Caray, Caray!

Daniel hangs up on Albieri without saying anything more.


Albieri is all happy that his son has found him. The next day he pretends to be sick so that he can stay at home and wait for Daniel to call him again. [I guess he doesn't know about Google Voice where he can have calls on his home phone transferred to another number like his cell phone that he carries with him.]

Luisa brings Alicia to the office and she asks to help out.

Luisa calls Albieri and he can't get her off the phone soon enough. [I guess he doesn't know about call waiting where he would know if Daniel called while he was talking to Luisa and he could just disconnect her call.] Then Albieri thinks about how awkward it will be if the clone just shows up in front of everyone. What justification will he give for cloning Lucas? [You've had 20 years to think about that Frankenalbi - no ideas yet?]

Leo tells his new squeeze, Sofia, about his old girlfriend, Cristina. When Sofia asks if his ex was in the business world, Leo says that she is in charge of a very important entertainment project. For her part, Sonia has been too busy, busy, busy with business to have a relationship. But she's made time to see Leo. What better proof of devotion could you get? Leo proposes and Sofia accepts by saying that marrying Leo would be a very good deal (negocio). If Leo tried he couldn't have found anyone less like Cristina and that's the point, of course.


Leo announces the news to Lucas, Roberto and Enrique. They're surprised but they congratulate him. Lucas has a flashback to declaring eternal love for Jade.

Jade's at the ruins (of course) where Jadiya finds her. She tells Jadiya that she was happy there a long time ago.

Abdul is chewing out Nariza for her behavior in front of Ali. She goes through her usual diatribe about being badly used by her brothers, their wives and their children. Abdul says that Nariza can forget about being Ali's 4th wife. '¡No puede ser!' wails Nariza in the best novela tradition. She begs to be given another chance.

Ali tells Jade about his escape. He says that Nariza's temper was revealed. ('La sangre caliente de lala Nazira se hizo sentir,' literally, 'the hot blood of lala Nazria made itself felt.') Said comes in and wants to speak with Ali alone.

Ali asks Said why he is putting his happiness to the test. Said asks if Ali thinks that Jade still has feelings for the Westerner. Ali replies that intense feelings like that are never forgotten. He advises Said to leave the past alone. He says Said wants revenge for what happened years ago but that was when they were young and acted on impulse. Said acknowledges that Ali might be right but he needs to put Jade to the test. His marriage won't be perfect until he is sure that Jade isn't with him out of obligation. Ali warns him not to put ideas in Jade's head for fear of what might wake up inside her.

If we didn't have enough reason to know that Leo's plan to marry Sofia is a big mistake, we are sure of it when Marisa thinks it is a great idea.

Rosa is dubious about Leo bringing Sofia to live with them. She wants Leo to keep Sofia out of her kitchen. Already, Sofia has sent Rosa cookbooks with trendy organic and 'hydroponic' foods - nothing but a big plate of seeds (nada como un buen plato de granos'), she says in disgust. Leo tells her that he and Sofia are getting married in a month. We see Cristina arriving at the airport.


The clone calls again and says that he needs Albieri very much. When Albieri offers to go get him, he says, not yet and hangs up yet again.

Cristina returns home to much squealing and admiration from her friends.

Leo and Sofia have an engagement party but Sofia tells Leo that she will be too busy to go on a honeymoon.

Andrea advises Natalia to give up studying and get rid of her virginity problem. Natalia says that she will study or have a boyfriend. Guess which one Andrea recommends?

Rosa wonders why Albieri hasn't come to the party. He's waiting for the clone to call and won't leave the house.

Alicia is some kind of weirdo stalking Leo.


Lucia isn't given to subtlety and she can't understand why Marisa hasn't confronted Lucas about his illicit affair. Marisa tells Lucia that someday she will tell her about her plan of vengeance against Lucas.

Rosa tells Lucas that she doesn't like Leo's intended. She sticks her nose into everything, she always uses hifalut'n language (un lenguaje rebuscado) and Marisa is crazy about her. 'Entre brujas se entienden,' says Lucas drily, 'Witches understand each other.'

