Caray, Caray!

Maria Desamparada is not with the program—not with Max’s program anyways. She’s with the novela program of separating the lovers at every opportunity possible. Despite Max’s pleas, she thanks him for his love, and kisses him goodbye. He’s confused and hurt.

Antonieta can’t believe Max quit. Victoria blabs about Max’s obsession with Maria Desamparada. Antonieta is upset that Victoria is letting her pride distance herself from her son—wasn’t the separation from a daughter enough? Victoria doesn’t care; MAX WILL MARRY XIMENA!

Maria is crying to Nati and Linda about the breakup. Linda thinks she’s dumb for doing it [Agreed]. Maria says she knows what it’s like to lack a mother’s love. Oh, shut up, Maria. Linda tells her to call Max and tell him that she loves him. Nati tells Linda that they won’t understand Maria Desamparada’s dilemna. Linda is the only one makin sense here. She doesn’t think Maria should sacrifice her love. Oh, and now she’s crazy again. She says she hates Victoria and is going to steal Osvaldo away.

Antonieta and Victoria are still discussing Maria and Max. Victoria thinks he’s infatuated; Antonieta doesn’t understand why Ximena sounds like a good choice [for anybody!]. Victoria, who I wish would get struck with lightening, says Max will only be happy with Ximena.

Cruz remembers Fer yelling at him. I think he says he’s going to tame her.

Ximena tells Guillermo that he’s cruel because of something. Ew, I’m too not into this scene.

Victoria thanks Christ for reuniting her with her daughter. She then asks why she doesn’t feel anything special for Maria Magdalena. She begs Jesus for mercy. She also adds that Maria Desamparada isn’t good for Max. In the back, Maria Magdalena enters.

Osvaldo comes to church. He wants to talk to Juan Pablo. The other padre tells him that JP is at the Red Cross.

Ximena tells Guill that she loves Max. He doesn’t believe her. She asks what he understands of love since he’s never loved. She’s wrong, he’s loved before.

Cruz sings to Fer from outside of her house. Where the hell is the dramatic Sandoval family now? Fer wakes up and gets out of bed.

Guill says love is powerful. It can make man into a beast. Ximena says it can hurt people. More kissing. Nastyyy.

Cruz sings, and Fer looks out at him. She shakes her head with a slight smile. She looks moved, but doesn’t open the window to let him know. She asks herself what she’s doing, thinking of this gardener? She says she loves Federico. Cruz retires for the night.

Fausto remembers bumping into Maria Desamparada. Damn it, I didn’t pay attention to what he read, but he longingly says Maria’s name.

Maria cries in bed, remembering the meeting with Max. Max without a shirt [WOO HOO!] in bed remembers the same. They both get out of bed. Maria picks up the phone, dials, but changes her mind. Same with Max except I’m drooling for him. They both think of each other.

Bernarda’s upset that JP didn’t tell her he was at the hospital. She wants to take him to a private hospital. She asks who hit him and vows not to rest until the culprit is found. The pimp and Maria Magdalena show up, and Bernie slaps the pimp! She calls them sinners. Osvaldo enters, and JP thanks him for the visit. He’s introduced to Bernarda who asks if he’s Victoria’s husband. She knows Vicki a lot more than Os thinks. Os is confused. She asks if he knows that Victoria betrayed him….

Victoria, who at this point has zero sympathy from me, cries to Antonieta that she feels nothing for Maria Magdalena. She doesn’t think she’s her daughter. If only she could be sure…Heyyy, get a DNA test, idiot.

Osvaldo doesn’t understand. Juan Pablo tells Os that Bernarda is not well and doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Bernarda denies having issues and excuses herself, inviting Os over anytime he wants more information.

Antonieta brings up the DNA test idea. Victoria thinks that it would be betraying her beliefs. Dumbbbbbb. Victoria says she’s going to help Maria Magdalena no matter what.

Maria Magdalena calla JP a savior. Both she and the pimp are changed people…aww touching…

The pimp laughs about tricking the priest with the confessions. He pressures Maria to do as he says.

Osvaldo is pacing around JP’s room. JP wants to know what’s up. Osvaldo wants advice, and he wants JP to promise secrecy. JP promises, and Osvaldo reminds JP of his confession…He tells padre that Bernarda says Victoria has a lover, but he is the one with the lover. JP is impactado.

Milagros tells Linda that they’ll get her bridal wear from somewhere, and Linda acts snobby about the place, but agrees. They hug.

Fabian says he doesn’t understand women. Why did Maria Desamparada do such a thing? Max defends Maria, and—hey! Wait, why is he at work? Anyways…Max tells Fabian that he’s going to get Maria back. He smiles confidently.

Pipino tells Oscar to make sure Antonieta doesn’t find out that he loves Victoria. Oscar doesn’t mind if Antonieta knows, but he forbids Pip from telling Victoria and hurting her. Pipino tells him that he can find a nice unmarried woman.

Maria Magdalena is being abused by the pimp.

