!



And a little guy talk at the bar with Chavez and Marcos. Chavez is counseling a full scale attack. Marcos prefers to go slow. No problem with last night's drinking binge 'cause there were no men involved. Slow and steady wins the race now.



Rafa's in full work mode at CloAutos while Pepeto hovers around his desk. He sets up an appointment and then Vicky calls. Miracle of miracles, he takes it. She's stunned. He tells her he'll meet her tonight. She's super stunned. So's Pepeto. In fact he feels Rafa's forehead to make sure he's not running a fever. Yep. Rafa's on the straight and narrow too.



After the ads, the first thing we see is a huge platter of hors d'oeuvres. And then we hear the Mañanitas and we learn it's Jorge's birthday. And Ale forgot! Fortunately Marcos and Tia Rosario remembered and have cooked up a lovely do with cake, champagne and later on, some mariachi singers with guitars. Lovely. Rubi's so festive she's allowing Georgie permission to eat all the sweets he wants. And that's not all. (tell you later)

Not so festive at Rafa's house. Vicky's banging on the door like she's the Gestapo. Interrupting Jaime and Julieta in full schmooch and they're not happy. And tell her so. Mom isn't either. She's heading to the kitchen. So Vicky makes do with waiting for Rafa in his bedroom. (we know this won't end well.) First thing she does is look around and decide that NONE of this crap is coming with him when they get married. Well, except for the picture of her and Rafa. And the little Virgencita statue. Now she opens a drawer. Oh my, what a mess. He'll thank me for organizing it. (yeah, right.) She finds the picture of him with Ale at the wedding. "¿Y esto, qué es?" The fat's in the fire now, folks.

Let's go back to a more charming scene. Jorge is right where he wants to be, nestled in Rubi's generous cleavage, wondering if he's really a year older. Surely not! A perfunctory opening of presents and an equally perfunctory thanks. Back to the cleavage. Still, he's pleased to see Alejandra and Marcos' name together on one of the packages. How wonderful that they're back together. But really, he feels born again. Brought back to life, thanks to the incredible care of his dear nurse and the affection of Marcos (alias Marcario etc.) whom he loves like a son. Marcos responds with an equal amount of schmoozing while Ale looks alternately worried and nauseated. Meanwhile, Rubi is hitting the champagne and promising Jorge eternal life as long as he's in her care. A toast to that!

Quick flash to Vicky. Not only has she found the photo, now she's found the love/reference letter. A letter that no one should write about a man who has a NOVIA!!!, namely Miss Vicky. Rafa arrives home at that moment, interrupting more kissing practice by Jaime and Julieta. Heads for his room when he realizes Vicky is there. Waving the picture, Vicky asks the key question:"¿Qué es esto?" Yep, fat is definitely in the fire.

Things are heating up at the birthday party too. Rubi, well into her cups (champagne cups, people!) hops onto Jorge's lap, opens up her uniform a bit more, and does a fair imitation of Marilyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday to our former president). Jorge's entranced. Ale and Rosario not so much. Marcos decides to call a cab for Rubi.

And now a prolonged and uncomfortable good-bye scene at the door. Ale just wants Marcos to leave. He keeps lingering. And sneaking in kisses. On the mouth. Which she backs away from. You're tired. YES. I've gotta go. YES. Sleep well. YES. Excuse Rubi. SURE. Finally he's out the door and she pushes it firmly shut.

Back in Rafa's room, he's not getting off so easy. Vicky's in full dudgeon now, shrieking out the words of the letter and wanting to know why the heck this inappropriate paen to his virtues is in his bedside table along with the photo. Plenty suspicious. Well, the photo's a keepsake. KEEPSAKE!? Er, yes, of my first big sale. That's all. And who's the woman. YOUR BOSS!? But you told me she was ugly. She's PRETTY!!!! No, no..uh, she's just photogenic. And remember, she's the one who embargoed my house, put me in jail, etc.

Well, if she's so bad, why do you keep her picture!? No problem in tearing it up I suppose. And rip, rip, rip. He gets his face, Vicky gets Alejandra's. You're crazy, he screams. You're the crazy one, snaps Vicky. And leaves. Slamming the door. And Rafa? He grabs his pillow and screams into it. And there we end.

* a mournful country song about a gal named Ruby who was off to fool around in the city, breaking her poor guy's heart

Previews:
Marcos drives Ale to work the next day (he took her car to drive home the night before) And sneaks in another kiss. Salespeople are sure they're back together again.
BUT Destiny has other plans. Ale and Rafa run into each other in the anteroom of a mutual client.

Vocabulary:
enganche initial = initial downpayment (what Rafa gave the secretary)
embaucar = trick, con
farsante = fraud, fake
arrebatar de las fauces = to snatch out of the jaws (what Rafa did when he snatched the sale out of Marino's hands)
cuartillas = sheets of paper (Julieta was to write on something. Eight pages worth. But she preferred kissing Jaime to doing homework.)
pocima = potion, concoction (Ale, in her drunken state, thinks Rafa must have drugged her to make her fall so hopelessly in love with him)
desvariar = to talk nonsense, to rave (Rafa talking about how his romance with Vicky makes no sense anymore)
asi se habla = now you're talking, atta boy
se te haya pasado las manos con las copas = you've had too much to drink

Dicho of the Day

Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. (literally 100 in flight) However, looks like Vicky's pajarito has already flown the coop. And she knows it.

Labels: dinero

They promised us bombas in the previews but tonight's episode delivered not much more than a few damp squibs.

No puede ser,
It can't be, says Lucas on finding out that Jade has gone back to Morocco. He says that Jade can't do this to him after what just happened. [Lucas doesn't seem to care or realize what this relationship might do to Jade.] Cristina wonders if Said found out about Lucas and Jade. Lucas doesn't think so because if he had, Said
ya habría cortado de raíz todas las negociaciones con mi papa
already would have cut at the root all the business with my father
or come to confront him. He wonders what to do and when he suggests following Jade to Morocco, Cristina is supportive.

At Albieri's house, Alicia is reading Albieri's journal. She hears someone coming and leaves the book on the night stand. Albieri sees that the book has been moved. He goes ballistic on Alicia. She plays innocent. Luisa comes in saying that they can hear him yelling in the living room.
Estás gritando como un demente
You are yelling like a crazy person, says Luisa.
¡Tú tambien estás mal de la cabeza!
You are crazy, too! (bad in the head), replies Albieri.
Albieri says that first she mixed up the DNA results and now she has done this with his diary. Luisa runs out of the room offended.

Enrique makes a romantic dinner for Carolina and they kiss.

The Naz harasses Mohamed to buy a plane ticket to Morocco for Osvaldo. She sums up the problem:
Tío Abdul no viene a América, Mohamed no compra pasaje para Osvaldo y Nazira se queda soltera, Nazira no se casa.
Uncle Abdul won't come to America, Mohamed won't buy a ticket for Osvaldo and Nazira remains single, Nazira won't marry.
In a bit of hyperbole, the Naz says that,
Los pretendientes llueven, Mohamed, llueven como flores de primavera y ustedes los espantan a todos, ¿Por qué? Porque claro, no pueden perder a la esclava Nazira que les resuelve la vida.
My suitors rain down, Mohamed, they rain down like flowers in the spring and you scare them all away. And why? Because, for sure, you can't let your slave, Nazira, have her own life.
Mohamed says that if the Naz wants to marry, they will get her a husband, she shouldn't be doing the looking herself. [Twenty years have gone by and no husband for Nariza - either her brothers aren't looking too hard or there aren't any out there.] Mohamed tells the Naz that Abdul will decide on whether Osvaldo can come to Morocco and if the says, no, she will just have to accept it.

Ali, Jade and Jadiya return to Morocco. Jade tells Zoraida that she was with Lucas. She says that it was Said's fault, he pushed her toward Lucas. Zoriada asks Jade if she thinks that Said has some kind of plot against Lucas. Since Said behaved so strangely, she wonders if he wants to kill Lucas or lay a trap for him. Jade says that she hopes not. She was afraid for Lucas and that's why she left the States. He wanted her to run away with him.

Zamira complains to her mother that they don't have a computer and she has to use BOOKS to do her homework. Once again Zamira says that she doesn't want to be a Moroccan woman.
Más facil se nos cae este techo encima antes de que tu papá compre un computador.
It is more likely (it would be easier) for the ceiling to fall down on us that for your father to buy a computer, says Latifa.

Zamira says that if she doesn't get a computer, she will lock herself up in her room and starve to death.

Diana tells Pablo that she thinks Alej is getting involved with Natalia. Pablo replies that when Leo finds out, Alej will be jobless again.

Nati tells Alej that the boys at school are looking for babes, rich girls or popular girls. They aren't interested in what is inside a woman.
A veces me siento como de Plutón.
Sometimes, I feel like I'm from Pluto, says Nati.
Alej replies that he feels the same way. He is looking for a nice girl who doesn't care about what car he drives, how much money he has or if he is famous or not. He tells Nati that he isn't still in love with his ex. Alej asks if she is still in love with Fernando. Nati claims that she was never in love with Fernando. At first, there was an attraction between them but she isn't his type. She says that she doesn't know where Mr. Right is waiting for her. [I bet you're looking at him, dear, but not 'til the novela ends.]

Fernando shows up for his first day as an intern at the Ferrer company and his mother fusses over him.

Albieri and Luisa are not speaking. Luisa says that this time she won't apologize. When Julio asks Alicia what is going on, she tells him that she thinks that Luisa is losing her memory. Escobar tells Julio that he reran the DNA test and Albieri was wrong. Julio won't believe it. He suggests that it was Luisa's fault.

Meanwhile, Alicia tells Albieri that she thinks Luisa is exhausted and has committed many errors because of her mental fatigue. She suggests that Luisa go on vacation.