Said's family takes leave of Ali for the States. But Nariza isn't going. She has to clean up Said's house or something. Evidently Abdul has decided to give Nariza another change to snag Ali. He asks Ali to let Nariza stay in Ali's house in a way that Ali cannot refuse.

At their romantic dinner, Sofia tells Leo that eating salmon prevents Parkinson's disease. "How interesting," says Leo. Evidently, they are eating in TORIM because in sashays Cristina. Leo sees her right away, pretends to have eaten a bad caper and heads for the door with Sofia in tow. But the waiter says Leo's name and Cristina goes after him. Sofia decides this is the moment to stop and tell Leo where she wants to get married [probably not the Vizcaya Palace - maybe a Kinko's or something equally romantic]. This allows Cristina to find out that Leo is getting married. She puts on her usual scene.


Said and family arrive in Miami. Jadiya is shocked at the flesh on display.

Sofia asks who that vulgar woman was and assumes that it couldn't have been Leo's girlfriend. Leo tells her that Cristina's is Enrique's ex girlfriend.

Cristina swears that she won't let Leo get married.

Enrique asks Carolina out to a concert and dinner.

Leo abandons Sofia in the lobby of his office so that he can brief Enrique about his new role as Cristina's ex. Just in time. Sofia barges in, tells Enrique that intellectual men are always attracted to vulgar women. She will lend him an magazine article about it.


In the hotel, Jadiya is already being seduced by the evil ways of Westerners. She's watching the Telemundo novela, Zorro. Said tells Jade that he hasn't told the investors about their arrival. He wants to scope things out first. Jade looks out at the beach and remembers her last meeting with Lucas there.

Mohamed and Latifa put their plan to spend more quality time with their children into action. They go to a place where their Muslim dress will be as conspicuous as possible - a pool.


But the point of this scene is for Latifa to see Lucas (I thought it was the clone at first but no) with a babe in a bikini. This must be the only public pool in Miami (TOPPIM). Latifa is shocked, shocked.

Back in Morocco, Nariza goes on a shopping spree.


Zoraida tells Ali that Nariza has arrived with enough luggage to stay a month. Ali tells Zoraida that she has to help him avoid another trap (emboscada) set by Nariza. Nariza's stay at Ali's house has tongues in the medina wagging and Zoraida tells Ali that she will counter with a disinformation campaign.

Nariza gets all gussied up even challenging Cristina for most makeup. She arrays herself seductively on the couch and when Ali comes into the sala, she asks him to sit down by her. Ali asks what she is playing at and retreats. In the kitchen, he tells Zoraida that she has to stop cooking and be his shadow so that he is never alone with Nariza. Zoraida says that Karima must join them too so that she can tell everyone in the medina that Ali was never alone with Nariza. Ali is impressed with her cunning. In vain does Nariza try to get rid of Ali's escort.


Said and family arrive at Mohamed's house. Everyone clears out leaving Latifa alone with Jade. Jade asks if she has heard anything about Lucas. Latifa tells her about what she saw at the pool. Jade looks for excuses for Lucas' behavior - maybe he got divorced. Latifa pours cold water on that. She says that Lucas has changed a lot. He isn't the same happy go-lucky guy as before. He is a bitter man. For Latifa, this is the proof of what Ali said, Westerners change. Jade says that she can't imagine a different Lucas and flashes back to young, carefree Lucas.

Roberto says that in the last 10 years, Lucas has changed into a bitter man. [who wouldn't, living with Marisa?] Roberto says that Lucas is still vindicating his nature though (ya te estás reivindicando con el género) pointing out what one assumes is a lipstick stain on his collar. He suggests that Lucas get rid of it or Marisa will kill him.

Jade tells Latifa that time changes people but she is sure that deep inside she and Lucas are the same.

The clone calls Albieri's house again but Luisa answers. She hears Lucas' voice and assumes that he dialed their house by mistake.


Dora and Assvaldo dance at the club.

At the lab, Alicia finds Albieri's office empty. She starts rummaging through his stuff and finds a picture of the dead fiance and assumes that Albieri is cheating on Luisa. Then she finds a journal entitled, 'My Cloning Diary'.

The credits roll.

Labels: clon

Read more »

Labels: index

Hey,

I know it's odd to put this here, but there was a big donation left for my son by the "Caray Caray Team" on his personal donations for Ezra's run for life page and I don't know how else to thank you! so, THANKS!