Maria Desamparada sits uneasily and tries to read. Nati tells her just to call Max. Maria’s a stubborn mule. Nati leaves, and Maria sits pensively. There’s a knock at the door. No one there. Knock again. No one there. [This seem familiar to anyone?]. Knock again, and a cute little kid is there with red roses for Maria. He says these are flowers for the prettiest girl in the world, Max pops out and hugs the kid and tells him that he wasn’t lying about Maria being pretty, huh? Maria smiles.

Victoria and Antonieta are by a brothel or something, waiting for Maria Magdalena. They’re crying because of the environment.

In Maria Desamparada’s apartment, Max tells Maria that he just came to say goodbye. He feels that Maria doesn’t love him with the same intensity that he loves her. She tells him that she loves him, but he counters that. She’s always trying to distance herself from him. She’s abandoning him with the pretext that she doesn’t want him to sacrifice for her. He doesn’t want excuses. He tells her that he won’t abandon his family; he’ll live with them although that means he has to be sad forever. He hopes she’s happy and finds the family that she didn’t want to have with him. [Ok, I admit it. I cried!] Max heads to the door, but Maria tells him not to leave. She tells him that she loves him, and God knows that she’ll die without him. He comes back, and they embrace.

Pimp invites Victoria and Antonieta inside. They’re looking for Maria Magdalena; the pimp tells them that Maria has mood swings. Sometimes she’s happy, and other times she’s angry. She’s probably at the bar.

Max tells Maria that from today they won’t hide their love. Maria doesn’t want to cause any problems, but Max is determined to show the world that their love is true. When they come back from Miami, they’re getting married. Besos.

Osvaldo tells JP that his life with Victoria got worse, and his life with the other woman makes him feel loved and young. JP tells Osvaldo that Victoria has personal problems, and Os tells him she tried to tell him the other day, but he fell asleep. JP gives him the guilt trip.

Victoria and Antonieta are at the bar and ask for Maria Mag.

Os tells JP that he’ll try to make Victoria tell him the truth. WTH! All of a sudden, Osvaldo tells JP that Max’s mom is alive?!

Sweet William Luscious Levy in a kayak.

Labels: triunfo

Labels: llena

* The goons follow shocked Adolfo who drives to an abandoned road, and they record every single movement of him, including the spectacular moment when he gets rid of Carmelo’s body.



* While David and JJ are watching porn, I mean, waiting for Garnica’s mail, Eddie and Valentín are creating copies of Adolfo’s one man show. Speaking of Dolphie, when he arrives at home and hears that Bertha desperately wants to get out of her room, he send his terrified maid to vacation and threatens her in order to keep her mouth shut. Crazy Dad enters the room and tries to calm hysterical Bertha down, though his caresses and hugs make her feel more frightened. He really cares for her, he would never hurt her, he just needs a companion who understands him. His confession is interrupted by the maid who gives him Eddie’s DVD. Irritated Adolfo watches it in his bedroom and he has to realize he’s been framed. *Viewerville: LOL*



* After a troubled night Alejandra finally confronts Juan José about his relationship with Elsa. Frankly, she can’t understand it. *Viewerville: Don’t worry, Ale, we don’t understand it either. Nor do the writers.* JJ assures his wife there’s nothing between them, for him Elsa is like a little sister and a friend. Maybe, but she’s mad about you! JJ doesn’t care, he loves Alejandra. At last his words melt her heart but she’s still worried about Elsa. JJ says since Elsa’s going to visit Caramelo in David’s house they won’t talk often, only when it’s necessary. Does she feel better? Yes.



* The Endless Nightmare On Braless Street continues: this time Dante interrogates Zaida and tells her not to play the innocent dove, when they met in Europe she’d been already involved in dirty businesses. She begs him not to hurt her, and she’s ready to do anything he wants. Really? She committed many errors, so she should be careful. The first question is: is Garnica alive?

*In the morning Adolfo visits Bertha in her bedroom and tells her he locked her up because she was hysterical and he wanted to prevent her from doing something stupid. He’s got many problems he has to solve, first of all he has to deal with Mario. But if she promises she won’t try to escape he won’t lock her up. He’ll trust her.

* At Dante’s the old rascal tells Zaidita, who tries to make him believe Garnica’s alive that he knows she’s lying. It was Adolfo’s idea, wasn’t it?! But never mind. Now she has to go back to Adolfo and tell him she managed to convince Sevilla. But remember: if she dares disobey he’ll kill her. *Zaida definitely wants a new job.*



* While Édgar and Valentín are writing their second letter in which they demand the second part of the money for Gaby’s shoes, the young employee takes a photo of Psycho Eddie and sighs. Papucho! (Hottie.) In his office Adolfo reads the newest e-mail he realizes the dead guy in his car wasn’t the one who impersonated Garnica. But fortunately the geeky hacker’s arrived at the condo and he explains to Adolfo he can track the location of the computer from where the e-mails were sent. However, finding out the identity of the sender will be more difficult.



* Juanita calls Yolanda who asks her to give the letter that’s hidden in her mattress back. In the meantime the hacker finds out the goons sent the letters from the same computer, most likely the used an internet café. Juanita rushes to Yolanda and gives her the famous Letter. She reads it and finally realizes it’s Carlos’s death sentence.