Enrique tells Leo that Lucas grabbed his briefcase (agarró su maletin) and left without a word to anyone. Leo is furious. Enrique suggests that Leo and Lucas should sit down and talk.
¿A hablar? ¿Tú has visto cómo estamos cotizando en la bolsa?
Talk? Have you seen where we are in the stock market? says Leo.

Nati and Andrea are reading emails from Fernando at work [a good thing to start early in your career] when Lucas runs in without saying a word. Lucas takes off his wedding ring and packs a bag. Leo comes home. Lucas comes downstairs and announces that he is going to Morocco. Lucas leaves. Leo is fuming and Rosa is concerned about his blood pressure. The fact that Lucas is going to Morocco after a woman is news to Nati.

Lucas calls Roberto from his car and asks him to tell Leo that he isn't going to mess up their business deal.

Albieri tells Leo that Lucas knows Islamic law and that he wouldn't put his life or Jade's at risk. This is news to Leo but Albieri says that he hopes Lucas knows what he is doing.

Nati is sad. She tells Andrea that her father is the only one she gets along with in the house. He understands her, respects her and doesn't judge her.

Roberto tells Clara that the Arabs mustn't find out anything about Lucas' trip to Morocco.

Dora comes back to Houston alone [bummer]. Daniel didn't want to come back. She decides to live for herself again.

Marisa finds Said at the pool of the hotel.

Said is uncomfortable meeting with her alone. He says that being alone with a woman gives people an opportunity to talk. She should be concerned about that and so should her husband. Marisa says that her husband doesn't need an excuse. They don't have a good relationship because he was in love with someone else when they married. She hoped he would come to love her but it didn't happen. Said asks if Marisa thinks that her husband and this woman still see each other. Marisa replies that she thinks that they do because otherwise he wouldn't be as enthusiastic as he is.
Y estoy segura de que algo tuvo que haber encendido otra vez la llama.
And I'm sure that that something lit the flame again, says Marisa, casually.
Like what? asks Said. Marisa replies that maybe they saw each other again or talked. Having casually laid her little poisonous eggs, she leaves.

Marisa tells Lucia that she is dying to know what Said will do. She says that he was very tense and seemed to want to ask her to tell him everything. Lucia expresses fear for what Said might do to Lucas or Jade. Marisa apparently believes that such a result would be ok because she is the biggest victim in all this. Lucas thinks he is the victim because he couldn't live the life he wanted. That's his problem, says Marisa. Jade has a millionaire husband who treated her like a queen. And Marisa, she had to spend all these years with a man who loves another woman and is always thinking about her. Lucia says that she can't imagine how Marisa was able to put up with that. [Spending all Lucas' money probably helped.]

Zamira goes off ostensibly to study with some friends. Prince Amin goes after her. Latifa persuades Mohamed to get a computer for their children. They will get access to the Internet blocked.

Karla tells her mother about blackmailing Osvaldo.

Abdul asks Ali for advice on how to deal with the Naz's suitor, Osvaldo. Ali knows better than to get involved in that and won't give any advice. Ali goes down to the kitchen (instead of shouting) to have Zoraida bring them some tea. She tells him that Albieri just called to warn them that Lucas is on his way to Morocco. Ali is impactado. At first, he doesn't understand why Lucas would come to Morocco but Zoraida's concern is contagious and without her saying anything, he realizes that Lucas is coming for Jade.

Zamira is at The Only Public Pool in Miami (TOPPIM) with her friends. She is in a bikini and tells her friends that if her parents knew what she was doing, she would be on her way to Morocco to be married off. Pablo and Alej are also there and Pablo warns Alej against getting involved with Nati. Alej assures Pablo that he is just being responsible and doing his job to protect Nati. Pablo replies that he believes Alej
pero Diana está muerto de celos y ella no ve un tierno abrazo sino un abrazo amoroso
but Diana is consumed with (dying of) jealousy and she doesn't see an affectionate hug, she sees a love hug.
In the same breath, Alej says that he has nothing going on with that girl and asks if someone like Nati could have a future with someone like him.

Latifa brings the Naz some tea and gets an earful of the hard life of Nariza. Latifa tells the Naz that she prays every day that Abdul agrees to buy Osvaldo's plane ticket. [I bet she does!] The Naz says that Said wanted her to be with him when he met the Western woman (Marisa) and didn't even ask how she felt or if she wanted to go out or not.
¿Quién quiere cargar algo en la espalda del camello Nazira?
Who wants to carry some of Nariza's burdens, literally, who wants to carry something on the back of the camel Nazira?

Dora's back at the dance club. Osvaldo is happy to see her.

She says that their love life has had some ups and downs. Osvaldo agrees,
Somos como dos imanes ques se atraen, se repelen.
We are like two magnets that attract and repel.
Dora agrees but says that this time it is different. She asks if Osvaldo still loves her. He says that she is the love of his life. 'In that case', says Dora, 'you have until the end of this song to ask me to marry you'.

Ali tells Jade that Lucas is coming to Morocco. Ali tells her that Said has made him responsible for Jade in his absence. Jade protests that she didn't know anything about Lucas coming to Morocco. Ali tells her not to go alone to the medina and if she has to go anywhere, she must be accompanied by Zoriada or someone Ali trusts. Jade reminds them that she tried everything not to have to go to the US. Do they think she is lying and that she arranged the whole thing? Ali replies that he doesn't know what to think. Ali orders Zoraida to tell Lucas that he is in Cairo with Jade if Lucas calls or shows up at the house. He warns her not betray him. Ali tells Jade to remember how she felt when she almost lost Jadiya so that she doesn't risk having that happen again. Jade hugs Zoriada and says,
Qué suerte tan triste la mía, Zoraida.
Nothing works out for me, Zoraida, literally, What sad luck is mine.

Leo is still fulminating. Roberto passes on Lucas' message that he isn't going to queer the business deal but Leo isn't buying. Natalia eavesdrops.

Leo and Enrique are going to Morocco after Lucas. Rosa says that the worst thing is that Marisa doesn't know anything about this and she doesn't want to be around when she finds out. In walks Marisa. Leo tells her that Lucas has gone to Morocco after Jade.

The credits roll.

Labels: clon

Hi Gancholanders. For those of you who bonded in friendship over the long haul, we can still get together throughout the week on this keep-in-touch blog. So bring us up to date on what's happened since last we gathered 'round Carlos' wonderful gran finale recap. My highlight was seeing our son graduate from college this weekend. Since I had him later in life, and he graduated later than usual, a nice lady from church saw me and asked if I was there to watch my GRANDCHILD get his degree! Yikes. Another humbling experience. Botox anyone?
yours truly,
JudyB

Labels: gancho

Capítulo 56

[Warning: Passion ahead! Carnal caution advised! This is not a night for the kiddies.] As we return to the mad, mad, mad, mad world of one of early Mexico’s finest finca families, Dr. Pablo comes to check on the scheming Leonarda who really needs a shrink instead. Rosenda helps feed the lie per her “madrina’s” orders. Renato is forced to dutifully listen as Mama kvetches about being ignored by her son and treated like yesterday’s news. Meanwhile, Juan enters Maria del Rosario’s new and improved dungeon digs and sees a new and improved MdR literally decked out and dressed in white --like an ailing Mexican version of Dickens’ Miss Havisham. Juan calls to her and asks if she recognizes him. She focuses on the rosary beads around his neck and thinks it’s JD Sr. come back for her as promised. She begs him to take her with him far away from there and then promptly falls into a drugged sleep, courtesy of one of Leonarda’s mighty fine Micky Finn’s. At the same time, upstairs, Clemencia begs Regina to never ever mention Juan’s real name, Juan de Dios, to anybody, especially to anyone in the family. Regi can’t imagine why it needs to be kept a big secret, but eventually she promises to keep mum for the bum.

Arcadio asks Juan why “his wife” would be asking Juan to carry her off with him. (Excuse me? She’s been locked in a dark, dank, basement dungeon for twenty-five years with only Mirta the Mute and his ugly mug for company. I’d beg to be taken as far the hell away from there as possible too!) Juan admits he doesn’t understand it either. The only thing he can think is that she must be confusing him with somebody else, but he wouldn’t know who. Orca then complains that the one thing he understands is that Juan entered everyone’s life there under the strangest of circumstances; and first he takes his job and now he wants to take “his wife” from him. Juan tells him to can it. (Cue the harps and cherubs.) “Whatever feelings the woman has awakened in me,” says Juan, “it’s much deeper than your thoughts go and is something I’ve never felt before. It’s something maternal.” (It’s the call of the blood, fool!)

Arcadio continues the charade and pretends to be worn down by “his wife’s” constant lamentations and demands for the cadaver of their dead child; he’s been suffering lo these many damnable years to the point of nearly going crazy himself. Only his love for her has given him strength to carry on. (Damned if the Orca doesn’t rate a major Premio for this acting job!) “Despite my rudeness, I love my wife deeply.” (Sob, sob, sniffle!) He gets on his knees, lets loose with a flood of crocodile tears, and begs for Juan to intercede with Sr. Renato, not for him, but for his kindly, invalided wife. Juan falls for the ruse and says he’ll do it for her sake, not his. Juan then wants some time alone with her. Mirta and the Orca leave Juan alone with MdR. Juan is so moved by pity for her that he takes her hand and gently kisses and caresses it.

Back upstairs, Dr. Pablo has finished examining Leonarda. He tells Renato that she’s not serious, only suffering from overwrought nerves. He recommends rest and avoiding anything upsetting. Ren thanks him and sends him on his way. Aimee comes in to the hall and asks Renato why he’s not left for Paradise yet. He explains he had to see about his mother’s fainting spells first. Aimee promises to look after her while he’s gone. Ren agrees and heads out. Aimee giggles mischievously to herself that she will take advantage of his absence to spend time with Juan.