FYI, my son was a week or so past his 13th birthday when he was diagnosed with a brain cancer which had had, not many years earlier, a survival rate of 0% - so he, almost 11 years later and about to graduate from college, is acutely aware of the benefits of cancer research! Now, weeks from (we hope, knock on wood) graduation, he finally decided to 'come out' with his friends as a cancer survivor. He wrote

I've got some big news today, something that I've never shared online before.

It all started years ago, when conclusive and stunningly expensive neural imaging exams discovered a tumor riding on my cerebellum (according to an oncologist, as overheard while pretending to sleep: "medulloblastoma... it's a tricky sucker"). Treatment and removal was, predictably, a pretty poor year on the Ezra calendar, but that's not what I'm talking about today. Soon after diagnosis and surgery, some of my Dad's athlete buddies joined an ultra-marathon out west in my honor, under the name "Team Ezra." I hadn't thought about it for years, but now Team Ezra is back, and it's me running this time in a 16-hour Relay for Life fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Here's why:

I've always been reluctant to accept the "war on cancer" metaphor. I just sort of decided that my hell was over and I didn't want to think about it anymore. But the thing is, as I realized in my course last semester ("metaphors and illness") that there really is no such thing as a survivor. Your "success" is measured in terms of *probability of remission*. If your scans are clear one year out, the gauge of your "survival" is based on the percentage of "survivors" who've suffered a remission more than one year out. So your risk of getting sent back into the "war," for another tour of duty, dwindles year after year, approaching zero, but who's to say you won't be the statistical outlier?

So I guess I had those thoughts in my head and the idea that maybe setting cancer within the warlike metaphor is more appropriate than I'd thought. I'd never participated in any kind of fundraising and outreach, keeping my story mostly private, but this year, when I saw the posters for the Relay for Life, I wanted to "go public" with my experience more than ever before.

Labels: announcements

Capítulo 46

[CS2009 fans- It looks as if CS has been added to the 12 midnight/11 PM Central time slot beginning next Monday. Set your dvr’s. –ed.]

First, the redux deluxe in brief: In the bedroom, Aimee is lost in thought and tearfully worrying if she’ll be able to resist her irrisistable Juan once she finds herself alone with him now that he’s agreed to become the new administrator at Finca del Mar. Renato walks in on her and tells her they’re having dinner out because it’s their last night before returning to the finca. He explains that he needs to return because there was an epidemic among the workers, though, thanks to Dr. Pablo and Regina, it was contained. Aimee allows the adoring Renato to hug her and resigns herself to eventually having to meet up with Juan and face him as back at the hilltop casota, Juan informs Gabriel that he is going to work at the Finca del Mar for Renato Vidal because….deep down he needs to know why Aimee made a cuckolded fool of him. He’s told Noel and Renato that he no longer works for Aldama. Gabe will now be “Aldama’s” official representative. Gabe warns him that it’s like walking into the lion’s den [boca del lobo = literally the mouth of the wolf] to work there. Juan explains–almost as if trying to convince himself as well as young Gabe-- that one has to be close to his enemies, aka, Rodrigo Montes de Oca and Leonarda Vidal, to know what they’re planning and thinking.

Back at said finca, PE (personal enemy) #2, Leonarda, ventures into the bowels of the basement to dig out her stash of Maria del Rosario’s old jewelry to find something else to give Arcadio to buy his continued silence with. She takes the necklace Rodrigo once gave to MdR and gritches over it. As she passes by MdR’s cell, MdR begs her to have pity on her and tell her something about her son. Leona takes the opportunity to again mentally torture her half-insane sister by telling her how he’d been abandoned as a newborn in the jungle. She taunts her a bit more by saying that apparently he survived because one day Noel brought him to claim his rightful place in the family “--As if the bastard had any right!” This sets off Rosie, (Viewerville instinctively goes for the mute button.) “Of course he had a right because he is my son! My s-s-o-n -n-n!”

Juan instructs Gabe to buy Devil’s Rock and all the surrounding land under the name of Juan Aldama de la Cruz. He’s decided to build a large mansion, he explains, in memory of his father who lived and died on that land loving his mother. Juan will live there in his suffering from his betrayal, and because it’s the place where he was transformed into Juan del Diablo.