* Eddie and Valentín are about to visit the internet café when they notice the hacker and Adolfo’s bodyguard who ask the pretty employee about her papucho. The goons decide to get the hell out of there. Adolfo’s men show the girl a photo of Garnica, and she laughs, her man is young. She shows them the photo on her cell phone, but since the guys never met Édgar they don’t recognize him.

* Carlos visits Yolanda and when he starts gushing about how much he loves his new job and how much he wants to earn JJ’s trust, disquiet passes through her face. She confesses to him she has the Letter.

*In the condo the insane game between the crazy, caring tyrant and the frightened prisoner continues. Daddy Dolphie tells Bertha he’s going to work at home so they can spend more time together. *Grrrreat.* And they can go wherever she wants, shopping, cinema, and so on. And what about traveling, asks the little girl. Later. Right now Faidella wouldn’t let him leave the country. Bertha confesses she’s afraid, so Adolfo hugs her again and tells her he won’t hurt her. She means so much for him, and don’t forget, he wants to give her single every peso he has. All she has to do is to spend the last years with him. Bertha calms down a little bit.

* Dante gets an anonymous letter with Adolfo’s home video. While he’s watching it, Édgar calls him for more money, however, Dante knows he’s one of Adolfo’s men and sends him to hell. No, no, no, says Eddie, if Dante doesn’t pay him, the DVD will end up at the police. Adolfo and Bertha are having lunch when he also gets a phone call from Eddie. While the handmaiden is eavesdropping, Adolfo tells Édgar he knows he’s a traitor and he impersonated Garnica, therefore he won’t pay him. On the contrary, consider himself a dead man! Bertha’s on the edge of freaking out again. But Eddie doesn’t give up, he reminds Adolfo of the shoes and the diamonds. Then he tells Valentín they will have to do some investigations again.



* In their office uneasy Gabriela tells David she feels so strange lately, she’s worried about her father and she feels something’s wrong. David hugs and comforts her. In the garden of the Genovés villa the three amigos, aka Abelardo, Limón and FaustiMario are playing cards when anxious David shows up and wants to talk with his dad immediately. In the study he tells him how depressed Gaby is and when Fausto starts again his “I’m not ready to tell Gaby everything yet” speech he firmly demands him to reveal the truth at last.



* When Adolfo arrives at home he finds a very drunken, giggling Bertha in the living room. She tells him she needs to leave the flat, to meet young people and Adolfo lets her meet Jimena. She may leave the flat with his bodyguard.



* JJ also gets an envelope with the photos of Garnica’s helicopter and Carmelo holding the shoes. The letter says the guy on the photo is Carmelo Rodríguez, the man who killed Javier Garnica and Susana Gómez. If he wants more information he’ll have to pay for it. Oh, no, again?

* In a bar drunken Bertha has great time with Jimena and two guys, and by “great time” I mean sinking deeper into the pool of depression and self-destruction. When the four horny youngsters decide to go to a hotel, the bodyguard calls Sugar Daddy who orders him to get his wife out of the building.

* In Yolanda’s flat Carlos holds the infamous letter that caused so many problems. Yolanda tells him they can’t give it to the police since it says he was the one who murdered the maid. Even if he denies it, Roberto is already dead and there will be another investigation. What if he ends up in jail innocently? Okay, but then what should they do with the letter, asks the boy. Yolanda silently picks up her lighter. Wait, wait, wait. Is she sure? Yes, she is. Carlos is the one who will tell the police the truth, not the letter. As the two watch the burning paper, painful flashbacks remind screaming Viewerville of the horrible events that happened because of it.



Aribeth

Labels: verdad

Capitulo 223.
Read Julie’s original recap, then come back here to discuss it.

1. The fight continues. F: Lety has a commitment to me. It’s a work commitment. Fern punches Aldo and he falls. Lety calls “Aldo,” but does she rush toward him like she did when Fern fell? She tells Aldo to leave, the same as Fern. Lety runs away. Aldo tells Fern his faults:
Aldo: I’m not going to manipulate her like you did.
Fern: Since she met you, she’s been cold to me and serious. You’ve turned off her light toward me.
A: No, you turned off the light she gave you. I’m turning her light back on, and it will be for me. For me! You’re in love with her, right?
F: Why do you ask? You just want to use it against me.
A: You are your own worst enemy. Your love is weak. You put your love for yourself first. Your love depends on Lety returning it. So that she makes you feel good, and so that she rescues your company from the bankruptcy you put it into. All this turned into a dishonorable love and in the darkness. False.

(Aldo continues) Couldn’t you see that? Would you be able to defend your love for her? You will fight openly (not “you would” but “you will”).
F: You can’t (have no right to) judge me. You don’t know what I’ve done or what I feel for Lety. And you cannot imagine what I’m going to continue doing for her.

2. Alicia insists that her problem is the same as Marcia’s – Lety took her fiancé. Marcia takes offense at the comparison.