Clemencia waits for Juan in the garden to tell him that she has a bad feeling about everything that’s going on there. She’s afraid that if he doesn’t leave right away everything will come to light and there’ll be trouble. He says fine. Better that way. She wants to know why he took the job as administrator of the finca--if it was just for a better chance to get even with Ren and Aimee for what they did to him, he’d have done that by now. She suspects there’s something else at work here. Juan confesses to Clemencia, as Aimee passes by them on her way out, that he hasn’t left the finca because of the passionate desire that continues to torment him “-- And it’s killing me!” It was the passion that at one time made him think that there could be a world filled with love rather than hate, of pardon rather than vengeance. (We luhhv this poetic mush, don’t we? Admit it!) Well, he blew it and now he’s paying the price for it. Clem says he’s a fool for not taking Regina’s advice and leaving well enough alone. She begs him to leave before another misfortune happens to the Montes de Oca family. He stubbornly refuses, saying his fate was forged in this damnable family although they rejected him twice before: once when he was newly born and the second time when he was hired by Renato. He’s not leaving before they pay for that!

Upstairs again, Rosenda keeps Leona company. Leona says self-confidently that her plan has worked and that Renato will think twice before going against her wishes. She’s sure that little by little he’ll listen to her and get rid of that miserable wretch of an administrator. Rosenda smiles and agrees with her. “He’ll have to choose between your health and the new administrator.”

A bit later, Juan arrives back at the love cave. Aimee has purposely left the mat they used to lay on during their love-making sessions out in the middle of the entrance for him to see. Juan spies it and thinks sadly back to their steamy, X-rated lovemaking, his confessions of love for her and Aimee’s XXX-rated passionate promises to be his and only his. (Hot Damn! --And I do mean H.O.T.!) Juan looks up and finds Aimee standing there. (Nothing like a bit of 1870’s style sexual harassment to keep the juices flowing.) “I knew you’d be coming here. We’re tied to this place, you and I. We’re tied to… the passion that makes us…burn.” She takes off her shawl provocatively. Juan laughs and walks away. She tells him he might deny it, but she’s always on his mind. “I am inside your head and in your heart, Savage.” She kisses him passionately and Juan, poor boy, still suffers from a weak spirit and a very willing body as the steam factor rises. He pulls away and gripes at her for seducing and bewitching him again, then kisses her a bit more, then pushes her away for good. No. He just doesn’t desire her as much as before. (Sure had me fooled!) She laughs and says she doesn’t believe him because his eyes give him away [delatar]. “They shout just the opposite to me.” She giggles seductively again and mocks him. “You and I are twin souls, Juan. You know it. I am yours because you are mine.” He finally gets some traction and tells her a woman who sleeps in another man’s bed isn’t his. “You are Renato’s. He is your owner, your master! He and only he!” He leaves her there and walks out. She laughs to herself that he almost fell this time. “It’s only a question of insistence and being patient.”

That night Rosenda has been sent by Leona to ask the Orca how the business that day went. She wants to know what Leona is talking about. He tells her it’s between him and the Sra. and none of her beeswax. “Just tell her that things turned out better than we hoped and all is fine. She can rest assured now.”

Upstairs in her bedroom, conniving Aimee preens in front of the mirror and spritzes half a bottle of perfume on herself while thinking of the passionate encounter she and Juan shared earlier in the love cave. Just then Clemencia comes crying to her in her room about leaving Juan alone. In the second Premio-worthy performance of the evening, Aimee swears three ways from sundown that Juan’s yesterday’s news and she hasn’t gone near him. Why, if anybody’s messing around with Juan it’s Regina! Clem cannot believe that because Regi isn’t capable of something like that. Aimee swears she is. Clem says she sees how Aimee acts around him. Aimee says there’s nothing wrong being polite to the servants. (Tell it to the hand!) Then she turns on the fake waterworks and whines that Regi’s been lying about her and it’s just so cruel and unfair. She cannot understand it at all! Boo-hoo! “How could you doubt me, Nana? I couldn’t be so merciless as to toy with two men’s hearts!” (Viewerville chokes back a gag.) No, judge her if she wants, but gee whiz, why doesn’t anyone ever believe her? “It’s Regina! With her supposed gentleness and prudish ways! She a lying hypocrite!! Nana, I’m not deceiving you! I’m not! It’s Regina!!” Clem, after this grand performance, is left not knowing who or what to believe anymore.

On the lighter side, we beam over to the casino for more can-can’t and Lulu, still ever the working girl, tells her dancing partner that tonight he definitely can—if he’s willing to pay extra for private lessons. On the other side of the dance floor, Philippe gets carried away with the crowd and the music and dances a bit with Mme. Marlene. FF>>

Back at the finca, Aimee congratulates herself on the progress of her plan to destroy her sister’s rep and figures Clemencia is now full of doubts about Regi. She heads upstairs to gossip a little with Leonarda and sprinkle a few well …er…fertilized seeds of doubt in her MIL’s mind as well about sugary sweet Sis. (Will somebody slap that sh!t-eating grin off Aimee’s face, puh-leeeese?)

Up in Leona’s lair, Rosenda gives Leona Orca’s message and gets permission to “go to church” (to worship at the golden altar of Almighty Rodrigo) in town the next day. Aimee walks in at that point and greets her. She asks why Rosenda’s not wearing the medallion. Rosenda says she’d rather not cause any more problems with Sr. Renato because of it. Good thinking, says Aimee. You’re always looking out for “the family.” (Wink, wink.) Once Rosenda leaves, Leona gripes about Ren’s defiance since hiring the new administrator. Aimee commiserates and says it irks her too the way he’s always defending that rude savage. He’s tearing the family apart! Even her father left because he couldn’t stand the guy! Ren simply won’t listen to her, and Regina even less. Leona asks what Regina has to do with all of this. “She’s always defending him too, as if she’s interested in him or something!”

Outside, thunder and lightning hit and drenching rains begin to fall, emphasizing Leona’s new-found concerns. (Cue the narrator.) Juan enters the tack room to get out of the rain and feed the horses. The narrator tells us that Juan’s blood is boiling with passion for the woman who now belongs to another man, a man who has all rights to her, a man to whom all has been handed (on the proverbial silver platter) from the day he was born, even the woman who awoke Juan’s savage heart….. Just then Regi races in to wait out the rain. She asks him what’s wrong. He says nothing’s wrong. She says she can see it in his face. He gets snarky with her and asks what’s wrong with his face? Perhaps his face doesn’t have the same handsome features that Renato’s does? (Milking for sympathy are we here, Juan?) Regi refuses to be insulted and starts to leave. Juan stops her and tells her not to be a fool. She’ll get wet. “What’s the matter? My presence is so odious you can’t spend a few moments out of the pouring rain with me?” She warns him off her. “You’re just as much a fool as I, Juan del Diablo –or should I call you Juan de Dios?” (Oops!) Juan is dagger-stare impactado.

Aimee continues with her tall tales about Regi’s strange behavior and stubborn defense with everything concerning the new administrator. Leona asks if she’s insinuating that Regina would be romantically inclined towards him. No, says Aimee, she’s not exactly saying Regi is interested in him, but her melancholy, her nervous outbursts, everything sure points in that direction….. Leona can’t believe that of Regi. Aimee says Regi puts on a good front for everyone, but… Leona starts to wonder if it could be true, though she says it’s just too hard for her to believe something like that about her. Aimee says that perhaps she’s been misjudging Regi. “God forgive me for thinking ill of my sister.” (Viewerville can’t deny itself a snide “Amen to that!”)

Back in the tack room, Juan demands to know why Regi called him that. She tells him not to worry because she promised Clem she wouldn’t tell anyone he’s Juan de Dios. He asks if Clemencia told her and she says she cannot reveal who told her. “Don’t call me that!” “—Why? It sounds better than Juan del Diablo.” He smiles evilly at her and she asks why. He says he’s smiling like the Devil at her because he has realized that she is just as deceptive as her sister. He’s angry as hell and ready to give people sh!t. “Go ahead and unsult me! Right now I am sure you’d like a lightning bolt to strike me, right?” She tells him to cut it out already and tries to leave again. He prevents her and says she’ll get wet because it’s obviously pouring buckets out there [a cántaros = literally pitchers’ full]. “—Oh, since when does what happens to me worry you? Such a gentleman…you…you—“ “—Go ahead, insult me! I’m a savage, an animal, a wild beast, right? You never stop insulting me! I’m a devil and not a gentleman only because I choose not to be one. Don’t forget that. I’m used to doing whatever I have a mind to, so I’m a wild man, just like you say.” She tries to apologize and he tells her she shouldn’t be sorry. He needs her scorn so that he won’t regret what he does. So, he’s still going to carry out his villainous plans, she says, and warns him again not to think about carrying her sister off with him.

Juan insists that it’s Aimee who’s hot to be trotted away. Regi refuses to believe it. He says yes and at least with him she’s an honest woman. “--With everyone else she’s a lying cheat! [embustera] Ask her yourself. She will tell you that I am hounding her, that I’m pursuing her, all to avoid admitting that now she begs for what she ridiculed before! Don’t mistake it. She is in love with her Juan del Diablo!” Regi insists he’s wrong. It’s impossible for Aimee to be like that! --No, he says. She’s a flesh and blood woman, unlike you, who are made from the cake of heaven. “--You have no right to talk about me that way!” “—Of course not! You’re irreproachable! So perfect! So noble! So good! Such a pity you’ve set your sights on the wrong man!” The taunt hits home and he pushes the advantage. “A-hah! The truth hurts, doesn’t it? Well, don’t worry. I don’t care at all about your agony. Renato is the one you fell in love with, right?” She yells at him to shut up. “I’m only pointing out you’ve got a glass house [tejado = literally, roof] too. So don’t be throwing stones.”