Leona continues her tormenting tale about Rosie’s long lost son: “When I ran him off he left and we never heard from him again. I suppose he could be alive, but most assuredly by now he’s dead.” Rosie cries out in anguish and refuses to believe he’s dead. Leona purposely provokes her again by saying she pities poor Rosie because now Rosie’s got nothing where, on the other hand, Leona has a son who loves her and lives with her. She also has Rodrigo (What a peach!) who is close to falling in love with her. And why? Because Leona is determined that he will be hers and only hers. Leona laughs evilly. She asks Rosie if she realizes who in the end has won, and then walks off leaving MdR wailing yet again in her misery. (Thank gawd for a mute button! Even with the mute on, we all know what Rosie’s screaming.) “Mi hijo!!! My son! My so-o-o-n-n-n! He has to be alive! Al-i-i-i-ive” FF>>

Upstairs in the kitchen Clemencia thinks Regina, smiling sugary-sweet and forever looking like Glenda, Good Witch of the North in those cotton-candy gowns of hers, has lost her mind for formally accepting Federico as a suitor. Regi says she had no choice because continuing to deny and defy Feddie only gets her more grief from Papa. Clem says she deserves better. (Viewerville tends to agree, but who pray tell? Who should it be?) Regi, with stars in her eyes, says there’s nobody better than Renato! Unfortunately, she adds, he’s somebody else’s now and she’s got to begin to accept her fate. FF>>

Gabe is back meeting up with Jimena again and trying to explain that he can’t love a gypsy because they’d be so different from him, and anyway, he only loves Estrella. Mena changes the subject and gives him one of her bracelets to thank him for giving her the mantilla which allowed her to enter the church. The dunderhead tells her he’ll keep it as an amulet in hopes that Estrella will return to him. (Just what the girl wants to hear –not!) He abruptly changes the subject and asks if she heard about the kidnapped little girl. Mena explains that she was the one who returned her and that it was Servando and her aunt who had taken her. Gabe wants to turn them in immediately, but she begs him to keep it just between the two of them. Otherwise she’ll lose the only other family she has, she pleads. If it happens again Mena swears she’ll turn them in herself. Gabe eventually agrees to keep mum.

Back in their cell, Mirta has brought Rosie some thread to embroider with apparently. Rosie has embroidered (you guessed it) “Juan de Dios” on an old rag of rag-baby’s. She remembers our Juan talking to her during her delirium and in her crazy way thinks it was JD Sr. and that somehow, some way, he’d said he’d come back for her. Rosie rambles on again that they’ll be together for eternity. She then tells Mirta that sometimes she can remember things. She remembers when her baby was born that Leonarda told her he was dead, but then right after she heard her say that he was alive. Now she’s telling her he’s dead again, but she doesn’t believe Leonarda. She thinks he’s alive and will soon come for her. FF>>

Back at the hilltop casota, Gabe hands Juan a cablegram which confirms that it’s unavoidable that the price of wood will fall. Juan is muy pleased to think that now nothing will be able to save Rodrigo Montes de Oca from financial ruin. Gabe and he agree that there would be no better punishment for the likes of Rod MdO than absolute poverty. “He will soon suffer the same fate he caused others to suffer.” Gabe is down with that.

Rodrigo, meanwhile, is getting a shoulder rub from his lovelorn Leona. She wants Dr. Pablo to have a look at him. He rejects the idea and says it’s not that serious. He’s just upset because of the sh!t fits [hacerle pasar corajes] Regina gives him. Leona tells him she only mentions it because she couldn’t stand for anything to happen to him. Rod the Rammer takes her hands in his and asks if she truly loves him that much. She pulls away from him, reminding him that she would never discuss that subject with him again. Rod says Noel wouldn’t appreciate her giving him this much attention. She sneers that she could care less what Noel thinks. In fact, the only thing Noel was good for was giving her a son.