3. Lety tells Tom that Fern and Aldo fought, and that Aldo declared his love. Tom eagerly asks if Lety accepts he declaration. She says she can’t; she still loves Fernando. She says Fern only defended his company, but Aldo was really defending her. Tom again tries to push her into Aldo’s arms.

4. Marcia stops the fight and asks if it was about Lety. Fern claims that it was because Aldo bothers him.

5. Luigi definitively breaks up with Ruli, saying he’s met the man of his dreams. In the Rage Room he thanks Aldo for the bear and agrees to spend their life together, before he lets Irmita tell him that the bear was from Ruli. Irmita tries to talk sense to Luigi, but Lui doesn’t want to hear the truth.

6. Fernando wants to cancel his trip since he now knows Aldo loves Lety. Omar convinces him that won’t work (Omar’s been getting smarter lately), but Fern puts on a pitiful face to make Omar promise to keep Aldo and Lety apart while he’s gone.


7. Aldo apologizes for putting Lety in that position, but he needed to tell her (an apology with a “but” is never an apology, it’s an excuse). Lety wishes she could return his love but she can’t. He’s sure one day she will. She says she gets strength from him. From today on, he’s going to put all his strength into winning her. She tries to say something about that but he won’t let her. Is that a preview of his methods?

8. Aldo and Tom rehash. Aldo asks what Fernando has that drives women crazy. (How much time ya’ got, Aldo?) Tom briefs Aldo on Ali’s fantasy engagement. Aldo tries to talk to Ali, but she knows what’s coming so she won’t let him burst her bubble.

---

Capitulo 224.
Read Chapel Hill Fiddler’s original recap, then come back here to discuss it.

1. Lety tells Tom that Ariel insisted on a restaurant because he wants to have the upper hand. By refusing the ride with the chauffer, she returns the first volley. Paula asks Ariel’s chauffer for the address of the restaurant, and Fernando intercepts the it before giving it to Paula.

2. Fern and Omar fight for the comfy chair. Fern is sure Ariel asked Lety out to seduce her. But why would she go, after all he’s done to her? Omar says now Lety has three suitors.

3. Ariel tries to impress and charm Lety, but she cuts straight to business. He asks for an advance. She flatly refuses because of the financial crisis. He tries mind games but she doesn’t budge. Meanwhile Fern, in hiding, throws grapes at him. Lety leaves.



4. Aldo tells his dad that he’s the right one for Lety because he gives a better quality love. Fern only wants to please himself, not her. He says (I think I heard this right), “ If he were to genuinely love her, she would be obligated to forgive him, and she hasn’t. My love is so great, if I knew Fern would make her happy I would step aside immediately.”

5. Fern catches Lety leaving. He warns her Ariel just wants to use her. Lety mocks the irony, an executive who wants to seduce her to save his business, and Fern is telling her because she’s so gullible. See the transcript. He says, “No one can love you like I do. I can't get you out of my heart.” He begs her to go away with him. “Why can’t you see that you were born for me? And I for you?”

6. Lety hopes that when he returns, he’ll stop using people. Fern answers, “When I get back, I will find a way to show you how MUCH I love you.”

Spanish Lesson. Outside Bon Terra.

Note, I started with Melinama’s recap and added to make it a nearly precise transcript. Certain parts will be identical because hers provided the skeleton of mine.

L: Are you afraid we're planning against you?
F: No, Lety. The truth is, I can't stand to see you with another man, not Ariel, not Aldo. Understand me, please.
L: We won't talk about Aldo, but why not sit with Ariel and exchange experiences?
F: That idiot's going to hear about it from me for making fun of you!
L: Don't complicate things for us more than they are already.
F: Since we’re being honest, can I tell you the difference between that executive and this one? That one would never fall in love with you.
L: Be quiet!
F: No, you have to listen to me. Don’t you understand that no man could ever, ever fall in love with you as much as I have.
L: Don Fernando, go home. Stay away from me. I’m begging you. I’ve asked you a thousand times. All you’ll do is make more problems.
Screen 38:55. F: More problems, Lety? I am in the middle of a very serious problem. Do you know what it is? I can’t get you out of my heart. I can't forget the incredible times we had together. Do you remember the weekend we escaped to Cuernavaca? (He’s breaking through.) Our night together? Lety, we can rebuild everything that’s broken. XG at our feet. Against/contrary to ourselves.
L: Yes, against ourselves.
(He starts to move to kiss her and she doesn’t resist, but then he gets an idea and pushes his luck.)
F: Let's go. Right now. You have no idea how much I need your kisses. I need the touch of your skin to live again. You and me. Together, far from here. To start anew. Like the first time. revive me, let's begin again. (He leans in to kiss her. She pulls away.)
L: No. Something’s wrong here.
F: What? You and I can get back together. We can forget about Marcia. There’s nothing to get in our way. I need you because you are mine. I’ll make it so you can forget all the pain in the world, and Aldo too. Can't you see? Why is it so hard to see that you were born for me? And I for you?
L: Do you suspect Aldo of fraud against Conceptos or something like that?
F: Of course not, Lety. Why do you say that?
L: That’s what it is. You’re afraid of Aldo like you were once afraid of Tom.
F: No, of course not. But I’m concerned because I don’t know his intentions.
L: Of course. I’m an idiot. Sr Fernando, I wanted to believe you’re sincere. But you’re still playing your old game. You want to seduce me to save your company.
F: No. That’s not true. I’m just asking for a chance. For us to be together today. Only today. To show/demonstrate to you..
L: No. Forget it, Sr Fernando. Go away. Leave me alone.
F: Fine. I will leave you alone. If that’s what you really want. Starting right now, we won’t see each other for a long time. I’ll be traveling, working.
L: I hope when you return you'll have reconsidered. If only you would mature and stop using people for your personal gain.
F: When I get back, I will find a way to show you how MUCH I love you.