She warns him that Ren would kill him if he tries taking Aimee. He taunts her again. “Ah, so you think Renato loves Aimee so much that he would threaten to kill me?” He takes her by the hands and he tells her that she is very beautiful and probably capable of something naughty herself for all her purity [manos tan limpias]; for that he receives a right nice slap in the face. “Don’t touch me!! I warned you!!” He fingers his red cheek. Uni --to placate a few crass commercial interests of the sponsors—breaks in the middle of what appears to have been a subconscious and muy intense attempt at foreplay.

After Viewerville returns with a fresh bucket of ice to cool off with, it's back to the casino where a lovesick and confused Gabe overhears Fulgencio inviting Rodrigo and the rest of his friends to his home for Eloisa’s birthday bash. (That's sure to be a snore-bore.)

Once again in the tack room, Regi tries to leave. Juan grabs her and says, on second thought [viéndola bien] she seems to be a much more interesting person now. “You are quite beautiful when you’re angry.” (That one’s as old as the hills. Don’t tell me that old saw got started here with him!) “—because your eyes shine somehow!” “—Don’t ever speak like that to me again!” Juan laughs at her as she finally races away into the downpour. “Hot diggity! She does have a personality!”

Back at the casino, Philippe finds Gabe mooning around and chats him up. Gabe’s bummed because he hasn’t received another letter from his beloved Estrella who is gravely ill. Frenchy, still carried away with all the hubbub and gaiety, slips up and says something about Jimena being slow off the mark but the letter’s sure to come. Gabe asks suspiciously how he knows Jimena brings him her letters. After stumbling a bit, Frenchy says it’s because she’s friends with the working girls there and he’s overheard her chitchats with them. Even so, says Gabe, why would she tell them something so personal. (Get a grip, Gabe!) You are one sheltered shlub not to realize women go gaga over love, says Frenchy. “Jimena is no exception on that score.” Frenchy the fey says he’s spent long enough with women to be an expert in this area and Gabe should just accept that they are an indecipherable mystery. “Just loving them is enough.” Gabe says well, she’s at least lucky to have some friends to vent with. I, on the other hand, am sadder and more exhausted by it every day.” He leaves the casino in a funk.

Speaking of Jimena, Tia Grizzly Bear starts browbeating Mena for not bringing in the money she used to. Mena explains she can’t get anyone to let her read their palms because ever since the kidnapping of that little girl they don’t trust the gypsies anymore. “Everyone says now that we gypsies are child-stealers!” Grizzy says wash of hogs! “They just don’t like us, but we still need money [parné] to survive.” She orders her to beg money from Gabriel or Juan. Jimena wishes that Griz would treat her better. “Why are you so mean to me? It’s as if you’re not really my aunt at all; and that you’re not really my family!” “—Oh stop playing the victim!” Grizzy says since Servando won’t share his take with them, if Jimena doesn’t produce they will have to leave for some other place. Jimena begs them not to leave and promises to do her best. She heads out and Grizzy ponders the possibilities if Jimena (duhn-dun-duhn-duhnnnn!) ever finds out that her real mother’s family lives in Puebla and that she kidnapped her when she was a very little girl.

Speaking of Jimena’s real family, her abuelo tells her real mother that the private investigator still has had no luck, but he’ll continue to look in Veracruz because that’s where she was last seen. Mena’s mother has another crying fit thinking she’ll die before she ever sees her daughter again. Her grandparents tell her mother that surely once “Angela” is found she’ll be right as rain. In fact, the abuelo has a friend there named Raul de Marin with numerous contacts, and surely if they ask him to he will help them look for her. Mena’s mama shrieks “¡Ojalá! God willing!” in ear-shattering angst.

It’s dinnertime at the finca now, but Leonarda is “too ill” to eat with the rest of the family. (Yeah, spare me!) Noel tells Ren and Aimee that he’ll go up after dinner to chat with her before he leaves for the casino. Aimee is shocked that he would be going to that den of iniquities. Noel says he wants a chance to see Rodrigo and talk him into changing his mind about things. Aimee doesn’t think there’s a chance in hades he’ll succeed in getting him to return to the finca. Celestina comes in to tell them dinner’s ready at that point. They decide to wait for Regi to come down first. Aimee says nobody knows where she’s gone off to “so mysteriously.” Just then Regi comes in and she’s soaked to the bone. She explains she got caught by the downpour and had to wait for it to die down a bit first. Aimee asks if she was alone or not. Regi says no, that the new administrator kept her company. The three of them are aghast. Ren exclaims, “Juan? Juan kept you company???” Regi says yes, “--and he can even be quite nice and witty when he’s a mind to.” She goes up to change. Aimee races over to Ren and says she told him so! “Regina and Juan are involved!” [entenderse = slang for having a sexual relationship]

In her tent at the gypsy camp, Jimena says she cannot bear to stop seeing Gabe. Even though he doesn’t give a whit about her, she loves him with all her heart. She thinks back to their fun times together and the way his kisses sweep her off her feet. She thinks to herself that it’s high time she sees Philippe again for another stellar Estrella letter-writing session.

Gabe, meanwhile, returns home and asks Juan for permission to leave and start his own business. Juan wants to know if he’s not paying him enough or has mistreated him somehow. Gabe says no, he just has aspirations and doesn’t want to lose the chance to do something on his own. Juan is sad to see him leave the nest, but wishes him well. Although, he does worry what’s really behind this sudden need for independence. Juan says he sees in Gabe’s eyes that there’s something else the matter. Could it have to do with “Estrella”? Gabe says he does miss her. Juan suggests it’s just something he’s hiding behind because he’s noticed how interested he is in Jimena these days. Gabe admits his interest, but insists that Estrella is like him whereas Jimena is totally different. “Good golly!” says Juan. Gabe says they are from different worlds. He will not and has no intention of loving a gypsie! Juan tells him he’s disappointed to hear him say something like that. He thought he was trying to be an independent thinker. Juan admits that right now he’s not the best advisor to the lovelorn considering the all-consuming passion he himself has been dealing with lately. However, Gabe not only is consumed with love like him, but remains blind to it. Gabe had better decide soon or he will lose Jimena. “Haven’t you noticed what has happened to me? I lost Aimee thinking she was a sure thing and now she’s married to Renato!”

Labels: salvaje

Permalink posted by Jardinera654 @ 12:53 PM 34 comments

Tonight, Angelica Maria and Angelica Vale star in "Julia, Encubridora" (Julia, who covers up). But as they're both named Julia, I don't know who's the encubridora. Yep, it's a two-for-one night!

A black SUV rolls up and the DIEM team get out in slow-mo. They go running into a house, Aranda's curls looking gorgeous as ever. She walks up a flight of stairs past Julia the Younger, looking absent, and into a room occupied by Julia the Elder and some poor dead schmuck. Neither Julia's looking too present at the moment.

Gloria says it's gonna flow tonight. Las Angelicas are gonna bring it! From the credits, it would appear that our younger Julia will be doing the encubridora-ing.

Julia the Elder gets dropped off in front of some place with a marble lobby by a reasonably good-looking young man. He tries to ask about a second date, but she tells him he's only providing a service and to keep to his place. Julia walks in, and whatever this fancy lobbied place is, it at least includes a gym. A gym where what's supposed to be a hot trainer, who really just looks kind of sleazy, is coaching a woman on her form at one of the machines. He sees Julia walk in, but she pretends not to see him. He goes off to talk to her and another guy smiles and laughs at him. Trainer #1 is Marco, played by Eduardo Santamarina, whose work I'm not familiar with…I mean, I know what he's done, but I've never watched a show with him in it. The guy who laughed at him is Trujillo, played by Mauricio Aspe, who Mr. 5ft will remember from Dos Caras de Ana as the guy who originated the unbuttoned-shirt-as-crazy-meter. Julia sits down at a beach. Marco comes over and introduces himself and she immediately asks him to address her as "tú." She says she's just planning to walk today and (I suspect) fakes neck pain to get a massage from him. He comments on her tense muscles and says she should forget about the walk and they should do some stretching instead. "But I want to burn calories!" He tells her she can't burn calories if she's stressed. Julia smiles at him and says what would de-stress her is to be able to laugh like he does.

She takes him home, where he tells her he likes women like her, you know, women. She asks about his age and he evades the question. He tells her he likes her a LOT and proves it by getting it on with her on her couch. Julia the Younger looks on from outside and starts giving Marco instructions. His lips are on the Elder Julia, but his eyes are on the younger.

Present: Trujillo tells Det. Capellan that he warned Marco that there was something weird going on. "Do you know if he had 'relations' with both of them?" Marco says that was the plan, at first.

Past: Marco and Trujillo work out. Marco brags about having two new girlfriends. He's actually not sure that the younger one is her daughter, though. He announces that she watched them doing it. He says he likes them both and it was like having them both at the same time. He calls Julia and asks to see her again.

At her house, Julia the Elder tells him she'll be waiting for him. She notices flowers in her foyer and calls for Efren, the driver. She finds him in the kitchen with Julia the Younger, getting it on on the counter. She (JE) yells at Julia (Y) and Efren runs out of there. Julia (Y) sits down and picks a piece of fruit out of the bowl on the counter, saying she thought Julia (E) was at the gym. Well, Julia (E) thought Julia (Y) was at a meeting. Julia (Y) doesn't think it's a big deal that she was getting it on with the chauffer. Julia (E) thinks Julia (Y) was being disrespectful. Julia (Y)'s solution is for Mami to quit bringing young studs to the house. Julia (E) doesn't want to be opening doors and finding Julia (Y) behind them…"Oh, so now you open doors and get scandalized. Why didn't you open the door when you were married to Javier?" Uh, oh. Julia (E) gets upset and walks out.

13 years ago: Javier (played by Agustin Arana, aka Omar from Fea, aka Jerry from Gancho) walks into young Julia's room. She's smoking a cigarette. He starts macking on her as she says "open the door mom, open it, please."