Speaking of Nerdly Noel, he’s at the office paying Raul for the shares of the wood business that Raul sold off to Rod. Noel says Rod is now the sole owner of that enterprise. He only hopes that Rod isn’t sorry for not selling his shares when he told him to. Raul doesn’t fault Rod –an excellent businessman-- for believing in the wood enterprise, but adds he was told by somebody who knows even more about business dealings than Rod to sell out. Noel wants to know who that person might be. Raul realizes he’s just run off at the mouth and clams up. He hurriedly tells Noel that he’d prefer not to say, for safety’s sake, and then leaves in a rush.

Juan shows up at the gypsy camp asking (but at knife-point?) to speak alone with Jimena. When they’re alone Juan asks her how long she plans to keep up the ruse about the supposedly dying “Estrella” with Gabe. He cautions her against continuing to lie to somebody she loves. “It’s the same as double-crossing him!” Mena says she just hasn’t found a way yet to make Gabe forget about Estrella. The only reason she dreamed up the illness, she explains, was because at the time Gabe told her he was leaving there for good and she didn’t want him to suffer. When they decided to return everything backfired [voltearse contra] on her. Juan says Gabe will be furious with her if he finds out. She admits she truly loves him and simply doesn’t know what to do about it now. Gabe is such a dream come true for her. Juan understands, but insists she has to tell him the truth. He urges her to use the goodness of her heart and her love for Gabe as her weapon. That way she cannot fail to win him over. Mena insists Gabe will never fall in love with a gypsy girl. Juan believes that she can win him over if she is just herself with him.

Meanwhile, Gabe presents himself at Noel’s office as Juan Aldama’s new representative. When Noel asks about Juan San Roman, Gabe says he was fired. Noel says it doesn’t especially make him happy to hear the news, but he can’t say that the guy didn’t ask for it. Gabe then tells Noel that Aldama wants to buy Devil’s Rock and the surrounding land. Noel wonders what he wants with that God-forsaken place. Gabe says he hasn’t any idea. He is only following orders and doesn’t question.

Regina comes in to see how Papa Rod’s doing. He gripes that if she truly cared she wouldn’t be so rebellious, and then he complains to her that she doesn’t appreciate his efforts in getting her a decent husband. She tells him she finally has agreed to give Feddie a chance for the two of them to get to know each other better. Rod’s attitude changes for the better.
Across town, Fulgencio tells Feddie that he made a mighty nice profit from selling the guns up north as Feddie suggested and then hands Feddie his share of the loot. They figure there’ll be more where that came from, too.

Rosenda of the ever-bulging boobage brings Rod (a definite boob-man with a budding bulge of his own) dinner in his room. He wants her to feed him, he says. (Sort of gives the old saw “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” a nifty, gut-wrenching new twist.) She serves him a few sensual mouthfuls. (Needless to say, my supper turned a few somersaults in my gut just watching those two.) She tells him that she made the broth herself and this excites him even more.

Regi pays a visit to Leonarda and gets a lecture about obeying the Ten Commandments--in particular, the tricky one about honoring thy father and thy mother--for her trouble.

Rod and Rosenda make moves on each other. Clemencia walks by and happens to see them close to kissing through the French doors. She suspects she’ll need to warn Rosenda about the what-comes-next.

Rosenda’s mama, Marlene/Magda, meanwhile, has put together a basketful of presents and ordered Phillipe to deliver them to Rosenda. He tells her she shouldn’t expect to buy her daughter’s love with gifts. Marlene, though, thinks if she showers her daughter with nice goodies she can keep her from coveting [ambicionar] what others have. (Nice try, but about 10 years too late and totally off the wall.) She ignores his advice and sends Frenchy on his way.

As soon as Rosenda returns with the empty tray to the kitchen, Clemencia tells her she saw her a bit too close for comfort with Don Ram-Rod in his room a bit ago. Rosenda is caught-redhanded impactada.

The newlyweds return to the finca. Leonarda greets Renato and Aimee who have returned from their honeymoon. Ren is happy to be back and makes a big to do over how Aimee loves the country as much as he does. Aimee grits her teeth and pretends to agree.

Back in the kitchen, Rosenda tries to pretend it was all innocent, but Clem says she saw her, so Rosenda cannot deny what was going on in there. Clem says she’s not trying to scold her, only trying to get her to think it through. Don Ram-Rod will entertain himself with her for a bit, but when he’s tired of her he’ll throw her out into the street --if Doña Leonarda doesn’t first. Rosenda gets huffy and pretty much tells Clem to keep her advice to herself. Clemencia ignores her and suggests there are other ways of getting ahead in life, but that the one she’s obviously chosen will only lead to trouble.