Various significant sentences
These are spread over several interchanges between Aldo and his father, Fausto.

Fausto: The fight with Fernando. Did it accomplish what you wanted? Aldo: Yes...
Aldo: Fernando fell into his own trap. He ended up falling in love with Leticia.
Aldo: Fernando’s fortaleza (fortitude, strength of spirit) depends entirely on Lety’s love for him. His love for her is selfish. He only loves her to make himself happy. He never thinks about what is good for her, what will make her happy. Fausto: And you do XG??
37:50. Aldo: (I think) If he were to genuinely love her, she would be obligated to forgive him, and she hasn’t.
Fausto: When one is aware of his weaknesses, it’s easier to manage them and control them.
Aldo: (Loosely) Fernando is a mess and his love is a mess. Fausto: Yes, but Lety still loves him, doesn’t she?
Aldo: My love is so great, if I knew Fern would make her happy, I swear I would step aside immediately.
Aldo: After the way he deceived her, now the more sincere he gets when he’s with her, the more of a liar he will appear in her eyes.
Fausto: (as if remembering his past) Yes, that’s the price one pays when he deceives the one he loves.

Labels: fea-2010

Labels: eva

Friday: the real Lirio easily fights off all three baddies, and the police, none of whose helmets fit right (they look left, the helmet keeps looking forward – too funny!) are swarming. Gretel finds the briefcase with the cash, but the Lirio politely takes it from her.

******

Outside their house, Muñeca is playing with the kids, and Lorenzo comes running up, grabs both of them and shouts to her to say he’s not home, he’s at work. Brandon comes running up just after, and tells her that the Lirio struck again.

Mau tells Garduño that they ought to go back to the house and look for the hidden money. Dandy figures that the Lirio wouldn’t have left without it. Mau takes this opportunity to diss on Lorenzo – if he’s Garduño’s big deal new right-hand man, then why isn’t he there with them now? Garduño, who must be enjoying being the prettiest girl at the dance, tells Mau he better zip it, or he’s going to be below number two, or four, in fact he’s going to be belowground, got it?

There’s a mighty knocking on the door, and the three don’t seem concerned. Dandy goes to answer and it’s Oliver, alone, but threatening. He calls them Mafiosi and tells them that the police have their eye on them, and they’re all going to end up in jail. All three burst out laughing at him.

At Netty’s the judge is still holding a gun to MariVicky’s throat, while Netty hysterically begs her to just hand over the papers. MV says never, and she’s going to see to it that all the people who abused and defrauded Marianela end up in jail.

Ooooh, says the judge sarcastically, my knees are shaking. You can’t do anything to me, but I can do a lot like you, like send you to the cemetery. I wonder if I will…

When baddies in these shows take their time indulging in verbal flourishes, we know they’re going to be foiled, so it’s no surprise to see the Lirio coming in through Netty’s door. The judge turns and points the gun at him, but of course doesn’t shoot, giving the ladies time to give him a hefty shove from behind. His gun flies into the Lirio’s hand, and now he’s the one at gunpoint.

Brandon tells Muñeca that the Lirio just stole money from the mafiosi and now he’s for sure going to come give it to her for the orphans. Muñeca assures him he won’t, because he knows the house is being watched. Brandon knows the Lirio won’t rest until that hospital is built for the poor little kiddies, and Muñeca sighs dreamily that he’s a man who finishes what he set out to do. Brandon asks her if maybe the Lirio might come by the orphanage to give her the money. Does anybody else thing this is a flamingly stupid question for a policeman to ask?

Muñeca gets it that he wants them to go there now, so she says she’ll go get her purse, and she lies that Lorenzo left for work a few minutes before.

She goes in, and here comes Ilitia up storming up the walkway, furious at Brandon for telling her mother about them.

Lorenzo is lying on the bed, still dressed as the Lirio. Muñeca demands to know why he’s in that garb and, patting the bed, he tells her it’s just for her, so they wouldn’t keep fighting. Did you steal that money? she fires at him. I did, he says, they found me out. I’m the Lirio! No you’re not, she says, slapping him. You don’t deserve that exalted title. You’re just some little worm dressed up like him to get back the money you stole from the agency.

Meantime the real Lirio is handing out justice, telling the judge in stentorian tones to leave and to never bother these people again. Okay, sure, says the judge, but (he tells MV) you’re going to give me those papers whether you want to or not. Eugenio gives him a shove with his delicate, sugary fingers, and out he goes.