The driver lets Marco in to see Julia (E). She offers her cheek for a kiss, or rather, avoids letting him kiss her on the mouth. She needs to be held and he obliges. Julia excuses herself for a moment to get cash to pay him for yesterday.

Present: Capellan asks Trujillo if this was something Marco did all the time. Trujillo balks at calling it "prostitution" but Capellan is all for calling a spade a spade…or a man-whore a prostitute, as the case may be. He took money from the ladies at the gym to go home with them, but they called it, you know, "escorts." Capellan smiles. "'Escorts'. And in Spanish, we call them 'prostitutes.'" Trujillo shuts up.

Past: Marco refuses the money. Julia gets uncomfortable. Marco starts checking out Julia's record collection and asks permission to put on one of the records. "Ooh, you like old stuff. You were in kinder when I listened to that record every day!" Marco calls the record "a jewel" and pulls Julia up to dance. Julia asks for a kiss and Marco obliges. She gets uncomfortable again after the kiss and goes back to get her drink. They confirm that neither one is married, at least not at the moment. Marco starts kissing her lap and then puts his head in it. Julia lies to him and says she doesn't have any kids and lives alone, except for her household staff, who are all men. She claims to be the only woman in the house, because she doesn't trust women. "They're hateful, betraying, and they're all crazy." Marco informs her that he's pretty sure yesterday he saw…. She cuts him off and says it was the ghost of her dead daughter. Damn. I wouldn't have figured the chauffeur for a necrophiliac, but whatever. Marco freaks out a little, but he holds her again and says he hasn't been this way with someone in a long time. Julia says that he'll be like that for a while, because he's all hers. He sees Julia (Y) again and gets quiet.

Present: Gerardo informs Moran that the kill shot went to the heart and the other shots happened after that. "Oh, so that's why there was no bleeding from them?" Exactly, boy wonder.

Past: Julia (Y) brings in a breakfast tray to Mami, throwing open the curtains and telling her it's time to hit the gym. Julia (E) looks up, startled, looking for Marco, but Julia (Y) says he left early. Ugh, they're wearing matching nightgowns and robes. This just keeps getting sicker. Julia (E) says it's late and she doesn't have time for breakfast, but Julia (Y) opines that Mami needs to eat because she got way too much exercise last night. "Who's the giant? You hired a 24-hour trainer? Wow!" Julia (E) reminds her that, like it or not, she's still her mother, so watch it. Mami refuses to tell Julia who the guy was.

Flashback to last night and Julia (E) and Marco getting it on. It's a testament to the high quality of this show that it looks a lot more believable than the May-December stuff on Sorti. Just saying.

"Well, that 'no one' is hot. I saw him when he left. He's young, isn't he? But that's how you like them." Julia (E) says that Julia (Y) is still angry, and not about Efren either.

13 years ago: Julia (Y) smokes a cigarette and asks Javier if he liked it. "More than my mom? Why don't you leave her?" Javier is tired of hearing his from her. "If you don't leave her, she'll find out everything." Javier says no one will believe her, because everyone knows she's crazy. Julia grabs him from behind and says "What about your kiss?"

Julia (Y) laughs over the look on Efren's face when Julia (E) opened the door. Julia (E) insists that Marco is just a good looking guy from the gym. Julia (Y) says she's not sure that the good looking guy from the gym is right for her. Julia (E) looks alarmed.

Marco tells Trujillo about Julia (E) saying it was just the ghost of her daughter. He goes on to say that what got him even more hot and bothered was the thought of the "ghost" listening to them.

Flashback to Marco and Julia (E) together. Julia had told him to be quiet or someone would hear. "Who's going to hear? The ghost?" Julia (Y) stands outside the door.

Trujillo tells Marco that's some kinky shit. More or less.

Present: Moran tells Gerardo that both Julias tested positive for gunpowder residue. With his eager puppy look, he asks Gerardo if they both killed the guy. Gerardo mulls that one over.

Past: Marco lets himself in the front gate of the Julias' house. Efren, busy buttoning up his shirt, goes to answer the front door, but tells Marco that Julia (E) isn't there. Julia (Y) practically runs to the door to see who it is and says "Ah, it's Mom's 24-hour trainer." She snaps at Efren, "Don't you have anything to do?" She introduces herself to Marco and asks if they haven't seen each other before. "Like you were a ghost," he replies. "Oh, my mom must have told you I was dead. It's one of her fantasies, like finding someone like you at the gym. I see it went well for her. Maybe I should join the gym too, what do you think?" Marco says that would be a good idea. He gives Julia (Y) her mom's necklace and asks her to return it. "Ah, right, it must have fallen off when she was doing some exercises." She keeps trying to put the moves on him and he's trying to shut her down. She ends up pouting, "Oh, that's right, you're a human being and you hate being treated like a sex object." She cackles as she shuts the door in his face, saying "Well, you came to the wrong place! Ciao!"

Marco and Trujillo hang out at the pool. Trujillo found the "sex object" thing funny. But he also thinks Marco needs to date a normal woman, not a crazy one. Marco objects that it's only the daughter who's crazy. Now, Julia (E), on the other hand is sweet and tender and blah, blah, blah. Trujillo calls him "cursi" (cheesy, sappy).

Marco and Julia (E) are out somewhere when Marco is effusively greeted by an attractive, though younger, woman, Yolanda. He kisses her in greeting and then introduces both Yolanda, and her date Juan Carlos, to his "girlfriend" Julia. Julia doesn't know what hit her. She gets kissed by Yolanda and Carlos and just looks shocked, but tries to laugh at Yolanda saying it's funny they all met up.

Marco drives her home, but he wonders what's wrong, she's been quiet. Julia (E) tells him there's nothing wrong, but he persists. She wants to know if she's his girlfriend. Marco laments that he shouldn't have said that without asking her first, but he loves her. Julia (E) returns the sentiment and calls him her "boyfriend." She asks him to close his eyes because she has a surprise for him. It's apparently his birthday and he's surprised that she found out. Inside a polished wooden box with a bow is something that he says is beautiful, but instead of answering whether he likes it, he says he likes her.

Julia (E) walks into the house and Julia (Y) is setting the table, walking around in a robe. She tells Mami that the cook prepared something really tasty for them. Julia (E) notices the necklace on Julia (Y) and Julia (Y) says Mami's "boyfriend" brought it over the other day. Oh, ok, fine, he's not your boyfriend, your trainer, then. Julia (E) says she ate late, so she's not interested in food, but she'll keep Julia (Y) company. She asks if Julia (Y) didn't have a meeting, but Julia (Y) says she cancelled it. Julia (E), however, knows that Julia (Y) got fired a month ago. Julia (E) seems threatened when Julia (Y) turns the conversation back to Mama's new boy toy, and alarmed when Julia (Y) declares that Mami is in love with him. "You don't have to be ashamed! Besides, I give you permission to sleep with him." Julia (E) says she knows things have been difficult between them, that they aren't exactly normal, but she'd like them to get along, you know? "No." Well, Marco's a very special friend, and Julia (E) would like Julia (Y) to respect him. Julia (Y) gets upset. "You don't want to share him do you? You're afraid he'll like me more? I'm younger, prettier. I've taken them all away from you, haven't I? Do you remember when you found me with the gardener?"

Five years ago: Julia (E) busts Julia (Y) with the gardener and smacks her around, yelling "How many gardeners? How many chauffeurs do you want me to bring you?"

Julia (E) tells Julia (Y) to forget it. Julia (Y) is upset that Julia (E) has already forgotten it and doesn't think about it.

Present: Aranda informs Capellan that she's turned up some stuff. Javier killed himself in Julia (Y)'s bedroom 13 years ago. There was no investigation and he was buried immediately. Capellan assumes money changed hands to bring that about. Javier killed himself with the same gun that appears to have killed Marco.

Past: Julia (E) and Marco wake up in bed together. Julia wants him to hightail it out of there before Julia (Y) sees him. Marco isn't concerned. He asks her why she told him Julia (Y) was dead. "Because I feel like she died a long time ago."

13 years ago: Julia (Y) sits at the foot of her bed, crying. Julia (E) calls out that she's home. She opens the door to Julia (Y)'s bedroom and sees Javier lying on the floor, shot in the head. She goes over to Julia (Y) and asks her if she's ok.

Past: Julia (E) feels like everything happens too late. Marco says he loves her.

He gets himself dressed and is heading out when Julia sees him and doubles over, crying out like she's in pain. He walks her back into her room, where she attacks him, kissing him and asking him to want her. He says he doesn't want anything to do with her. "But you did get hot when you saw me in the window. I want to be a client too!" He says her mother's not a client. She insists that this is nothing, she and mom always share men. He calls her sick and tries to pry her off him. She says he's on the payroll of the house. Julia (E) walks in and busts them. And the way you know this is not a novela is that he didn't experience paralysis when she kissed him and did make an attempt to disengage her.

Present: Capellan questions Julia (E). She asks why Julia never told her about the suicide of her second husband. Why did things happen so quickly? Julia (E) says her husband abused her daughter and his own guilt killed him. "Did you ever think your daughter provoked it? Did anyone ever tell you?" Julia (E) says "once."

5 years ago: After she smacked Julia (Y) around for getting it on with the gardener, she accused her of seducing her husband. Julia (Y) says she hates her and walks off.

Present: Capellan posits that Julia (E) still thinks that Julia (Y) seduced Javier. "Mothers tend to blame their daughters in cases of abuse, but it's never the case. What happens is that we blame those who are weaker for our own faults." Julia (E) asks them to leave Julia (Y) alone. "I fired, I killed Marco!" Capellan asks her to tell her what happened. "I was in my bedroom. I heard noises, yelling, I got scared. I went running into her room, I opened the door, and he was forcing himself on her. I was only defending her!" Capellan: "With the same gun your second husband used to kill himself?" Brief flashback to Javier. Julia (E) doesn't answer.