Aimee leaves to go upstairs while Ren and Leona continue to chat. Yes, Mama, he’s very happy with Aimee and feels very blessed. (Starry-eyed dolt!)

Juan, meanwhile, is visiting Santos and the gang. He tells them that he’s going to work as the administrator at Finca del Mar in order to find out why Aimee betrayed him. They tell him he must have lost his mind or something and nothing good can come of it. Remigio isn’t buying it either and says Juan only wants to get close to Aimee. He tells them that he’s not trying to get close to her again because he loves her, but because he hates her. (Ok. So it’s supposed to be more believable the thousand and first time he says it or what?) Juan insists that is not the case. Santos warns him that his crazy obsession will be his undoing. Pedro tells him it seems that he is in love with her even though he keeps saying he hates her. Juan still insists he only wants to know the truth about why she lied to him and made a fool of him when she told him she couldn’t live without his kisses….. “Don’t you understand?” Apparently none of them do.

At the same time, the object of Juan’s misplaced desire, Aimee, is pacing in her room. The narrator starts in: “Aimee is distracted, uneasy and unable to control her nerves. She begins to contemplate her next encounter with Juan. Will she be able to retrain her fluster when she sees him? Will he betray her with his look? His words? The impatience in his voice? Thinking about it all becomes a torture for her, a torture that robs her peace of mind.”

Juan tells the guys that in the end he’s going to be close to his enemies and that’s enough for him. Vengeance is his destiny and sooner or later it will come to that. They all know this. He cannot put it off [postergar] any longer. He leaves. Remi says the truth is Juan is only fooling himself. Pedro agrees. “Juan just won’t give up.” In any event, they’ll have to respect his decision, he says. Nobody there is smiling. Juan seems doomed to self-destruction.

Clemencia comes in to Aimee and Renato’s room to greet her. She is ecstatic to have her back and thinks that Aimee must be the happiest woman in the world with a man like Renato at her side. Aimee smiles wanly and then complains that she misses the city and feels like a prisoner there. She begs off for a nap before dinner. Clem agrees that’s best and leaves. Aimee can only look out at the sea and worry about what comes next now that Juan is going to be working there.

Regi greets Ren near the stairs. He thanks her for helping out during the epidemic. He embarrasses her by telling her they now call her the Angel of Paradise and by telling her that that is what she is to him, too, an angel. So he changes the subject and mentions that he’s hired a new man to be the administrator for the finca. The man is energetic and determined and holds the same ideals they do. He’s perfect for the place. She asks who the man is. Ren says he isn’t sure if he tells her whether she’ll be happy or disgusted and so he’ll just let her be surprised next morning.

Juan finds out that there is nobody home at the MdO mansion in Veracruz and takes the opportunity to climb up the trellis and sneak in. (Will somebody wiser than I tell me the purpose of having him climb in FF>> mode?)

Ren surprises Aimee while she’s looking out at the sea again. They get a bit frisky on the bed. Ren then asks her the obvious, why she was looking out the window. He doesn’t seem to believe her when she says she was only trying to breathe in the sea breeze. He says her face had that far away look on it and he suddenly felt jealous. “Jealous?” She giggles nervously. He says yes, and he hopes he never has reason to be. It would be more than he could handle. He just felt that she was busy thinking about something –or someone—else. Aimee lies and tells him nobody else but he could ever be in her thoughts. (Yawn. How much longer will she be able to lie with a straight face? I’m counting the hours, the minutes, the seconds.) She brattishly whines about leaving her alone for too long and asks what kept him. He explains he was chatting with his mother and then with Regi to thank her for helping during the epidemic. (Aimee hides a major eye-roll.) Eventually Ren lets the testosterone kick in and they begin that newlywed kissy-face stuff again……