Eugenio is star-struck and asks for the Lirio’s autograph, setting off Netty, who tells him not to be so familiar. MV and Netty fill the Lirio in on the backstory about the judge being bought off by Fedra so she could get Mari’s house and now he wants back the papers that could put Fedra in jail.

Ilitia thinks Brandon is jealous and is trying to wreck her marriage. Brandon points out that he didn’t tell her husband, and besides, she can do whatever she wants with her life because as he’s said before, he’s not interested in somebody like her.

Of course not, says Ilitia. I’m “nice”, classy. C’mon, says Brandon, I know Muñeca isn’t your mother.

Muñeca tells Low that she’s going to go get Brandon right now, she’s had it with him. Wait, no, I’m the Lirio, says Low, putting on the ski mask, then adding the leather mask over it.

Don’t! says Muñeca, getting a lustful look in her eye. When you look like that I just can’t think straight. Camila! says Low, pushing her down on the bed while she weakly resists, protesting that she’s mad at him. Shut up and kiss me, she says, pulling off his mask.

Brandon must be thinking that it’s a very big purse.

But after the ads, we see he’s not thinking purses at all, he’s telling Ilitia not to try to fake him out, he’s seen her records at the orphanage. So what? says Ilitia, you don’t have my upbringing, you’re just a “social climber.” A what? he says. She translates for him. (trepador, for those who haven’t seen a gazillion telenovelas.)

He tells her she just can’t accept who she is, that she doesn’t have blue blood running in her veins. She tells him to leave and never come back, but he tells her that he came to talk to her mother who by the way is a real lady, something she’ll never be.

Brandon tells her she’s more like her father, no scruples. He pretends to be a businessman, but he’s just a common thief.

Ilitia huffs off, and here comes Flora with a message from Muñeca who said not to wait, they’ll go to the orphanage tomorrow, because one of the children is running a fever, and they’ve gone to bed (leaving out who “they” are.)

The Lirio tries to give MV the briefcase, but doesn’t count on her x-ray vision, because she says she can’t accept stolen money. Eugenio, trying not be too drooly, says the household is in need, but they just can’t accept it. The Lirio says it’s not for them, it’s for the orphanage but he can’t deliver it due to the house being watched, so he’d like MV to do it.

Netty grabs it and says she’ll be glad to deliver it. The Lirio proclaims that he’s always on the side of truth, justice and the Mexican way, and, chucking MV on the cheek, says he’s always on her side. Off he goes to leap astride his pawing white steed.

Netty is beside herself – He’s in love with you!

Eman comes home to a darkened house. Whew! that was close, he tells himself, not seeing his father sitting on the stairs, so he’s startled when Emil greets him. Emil says he was waiting for him, and what’s this? he takes the ski mask from Eman’s hand. Eman says it’s just some costume thingy from work. Emil thinks he’s acting strange, coming in at all hours, showing up late to work or not showing up at all like today.

Trust me, Eman says. I wouldn’t do anything to destroy the trust you have in me. I’m very proud to be your son, which is something I couldn’t say about my mother. Yes, says, Emil, every day she’s getting worse.

Gesturing with the hand that’s holding the ski mask, Emil says he found Fedra drinking, then she went to her room and didn’t want to talk to anybody. Right, says Eman, discreetly trying to snatch the mask with each gesture. Emil finally hands it to him.

We see Muñeca and Low in bed, basking in a post-Lirio glow. He strokes her arm and tells her it was wonderful that she got rid of the policeman and stayed with him. Muñeca tells him yes, but that doesn’t change the fact that he stole from the agency and dressed up pretending to be the Lirio. He tries to insist he’s the real Lirio, but she scoffs while saying she just can’t help herself when he’s dressed up that way.

She wants to know if he’s the one who took the money from the Mafiosi. Yes, he admits, he took it because he has debts. Yikes – did you see that? He has a huge tattoo of a hawk or eagle on his back! Anyway, he says that the real Lirio beat him out which means (he strokes her arm) she’s about to get a big donation.

Muñeca is mad that he’d get messed up with mafiosi – they could have killed him, or the police might have nabbed him. He strokes her some more and says none of that happened, and he likes dressing up the like Lirio because it drives her crazy. She melts a little bit, then tells him he’s nothing like the real Lirio, who takes money to do good for other people, not for himself. Low says the main thing for him is not to let Vicky send him to jail.

Muñeca thinks a few years in jail would be good for him, and he points out that she could end up there too for accepting stolen money. He kisses her hand and tells her they have to think of their children. Muñeca laments that she loves him so much, and she doesn’t know what to do with him, what to do about their marriage.

Wine in hand, gaze unsteady, Fedra is staring at herself in the mirror. Somebody is knocking on her bedroom door and she tells them she said she wants to be alone. It’s me, Eman! he calls out, and she quick dabs her face to look presentable. She walks to the door as steadily as she can and leans against it, saying The son who abandoned me! I’m not important to you! He pounds some more and says he wants to make sure she’s okay.