Back in her office, Aranda gives Capellan the psychiatric report on Julia (Y). The verdict is severe Bipolar Disorder. Capellan asks to see her in interrogation.

Someone lays the gun on the table. Capellan asks if Julia (Y) recognizes it. Julia says it's the only inheritance from her father. "Your mother declared herself guilty of the death of Marco Rodriguez. Do you have anything to add to this?" "Nothing. If my mother already confessed, what do you want me to tell you? That she killed her lover in an attack of jealousy because he wanted me?" "What do you mean, he wanted you?" "He harassed me all the time, he wanted to touch me, caress me, sleep with me. My mom couldn't handle it." They're interrupted by Gerardo.

Behind the glass, he shows her some lab results. They both fired, but only one is the killer.

Capellan gets the mother-daughter act into the interrogation room together. She arrests Julia (E) for false testimony and covering for her daughter and asks why she's doing it. "I'm the only one responsible for everything. In spite of everything, I'm her mother and she's my daughter." Capellan has them take Julia (E) away. She gives Julia (Y) a kiss on the cheek. Julia (Y) has a hard time letting go of her hand. Capellan arrests Julia (Y) for being the first one to fire on Marco, and therefore the one who actually killed him. She asks her what happened that morning at the house. "Marco wanted to separate us. But my mom and I love each other a lot. Nothing can separate us. Marco wanted my mother, but he didn't want me.

Past: Julia (E) walks in. Marco tries to explain, but Julia (E) doesn't want to hear it. She says he's trash, just like all men. Julia (Y) asks what the problem is and Julia (E) and Marco turn to see her pointing the gun at them. Julia (E) tells her to calm down. "He said you were pretty and that he loved you, but he didn't tell me any of that. Do you remember what I had to do with Javier so he wouldn't leave me alone?"

13 years ago: When Javier was walking out of the room after refusing to leave Julia (E) for the millionth time, Julia (Y) came up behind him, asked "What about your kiss?" reached around, and shot him in the head.

Julia (Y) shoots Marco in the heart. He collapses against Julia (E), and Julia (Y) is now pointing the gun at her mother. "Again!" says Julia (E). "You loved him a lot mom. More than me. You love all of them more than me. That's why you didn't open the door when Javier touched me and…. It wasn't my fault, mom. He told me he was going to buy me a doll if I gave him kisses so that I wouldn't tell you because you were going to get mad. You wouldn't love me anymore. And I got scared, mom, scared that you wouldn't love me anymore. Don't you love me anymore, mom?" Julia (E) says she does. She gets the gun from Julia (Y) as Julia (Y) collapses against her and cries. Julia (E) shoots Marco a few times. She kisses Julia (Y)'s hands and tells her to go wash her hands really well. Julia (Y) looks back from the door and asks if it's true that Mami's never going to leave her alone.

"Miss Julia Espinoza was condemned to 18 years in prison where she receives psychiatric therapy. Her mother, Julia Laviada completed a sentence of 1 year and visits her daughter regularly in prison."

Labels: asesinas

I hope we are getting prepped for the clone's appearance:
Dora tells Estela that she is going to Houston and coming back with Daniel if she has to tie him up. Estela replies that Daniel is so strange. It's as if he didn't belong to this world. Dora doesn't agree. She says that Estela is saying that because Daniel wasn't black like them and wanted to be with Albieri. Estela hopes that when he comes back, Daniel will stick around and not go wandering. "It's as if he didn't feel comfortable in his own body," says Estela.

More clone teasers:

Albieri is at home writing in 'My Cloning Journal' (What could be writing more than 10 years since he saw the kid? Why is he writing longhand in a bound book instead of on a computer? Well, we know that one - the better for Alicia to get a hold of it.) Alicia comes up behind him to bring him some juice (that's all she seem to do - serve beverages and there's the same cake that is always on the counter in Albieri's house.) She startles Albieri and he overreacts so much it would make anyone suspicious about what he was doing, much less the nosy Alicia.

¡Viejo idiota! Ahora sí estoy segura de que está occultando muy importante.
Stupid old man! Now I'm sure that he is hiding something really important, says Alicia when she pretends to leave the room because she is so upset.

Now back to the Lucas/Jade/Said story.

Lucas has gone to see Cristina. She asks if he has told Marisa that he was with Jade. Lucas says no. She tells him not to open his mouth,

Porque por lo que me cuentas, tu mujer es un avión supersónico de maldad.
Because from what you've told me, your wife is a supersonic airplane of evil. [You got that one right, Cristina.]

Lucas asks if Cristine thinks that Marisa is capable of telling everything to Jade's husband. "Of course she is," replies Cristina. It's the most educated, snobby (pipirisnice) ones that are the most devious (solapadas). They aren't like Cristina: an in-your-face (frentera), transparent person who doesn't mince words (sin pelos en la lengua, literally, without hair on the tongue).
Cristina advises Lucas to bring Jade to her place so they can discuss things.

Cristina calls Jade who is at Mohamed's and puts Lucas on the phone. He tells her that he wants to talk to her to resolve the situation quickly. He says that he has asked Marisa for a divorce. He doesn't want to wait any more and says that he loves her with all with soul. Cristina is way more on the ball than Lucas. She has to tell him that when Jade stops speaking (se queda muda, literally, becomes mute), it's because someone might overhear. They decide to call Jade after Lucas leaves work. Lucas thanks Cristina for her help. Now, no one can separate him from Jade.

Marisa and Lucia arrive at Latifa's house. When Lucia admires the decoration, Jade asks if it is she who wants to redecorate with the help of Said. No, it's me, says Marisa and launches into battle:
Estoy destruyéndolo todo, eliminando lo que no me sirve y empezando todo de nuevo.
I'm destroying everything, eliminating what is useless and starting anew.

Lucia, who at least compared to Marisa, seems to be a nice person, tries to make small talk and says how much she likes belly dancing. Latifa says Muslim women dance to keep their husbands looking only at them. Marisa apparently has been checking Wikipedia. She asks if it isn't true that the penalty for a woman who betrays her husband is 100 lashes. She notes that there are countries where the guilty couple are stoned to death (apedrean hasta morir). Jade counterattacks with the four witness requirement, otherwise the accuser is guilty of defamation, for which the penalty is even more severe. Marisa wins the battle by saying that in a time when detectives who have tiny cameras can be hired, a husband doesn't need four witnesses - he will believe a photo.

Natalia gets another pitch from her drug pusher. She (see below) asks why Nati hasn't been online, did she get ticked off (sacaste de onda) because she had talked about drugs? No, replies, Nati, that's something very normal. ¡Es a todo dar! It's awesome, says the pusher. On her last trip, she (she uses a feminine adjective, despierta, - of course online, it could be anyone) stayed awake for three days dancing and laughing and she totally forgot her problems. This sounds good to Natalia but at this moment, Rosa comes into her room and admires all her gifts. Nati displays no enthusiasm for the books, money and the new laptop that she was given for Xmas.

Here in real life is the kind of sentence you get in grammar class using the pluperfect and imperfective subjunctive tenses:
¿Qué te hubiera gustado que te regalaran?
What would you have liked for them to give you?

Nothing material, says Nati, affection, understanding, stability. She says that she feels a deep emptiness inside her (siento un vacío muy hondo dento de mí) as if nothing makes her happy. Rosa tries to cheer her up by suggesting that she go out for a drive with Alej but Nati says that she will just do schoolwork.

As soon as Rosa leaves, Nati sneaks out and takes her car. She drives to the hot dog stand that Alej took her to before. Alej is there fending off Diana's advances. Nati does not keep an eye on the road and runs into the back of another car. [PSA against distracted driving.] The guy whose car she hit gets ugly and Alej jumps up and rescues her. He scolds her for going out without him, calls her stubborn (terca) and then takes her home leaving Diana in the lurch.

Back at little Morocco, Jade decides to retreat from the battlefield and announces that she is leaving. Marisa says that she is leaving too. Marisa seems to want to follow Jade to either launch more verbal assaults or catch her with Lucas but she has made a big mistake bringing a non-vengeance dominated person with her. Latifa gives Lucia a belly dancing outfit and Marisa cannot get her out of there.

Once they are in the street, Lucia insists at stopping at Gloria's for some water. Marisa looks like she wishes she had a giant bottle of hand sanitizer. Marisa tells Lucia that Gloria looks like the cook in a brothel. She says that this is Jade's world and she can't believe that Lucas was attracted to it (she conveniently forgets or doesn't know that Lucas first saw Jade in the very exotic world of the women's quarters in a house in Fez). Where are you going with all this? asks Lucia.
A los 100 latigazos. Dados por mí a ese par.
To those 100 lashes. Given by me to that pair, replies Marisa. Ramon brings the water and some pork ribs. They smell wonderful, I'll try them (Rico huelan. Yo las voy a probar.) says Lucia while Marisa looks on in disgust.

Nati tells Rosa how nice Alej was to her after the accident and how he defended her.

At the gym, Alej tells Diana that Nati is sensitive, vulnerable and needs affection. He says that in addition to being pretty, she is fragile and sweet.

Back at Gloria's. Lucia is ordering take out when Said returns home. Marisa undulates over to him while Gloria, Ramon and Latifa watch. Marisa tells Said that she came over for tea with Latifa. Jade was there but she left as if somone were waiting for her. Latifa enlists Zamira and Jadiya to run interference for her. Marisa finds out that Jade is going back to Morocco and is trying to set up a time to meet with Said at his hotel when the girls run up. 'I'm talking to your father,' says Marisa. 'Then you should talk to all of us,' replies Zamira. 'When a woman wants to talk to a man, there has to be another woman present,' chimes in Jadiya. Marisa retreats.

Latifa finds the Naz primping.