Back inside the Veracruz mansion, Juan gets his macho-maniacal cave-man thing going. He just has to see the bedroom where the two consummated their marriage and where Aimee eventually betrayed his love. He finds the bedroom and enters. “This is where she promised him eternal love, the same as she did with me!” He curses her and then takes his knife and starts ripping up the bed in a fit of uncontrolled jealousy. He doesn’t stop there. He turns over the furniture and throws it around, breaking whatever he comes across. The last thing he breaks is the mirror after imagining seeing Aimee’s face reflected in it. (OMG! 7 years more bad luck. --Does anyone care?) He stops and stares at himself in the broken mirror. “The time has come for my revenge! This damned Montes de Oca family will find out who Juan del Diablo is! I didn’t throw the first stone, nor did I spill the first drop of blood! They turned me into what I am! I stopped being Juan de Dios to become Juan del Diablo!”

Labels: salvaje

Permalink posted by Jardinera654 @ 11:53 AM 104 comments

Alternate Title: Snakes Rattle and Roll

With at least a week left to go before the Gran Final, we shouldn’t delude ourselves. Sure, Isabel’s been unmasked. Salvador has returned from the dead to be joyously reunited with Gabriela, and Estrella found her cachorro. Paula and Cristian tied the knot. Coni may have learned her lesson after all, by losing everything, and spending a night in jail. But Jerry’s still alive and kicking (well, not so much from his hospital bed). Rolu and Arnie are fighting like dogs for a very lovely, but loopy, bone. And what about our canny, coiled cobra? Can Hissabel really be defanged yet? No way. Our slithering serpent is just too sly. She’ll twist, she’ll turn, she’ll slide, she’ll hide, she’ll trick, she’ll plot with all she’s got, until Marcos, Valentina and all the others who’ve made her the way she is, suffer. A lot. If it’s the last thing she does on this Earth!

But first, let’s rejoin our other characters. Xime’s been charmed by her dueling Man-Joe’s, Rolu and Arnie, singing up a storm to charm our tipsy gypsy. Mau and Moni arrived at the hospital to check on Hissy, who instead of checking in as a patient, has donned blue hospital garb, visited Jerónimo, and made some kind of a deal with him.

After a few supportive hugs from Mauricio, Moni demands the nurse check again, are you sure there’s no Isabel López here? She’s sure. Mau figures she may have gone to another hospital, and since there are so many (really Mau, this is a novela, you’re in the only one), they might as well go home and wait. Moni reluctantly agrees.

Beto’s kidding Nieves about all her curlers (she has quite a bunch, to go with her pink robe), when there’s a knock on the door. It’s Marcos, and Nieves, appalled to be seen like this (she shrieks mis fachas, or my unsightly appearance), slams the door right in Marcos’s face! She rushes back to change, as Beto greets Marcos, who’s rubbing his tooth. A few seconds later, Nieves makes her grand entrance, no more curlers, hair wild, wearing a tiger print dress with the strap in her teeth. Rowwwlll!

Marcos has great news. Constanza’s innocent, and she’s getting out of jail in the morning. Turns out she couldn’t have killed Salvador, because Salvador just happens to have appeared! Alive? questions Beto. He and Nieves are having trouble getting their heads around this one.

It’s time to award the prize, a bottle of wine, for the best karaoke singer, and it’s between Rolu and Arnie. Both receive ovations, and our pugnacious pair try to get the crowd to pick them. Fair Xime can’t understand why they’d fight so much over a bottle of wine. No, says Lalu, they’re fighting over you, for your love. This is a bit much for Xime in her state, and she says she has to say farewell now. You’re going? asks Lalu. No, I’m gone, she says, falling directly backwards off her chair, dead drunk, out like a light. As her boys rush to help, we see Xime’s dream. Rolu’s smothering her with hot kisses, saying the hours he spends with her are driving him mad, he wishes time didn’t exist. Guess not, as Xime lifts up an hourglass, and there’s only one minute left. Then 50 seconds, etc., until (10 seconds early), Arnie bursts through the door, a rose in his teeth, big bouquet in hand, it’s time for HIS ten hours. Xime flips the hourglass, and Arnie’s ready. He lifts her into his arms, howls like a coyote, and up the stairs they go!

Back in reality, Lalu makes sure the two lovers don’t tear Xime in two as they carry her out of the bar.