Ah, my son, she says opening the door. I’ve been dying to hug you. They hug and she plants some kisses on his neck. He asks her why she’s been locked up like this, drinking, and she tells him it’s because of him, because he doesn’t love her.

How can I? he says, when there are so many lies falling like dominoes? The receipts with Eva’s supposed signature have shown up.

I don’t know what you’re talking about, she says, sitting back down in front of the mirror and taking up her wine glass. The receipts, says Eman, that were used to take Mari’s house and inheritance away from her.

Doris unpacking a suitcase and she tells MV that she hopes that once she gets her house back, she’ll give up on this whole revenge thing. Not a chance, says MV, I won’t be happy until Fedra begs me on her knees for forgiveness, until I see her writhing on the floor like the snake she is.

And if she finds out you’re actually Marianela before that happens? MV swears that won’t happen, and didn’t Doris have a plan? Yes, indeedy she did, and she’s been working on it. She pulls a fat suit out of the closet, gratifying all of us who wondered what one looked like, and leaving MV speechless.

Fedra: You’ve come to bug me, haven’t you? You’re very inconsiderate with your mother, aren’t you?
Eman: Don’t start. We were talking about something very important.
F: The important thing here is this pain I’m feeling. When you, who are the most sacred thing I have in this life, mistreat me and judge me the way you’re doing.
E: How I wish I could have a different relationship with you, but you don’t let me, you’ve never let me.
F: Listen to me! You are completely different from your brother and sisters, and yet you have kicked me to the curb.
E: I adored you. And you – what did you do?
F: (shrugs)
E: And why do you insist on making me believe I’m different from my brother and sisters?
F: Because you’re the same as your father.
E: That’s what you said last night. Who are you talking about, Emiliano? Or Jose Maria Sevilla?

MV and Doris are laughing, horsing around with pieces of the fat suit, and pretty soon we see our old gordita, with Doris putting the last makeup touches on her. MV can’t wait to see herself in the mirror. Doris puts her glasses on her and MV runs to the mirror where she suddenly looks serious when she sees herself.

Fedra is pouring the hard stuff now. Eman takes the glass from her, and begs her to stop drinking and tell him what it is that makes him different from his siblings. His origin?

F: I’m your mother and I know why. Because you’re the only one who has fire in your veins, because you’re brave, because you’re not afraid of anything, you don’t tremble in front of anybody, not even your mother.
E: Because I’m like my father.
F: Yes, my love! Because you have his eyes, his gaze, his character, his courage.
E: The same as Jose Maria Sevilla..
F: I can’t believe after all these years you stubbornly go back to thinking that Chema had something to do with our lives, when you know perfectly well that he killed my parents. I’m talking about Emiliano!

She toasts Emiliano. Emil says he can’t figure out what to do with her, that she’s lied to everybody, to him. It just kills him not being able to believe in her, he feels like his whole life he’s been lied to.

F: If I’ve hurt you I’m sorry.
E: I’m not the one who needs to forgive you. You need to forgive yourself for all the damage you’ve done to your children, and to my papa. You believe that it doesn’t hurt me to know what you’re capable of?
F: You’re condemning me again.
E: No, no NO! I’m begging you to give up this hate, to stop destroying your family.
F: I’m not going to let you say anything more. I won’t let you talk to me as if I was the lowest trash in the world. I’m your mother! Get out, traitor!

If you missed the episode, or I should say this scene, you missed an awesome performance. I had to rewind a lot to get the dialog down, and it was a treat to watch over and over.

Back to our story…

Mari looks in the mirror and says it’s who she used to be, the weak girl who had to flee. Doris tells her she’s not allowed to be sad, she just has to finish her mission. Mari thanks her and says it’s so odd to have a big stomach, and arms like Popeye. Doris says it’s just a practice try-on and the second time it’ll be exactly right. Mari says she doesn’t have a lot of time, and Doris says it takes some work, but she’ll end up looking just like she did before.

Jorge knocks and Mari hides, excited. She bounces out and Jorge is amazed.

In Max’s basement, Emil is telling him that his children are everything to him, and that’s why he stays, to protect them. Max thinks the best way is to throw Fedra out. Emil says that’s what he plans to do at the right moment, but right now he’s waiting for the investigator to get more information on her past. Max is sure that the Curiels who died in the shipwreck were not Fedra’s parents – they’ve seen the report that the Curiels didn’t have any children. Emil says to protect his children, he needs to know who Fedra really is, who he really married.

Max reminds him that he married someone he found wandering on a beach and he’s just now asking who she really is. Emil knows he’s right. Max tells him to leave this woman who’s sucking all the life out of him. Emil says he will when he has the proof of her deception in his hands. It’s all quite difficult for him. She’s their mother! Max tells him he’s sacrificing himself for children that might not even be his.

This is the sort of bald statement that might make a fellow impactado, and indeed that’s what Emil is.