If Osvaldo won't come to her, she will seek him out at the dance club. In vain does Latifa protest that it is haram to go to a place that sells alcohol and that Mohamed will be angry. Nariza leaves and when Mohamed comes in, she lies and says that the Naz wants to be alone. She distracts Mohamed by offering to dance for him in the black dress.

Tio Abdul tells Zoraida that Ali is returning to Morocco.

Ali tells Jade that they are leaving for Morocco as soon as possible. He hopes that it isn't too late. Jade protests that she never wanted to come to the States in the first place. Ali says that he will say goodbye to Albieiri. Jade tells him that Said has taken Jadiya to the jewelry store in the hotel. Ali states the obvious. Jadiya is more like Latifa's daughter than Jade's. He says that he is worried about Zamira - she is too much like Jade was when she came to Morocco. Jade replies that it will be different for Zamira because she won't have to live in Morocco like she had to. 'Nunca se sabe,' (You never know) says Ali. He leaves. Jade sighs and says,
Si olvidé una vez, puedo olvidar de nuevo.
If I forgot once, I can forget again.

Lucas comes to see Leo and tells him that he is divorcing Marisa and marrying Jade. As usual, Leo asks if he has gone crazy. Lucas says that he doesn't want to argue with Leo, he is just telling him because it might affect their business negotiations in some way. Ya think? Leo points out that this is their big opportunity to enter the Middle East market. Lucas replies that this isn't about money. It's about his life and happiness. Well, we know how much Leo cares about that. Grow up! yells Leo. Enrique comes in and tries to calm things down. Lucas says that he has always done what Leo wanted. He married the woman Leo wanted and he followed the career that Leo wanted. Leo refuses to take responsibility for Lucas' decision to marry Marisa. Lucas reminds Leo that they discussed his marital problems earlier.

No me vengas a reclamar tu falta de pantalones.
Don't blame me if you aren't man enough (literally, 'lack pants'), says good ol' Leo. He says that at least Lucas could wait until he is dead to destroy the company. Lucas walks out. He tells Rosa that he gave up everything and did everything his father wanted so that Leo would accept him, so that he would be more like Diego. He tells her that he is fed up, bitter and has lost the desire to live. Rosa blames Jade for this. Lucas says that he is going to do what he should have done 20 years old. Marisa comes in. She says that she wants the four of them: Lucas, her, Jade and Said to talk. Leave me alone, says Lucas.

Said tells Jade that he ran into Marisa and that she wants to meet with him. Jade tells him not to do it because Marisa only has bad intentions toward him. 'Who knows,' says Said, 'maybe she wants to take vengeance for all the harm her husband caused because of you.' He says that Marisa hasn't told him anything but he thinks that they are in a similar situation - they have suffered a lot feeling that they have been set aside (en un secondo plano). Jade says that Said enjoys torturing her. He isn't the nice guy everyone thinks he is.

Ella todavia no se ha olvidado de Lucas.
She still hasn't forgotten about Lucas, says Said to himself. That is the understatement of the year.

Osvaldo is telling his troubles with Diana to Miquel, the bartender. The Naz tries to come into the bar, which is closed. At first Osvaldo wants to hide. Then Miquel suggests that Nariza's supposed 'petrodollars' could help him out with his Diana problem. The Naz asks if Osvaldo would like to get to know Morocco. Osvaldo is up for anything that will get him away from Diana and isn't on his dime.

Lucas is at Cristina's. She calls Jade and tells her that she knows that she can't talk but the man that loves her more than ever is with her and they are waiting for her at the house. Jade replies that she loves Lucas too, more than ever.

Alicia gets an opportunity to look into Albieri's journal.

Luisa sends Albieri to find an old photo of him and Albieri as students.

Jade is a no show. Cristina calls the hotel and gets Said who tells her that Jade has left for Morocco. Lucas is impactado.

The credits roll. FYI- Monday's episode starts a half hour earlier in some time zones.

Labels: clon

Hola, queridos! Thanks for your patience. The storm, thankfully, ended up missing us for the most part. Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Ale does not want Nurse Rubi to stay in their house, even if (according to Marco) Urdiales recommended her. Rubi takes Jorge off to get him ready for bed. Ale softens a bit when she sees how content he is under Rubi’s care. Later, Ale stops Rubi in the hallway to put her on notice; she is to be a family servant and not a friend.

Vicky interrupts Julieta and Jaime’s makeout. She coos about how cute they are together and makes them all around uncomfortable. Rafa gets home which gives Vicky something to do with her lips other than pout and talk endlessly. She plants one on him but Rafa has to get some work done. VVV isn’t pleased and warns him he better fulfill his promise to marry her.

Rafa sits alone in his room, glances at one of the fiesta pictures of Ale, and wonders when he will forget her. Meanwhile, Ale is doing the same.

A daily meeting for Autos Siglo in the usual form: Ale scolds the employees for their awful sales, they blame Rafa for it by claiming he already got to all of their clients, Ramirez gives a long winded speech, Marino is smug, and Ale makes everyone swear they will put an end to Rafa by crushing CloAutos. Said competition is also revving up for business and plans to squash Autos Siglo. Let’s get ready to rumble!

Dandy delivers some paperwork to Susana but Ale makes it impossible for him to say a word to her.

Pepeto answers the phone for Rafa because he’s afraid Vicky is calling again. Turns out it’s Marino calling to threaten Rafa; he is going to steal all Rafa’s clients and end up on top again. Rafa is determined to not let that happen.

Ale is on the phone with a former client of Rafa’s and encourages him to continue business with the Siglo. Rafa calls the same client and finds he already talked to Ale. They’re in an all-out battle to get to the clients first.

The doctor has come to check up on Jorge. If he leads a healthy lifestyle and stays under Rubi’s excellent care, he should make a full recovery. Rosario is dubious about Rubi but the doctor sings her praises.

Vicky barges back into Rafa’s house. Just her luck, Jaime is still around but Julieta and Leonor have left. “We’re all alone. Just you and me. Are you afraid?” Jaime most definitely is afraid of VVV and tells her how happy he is with Julieta. Vicky doesn’t believe it and smooches him. Jaime pushes her away but she gets hold of his shirt and rips it open. She flips out when Jaime yells at her to stop.

Rafa gets home just in time to divert Vicky’s attention. Rafa asks Jaime what the deal is with his shirt. Jaime says he opened it because his tie was too tight, even though he wasn’t wearing one.

Rubi asks Azucena to fix the dinner she made for Jorge because it isn’t healthy enough. Azucena is steamed; she has been preparing meals for years and only takes orders from family members. Azucena is so offended she’s ready to quit and go back to her house. Ale and Rosario try to convince her to stay but it’s no good.

Chavez and the Naughty Cop from a few weeks ago are wandering around the hacienda grounds at night. They run into Chucho, the groundskeeper, and Rosendo, another worker. Rain, thunder, wind, lightening, creepy laughter, and a huge shadow on the wall scare them into thinking the hacienda ghost is out for revenge. A headless horseman rides past and scares the daylights out of everyone.

Rubi feeds Jorge soup and gives him his medication. Rosario and Ale want to get rid of Rubi but are afraid for Jorge’s health without Nurse Feelgood.

Ale has to put on the apron and do the dishes herself now that Azucena is gone. She and Rosario complain to Marco about Rubi. Marco stops Rubi before she leaves to talk about her attitude with the women of the house. Rubi says they have no medical knowledge. “Well, neither do you!” Marco suggests she dress more appropriately but takes it back when she gives him a view of her, uh, medicinal properties.

Julieta gets home to take Jaime on a movie date. Rafa admits he didn’t really have work to do; he just wanted Vicky to leave. It’s driving him crazy that he can’t get Ale out of his head. Rafa is still set on making a business deal big enough to settle all his debt. He finds a bottle of tequila and downs some shots alone in the kitchen. “You are the love of my life, Alejandra.”

Marco and Ale chat with less coldness between them. He gives her a kiss on the cheek to say goodbye. Ale pours herself a shot of tequila and drinks to Rafa’s health. “Medina, you are the love of my live."

The next morning, Ale drills the employees on increasing their sales. Claudia heard a rumor that CloAutos wants to start a war with Autos Siglo and obviously Rafa is behind it. Beltran joins the Siglo meeting and Ale explains that CloAutos has been trying to persuade Siglo clients to change companies. She defends Rafa when Marino and Ramriez say Rafa is a ruthless traitor. Enticing clients is a common business strategy. Ale wants to compete by offering better prices.

Meanwhile, Rafa is briefing the CloAuto club about Ale’s counteroffensive to their sales tactics. He wants to change their strategy by offering lower prices and more promotions. Lic. Gomez likes Rafa’s enthusiasm but company profit margins have continued to fall; they don’t have the economic strength for a new plan. Rafa is still determined to succeed and joins the CloAutos chant.

Jorge gives Rubi a history lesson as he shows her around the around the garden. Rubi gleefully kicks off her shoes and does a little dance on a pole in the yard. Jorge questions what she’s doing and Rubi says she’s reliving old times.

The Siglo meeting marches on and Beltran singles Zetina out. Instead of sitting in silence, Zetina stands up for himself and says he is a hard worker who wants to lead by example. “Then why do you never talk?” Ramriez asks. “Because you never let me!” Zetina yells. (Right on!) Marino tells Beltran he has a meeting with a very important client and will singlehandedly beat CloAutos. Ale rallies them all to get selling. They file out of the room and leave Ramriez singing the Siglo anthem by himself.

Rafa gets another call from Marino; the war is on. He also gets a call from VVV, who has her usual complaints. Rafa gets tangled up talking to Vicky and a client at the same time but finds out Siglo already got to his client. Rafa leaves Vicky on the line and sets the phone on his desk to please her.