This time it’s Eman sitting on the stairs in the semi-darkness, looking at a photo of his mother and him, and he’s thoughtbubbling out loud that if she was capable of locking up Gretel and traumatizing Axel when he was young, for sure she was capable of lying to him. JM Sevilla – Eman is sure he means something more in her life, in his own life.

Emil hits the roof – how dare Max suggest the kids aren’t his! Max tells him to get real – he knows that Fedra is capable of any sort of low stuff. No way, nothing like that, rants Emil. The children are mine! Max tells him he’s a good-hearted man.. Emil cuts him off and tells him not one more word, don’t turn his life into a nightmare.

Mari is excitedly telling Jorge that this is the way she used to be, and she even entered a beauty contest. Obviously taken aback by her appearance, he says she never told him about that, and when he met her she was already slim, not a ball like that. She asks he’d met her when she looked like that, would he still have been interested? He stutters no, it’s not that, it’s just that as ad people, appearance, you know…

She reminds him that interior beauty is what matters, and would he have fallen in love with her looking like that? Of course! he declares, but she tells him not to lie, and it’s okay, she’s not judging him. Jorge protests more sincerely that it’s a person’s values, their actions, etc., that count in love. He seems to be having trouble actually looking at her, his eyes darting this way and that. She asks if the physical aspect doesn’t count. Sure, it does, he says, don’t they say that love comes from sight? (What about winged cupid being painted blind? Is that just in English?) That’s why you have such a pretty, unforgettable face! Doh, the “pretty face” line! Loser. He quick changes the subject.

Jorge has brought wedding rings for them to wear and they yuck it up, but then he does a secret “whew.”

Eeewww, Bernardo and Nereida are in bed, he kissing on her, she more interested in getting to be the head housekeeper again. He says she lost it for being too ambitious, so get over it. She huffs that if he isn’t going to help her, she’ll just help herself. She knows a big family secret – she heard Fedra says Eman isn’t Emil’s son. Bernardo stops his kissing and stares.

Doris tells Netty and Gladiola to sit still on the couch, she has a big surprise. Jorge comes down the stairs, then it’s Marianela in her Gordita outfit. Netty and Gladiola are ecstatic and throw their arms around her. Just then Brandon, Oliver, and Mano arrive home. Oliver is thrilled to see Mari, Brandon looks confused and Mano smiles ear to ear.

Nereida is getting dressed, and tells Bernardo she’s worked like a donkey at the house for years and of none the money the Ryd Teresas have never has flowed her way, so she’s going to make it happen. Bernardo tells her not to even think she can threaten him or Fedra with her information, and of course she could end up dead. Nereida says the amount she’s thinking of is worth the risk. Just think how Emiliano would react if he knew Eman wasn’t his son!

Never gonna happen, says Bernardo. You might as well buy your cemetery plot now, because if Fedra hears what you’re saying, you won’t last two hours. I know, because I do the dirty work. Nereida smiles that he’s not capable of something like that, and he grabs her by the throat, scaring her.

Doris, Netty and Gladiola confer while Oliver hugs Mari. Netty thinks the disguise has just passed the test, the guys think it’s real, but Gladiola says look at how Brandon looks doubtful. Netty asks him if he doesn’t want to hug Mari, who’s here with her husband Jorge? Sure, he says, he saw the photo and even had it analyzed. Oliver wonders why, and Brandon tells him to ask Mari. He hasn’t heard back, but he just won’t let his Netty be tricked any more.

It’s one thing to try to protect Netty, it’s another to pretend you’ve just come back when you’ve been with us for months. Oliver is bewildered. And Brandon is even more bewildered that nobody else seems surprised. Mari says she had an idea he suspected when he helped her with the papers in prison.

Netty says she already knew, in fact everybody knew. Brandon explains to Oliver that Vicky and Mari are one in the same. Mari takes off her glasses and removes the stuck-on bangs and Oliver is agape.

Same Pillow, Different Dreams Part I: Lorenzo and Muñeca are lying in awake in bed, thoughtbubbling. He thoughtbubbles that he could have spent the night with Kristel and instead he was stuck here with Muñeca. He’s sick of it. Muñeca thoughtbubbles that the fortune teller said some young woman was going to steal him away – who could it be? Is the thinking of her while they make love? She shouldn’t believe the fortune teller.

She asks him what he’s thinking about and he says You.

Same Pillow, Different Dreams Part II: Ilitia is lying on the bed in a cute little nightie when Eman comes in. She notes that he stays out late, comes home and dinks around and finally comes to greet his wife who is waiting for him, all sexy. He says he just wanted to get some clothes from the room.

She tells him his place is there (pointing at the bed). He asks if she’s forgotten that he asked for a divorce and she asks if he’s forgotten that she said no. She tells him to come on to bed. He says he just can’t deceive her. She says she won’t be jealous, that thing with Vicky – forgotten! Not for me, sez he. He’s going to go stay in Mari’s room.

He leaves, and Ilitia thoughtbubbles that she’s always kinda creeped out when he says he’s going to sleep in Mari’s room

Avances: Kristel’s getting married tomorrow, says Mari. Netty again urges Jorge to tell Eman the truth and it looks like he’s going to.

Labels: llena