Dandy pours his heart out to Susana. Her silence and indifference have been worse than a life sentence. He isn’t going to give up and dreams of the day she will listen to him again. He loves her and misses her very much. In full view of Susana, Dandy makes a big show of demonstrating how he’s changed. The other employees mock him for becoming such a softie. Instead of going out to the trancazo with them, Dandy has a salad and juice delivered. He sits cross-legged on a table and starts to meditate. Ale notices and thinks Dandy has lost his mind. Susana is amused and has definitely softened to him.

Ale cheerfully answers a call from Marco. He lets her know if there’s anything she needs, all she has to do is call him. Chavez teases Marco for looking so love struck. Marco just needs to get back in Ale’s good graces. He doesn’t even have to worry as much about Rafa since he is in an all out business war with Ale. Chavez tells Marco about the headless horseman at the hacienda but Marco doesn’t believe it and says Chavez needs to stop drinking.

Rafa is at a loss when yet another client is lost to the Siglo because of Ale. Pepeto asks why they don’t challenge a different company. Rafa gives three reasons (a trend lately): 1) Defeating the Siglo is the objective of the month. 2) Because the Siglo is their closest competition. 3) Rafa wants to show Ale that he isn’t a poor devil she can tear to pieces.

Ale is delighted when she secures another client for the Siglo. Susana isn’t so sure they will be able to meet their goal for the month but Ale is certain. Ale hands over some paperwork to Marino and begs him to get the sale. He promises to have a signed contract on her desk by 4 PM.

Rafa tells Gomez that the Siglo has started strong and already stole two of his clients. But Rafa has a plan: he wants to offer special deals only to important clients and he needs permission to buy company bonds. Rafa wants to give the bonds to people who could help them secure business, like the secretaries and receptionists. They would be very impressed with the company, which could give them an edge on the competition. Rafa agrees to have the money taken out of his commission; he has to have the bonds because he is on the verge of a very important business deal. Gomez likes the idea and pulls Rafa into his office to go over the details.

Monica saunters into CloAutos, greets Rafa, and tells him that she works there. She handles social services and relationship management. Monica slithers a little too close for comfort and Rafa says relationships between employees are forbidden. Monica knows better, though. “Weren’t relationships prohibited when you were at the beach with your jefa?” Pepeto interrupts and Monica takes off.

Marino sits in the waiting room of a prestigious company. None other than Rafa comes running down the hallway to ask the secretary for an appointment. Marino and Rafa exchange words; Marino is not going to let Rafa take his client. Rafa gives a packet of bonds to the secretary and she agrees to let him go in ahead of Marino to see the Licenciado.

Avances: “Something. Totally. Unexpected.” Vicky finds one of the fiesta pictures of Rafa and Ale! Uh oh…

Labels: dinero

Jade and Lucas fall into each other’s gaze, into their arms, into their bed.

At the party everyone wonders where Lucas is. Nati gives Fernando his present, a shirt. He thanks her and heads to the door. Andrea heads him off; what about his gift for Nati? Fernando didn’t get a gift for Nati; he got a gift for his novia Aisha. Carolina announces to her friends that Enrique is perfect in every way. Chipper Marissa says he must just be hiding his flaws well.

At Little Morocco Latifa frets about Jade being missing. The kids and the Naz are on the balcony watching the rowdy neighbors. Gloria tells Pablo to go invite them all to her party. Mohamed at first refuses, but Tio Ali counsels that Christmas is a time of peace and harmony for the westerners, and we should at least accept their kindness. Gloria proudly presents them her suckling pig, but Ali refuses because he can’t eat pork. Meanwhile Nariza proudly presents herself in dance to one of the party guests who has seen half as many new years as Nariza. Mohamed hustles her away under protest.

Ozzie sees Dora and remembers how happy he was with her, and wonders if he’ll ever be able to forgive her. Psssssst! Ozzie! Yes! In the final week of the series.

Enrique has been enjoying the wassail and is feeling no pain. Leo tells him to stop drinking. Enrique blows him off and dances with Carolina. Marisa implies to Leo and Nati that she’s sure Lucas is with a woman.

In the love nest, the fire quenched, Jade is thinking clearly again and says, “What am I doing? I shouldn’t be here!” A little late for that idea, Tutz. I decided to transcribe their whole conversation because it’s very significant. Not necessarily for what they said, but simply the fact that they said something more than, “Jade?” “Lucas?”

Lucas: You’re the same Jade I knew in Morocco, who escaped to be with me. Back then, I thought that the woman I would love for the rest of my life didn’t love me.
Jade: I was also wrong about a lot of things. I thought you were tender, romantic, happy, but I found a man who was cold, distant, and bitter. Who lives an empty life, and maintains an apartment to meet with women.
Lucas: When you didn’t want to run away with me, when you rejected me, I promised myself that I would never love anyone that wasn’t you. There wouldn’t be anyone else.
Jade: Tell me the truth. Was I just a fling for you?
Lucas: No, don’t think that. You are the most important thing to me. I still feel that way. Remember when I told you, no other woman would ever have me the way you do? You hold my heart and my soul. Why didn’t you run away with me when I was ready?
Jade: I panicked. Said found out and was going to kill you. That day I swore an oath that if Said didn’t kill you, I would never look for you again.
Lucas: I would have rather died than live without you.
Jade: I started a divorce but then I got pregnant. I stayed so I could be close to my daughter.
Lucas: I’ll never separate from you. I’ll never let you go. (yeah, where have we heard that one before?)
Jade: I’m more scared than ever because I have more to lose. I should go.
Lucas: No. Let’s leave together right now.
Jade: No. I can’t lose my daughter. I have to go.

At Leo’s party, Carolina can’t find Enrique. Marisa implies that he’s catting around with Lucas. Actually Leo and Rosa are wrestling him into bed. They’ll keep him hidden until he sobers up. Rosa tells Carolina that he was tired and left early. Marisa repeats her refrain, Lucas will pay for what he did to me.

Jade exits the taxi and Ali is waiting for her. She claims that she was visiting remembered places, and he speculates that she was not visiting places but people. He says Allah has been patient with her but his patience will run out. “You were with Lucas, weren’t you? He woke everything that was sleeping in you. ‘Lo que quedo atras.’” I think he means, “what you left behind,“ but I’m not sure, maldita falta de acentos! Ali continues, “It’s like a mirage. The closer you try to get to it, the farther it moves away. When you committed your error with him back then, you had your whole life to correct it. Not anymore.” He goes to leave and she asks for a blessing. He replies, “That God protect you from yourself.”

Lucas sneaks into his bedroom while Marisa apparently sleeps. He realizes that he still has Jade’s necklace. Marissa realizes it too.

In the morning, Rosa wakens Enrique and scolds him for treating Carolina that way. Carolina wonders what really happened to him last night. Andrea teases Nati about paying so much attention to Fernando, and Nati denies it. Then Nati plays with the bracelet that Andrea thinks is ugly, and she divulges that she likes Alejandro.

Said returns from his trip and greets his family in the hotel. Jade thinks to herself, “I want to tell him everything. It will be so hard to be at his side after what happened.” She goes to the bathroom and cries. When she comes back, he asks, “What happened while I was away? You’re different.” Jade begs him to take her back to Morocco. They have their usual argument, “You still feel for him.” “You never stop talking about him.”

Marisa lays into Lucas. “Where did you spend the night? Who did you spend it with?” She goes into her usual rant. Lucas says, “It’s finished. I want a divorce. I can no longer endure a relationship that doesn’t exist.” Marisa asserts, “You slept with her.” Lucas’s request for a divorce is what convinces her. She threatens to tell Said.

Leo is his usual encouraging self. He tells Enrique he always gets drunk (yeah, like, last night, and also 20 years ago). He says Carolina deserve better than to be with an addict. Enrique insists it was just a relapse. Leo says that as an addict, a relapse will result in Enrique either turning worse than before, or dying. Leo wouldn’t make a very good Dear Abby. On Leo’s advice, Enrique calls Caro and tells her he overslept because he took a sleeping pill last night. She’s glad to hear it. He says she’s special to him and he invites her to his house for dinner tonight. She’s even happier to hear that. Hanging up, she tells her friend that she can’t take wine because Ric doesn’t drink. Her friend speculates that’s because he’s a recovering alcoholic. Caro is sue that’s not true.

Lucas tells Rosa, and Jade tells Latifa, that they were together last night. Jade says the emotion was as strong as ever, and she never stopped loving him. Latifa has her usual panic. Anyone want to guess what she says? You guessed it. “Mohammed will leave me!” Jade assures her that no one will find out. (Jade, here’s a hint. If you want to keep a secret, don’t tell anybody!) Jade swears she’ll never see him again because she doesn’t want to lose her daughter. Meanwhile Lucas swears to Rosa that he won’t lose Jade again. He wasted his life pleasing everyone else, and now it’s his turn to enjoy love. He’s asked for a divorce.

At Casa Morocco, Ali announces that he’s going back home tomorrow, and he asks if he can take Jade along. Said looks at her suspiciously. Said says she can go with him. Meanwhile Marisa tells Lucia that Lucas asked for a divorce, but she won’t stand for it. She calls Said and says she wants his advice in decorating her house Moroccan style. After all, who knows more about interior decorating than a macho Muslim? He tells Jade what the call was about. Lucia warns Marisa not to do something she’ll regret. Marisa says that Said is a very important card in her game.

Latifa worries that Marisa will tell Said that Jade and Lucas were together. Latifa whines, all together now, “MOHAMED WILL LEAVE ME!” They decide to invite Marisa over to their house so they can discover her motives.

Lucas goes to Cristina’s house to tell her that he’s divorcing Marisa to be with Jade. Ozzie follows Karla with a K, and begs her to drop charges. He gets down on his knees and offers her anything she asks. What she asks is $,000 per month, and that he’ll be her manager and get her lots of multi-million-dollar international contracts.

Dora tells mama that Daniel is with a friend in Houston. She’s going to see him, and she won’t return without him.

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