Estrella is telling Aldo how great it is that the lies are over, she’ll finally get her best amiga back. Aldo agrees, but he also understands how disillusioned Moni must feel about her mother, the person she loved and trusted more than anyone else in the world. He felt something like that when he thought his Dad had betrayed him with Estrella, but it’s probably worse for Monita.

Mau and Moni arrive in the vecindad, she still shaken. Nieves comes out, and Moni asks for a hug. Nieves gladly hugs her. Moni is sorry for all the mean things she said to Nieves, but Nieves understands, and never stopped loving her. She also says Moni will be very happy with her handsome Mauricio, and the three of them hug. Next to enter are Aldo and Estrella. Moni says Mau should go home to his kids, so he and Aldo say goodbye. Moni looks at Estrella, can we talk? Of course, she says with a smile. As Nieves thanks the Virgencita, Moni and Estre go inside to rebuild their friendship.

They start with a hug, and Moni begs for forgiveness. Don’t worry about it, says Estre, I understand, with my reputation, but I’d never rob your boyfriend, although I did get to see him naked, and he sure is hot, you know

(she jokes, Moni smiling, playfully fake punching her). Seriously, says Estre, if I caught you with my puppy, I’d be super mad, too. Yeah, says Moni, I can just imagine your cachorro, just coming out of the shower, all fresh and clean….Hey, shut up, says Estre, but Moni was just joking, giving as good as she got, and they point at each other. Moni’s still sad, though, upset about her Mom, and also worried about her. Estre says she’s just tired, and they fall asleep comforting each other.

A new day dawns, and Coni, head on the ground, is awakened by the sound of Cristian’s voice. Time to move. Are they transferring me to the main prison? Negativo, says Cris, all charges have been dropped. You’re a free woman. She can’t believe it, and lights up when Beto, wearing a green “Soy verde” (I’m green) tee shirt, enters to give her a hug, declaring her macho cabrio has returned. She kisses him, filled with need and emotion. Marcos arrives and she tearfully hugs him. Coni still feels guilty about letting Salvador die, she knows she must pay for her crimes. Maybe not, because here’s Sal too, not dead. Coni cries tears of joy and relief.

In the vecindad, Moni is wistfully going through the photos of her Mom, when Isabel enters, hair strangely askew. They glare at each other a few times, and Moni finally asks where she’s been. Hissy says she went to a different hospital, and spent the whole night in the emergency room, “as if you cared”. Yes, she lays on the guilt trip. Moni confronts her about the trap she did to Mauricio and Estrella, Aldo told her about it, but Hissy says she never lied, everyone else lied. And who are you going to believe, a drug addict like Aldo? Well, says Moni, Oscar also said you were working with him. And Constanza also accused you. Oh, shoots back Hissy, you believe a killer and the woman who hates you despite the fact that you’re her sister, more than you believe me? (Oooh, she’s good).

We have another hug, this time a Coni sandwich, with Beto and Marcos as the bread.


Hissabel continues, don’t you remember I took a bullet for you? And you still believe all those others? Moni calmly tells her, Salvador isn’t dead (of course Hissy knows this, but she pretends not to), and he told me he did argue with you in Mau’s office. Well, yes, Sal had just found out how Mauricio helped me fake my death, and didn’t like it, but you know all about that, and I assure you when I left the office, Salvador was fine. Moni’s still not buying it, you still haven’t explained the thing with Mau and Estrella, you took the pictures. Hissy goes back to the martyr strategy, whining that Moni is hurting her, making her sickness worse. I just hope when you cry at my tomb, you’ll be sorry! She walks out.

At Grupo Sermeño, Paula, now the office administrator, is imparting her wisdom to Alejandra, you have to work hard to move up the way I did, don’t just look at the guys. Ale assures her she isn’t looking at any guys, but when Ivan walks past, her head turns and the eyes follow. Ivan goes to prepare coffee, and Ale offers to help him. No way, Paula has her make some copies. The elevator opens, and it’s Gabi, looking around nervously. Paula wonders why. Gabi’s worried about Lorenza. Paula isn’t up to speed, so Gabi fills her in (after Pau beams about how she finally had her wedding night, on the Highway Vieja Cuernavaca). Gabi explains that Sal’s alive! Paula wants all the gossip with every juicy detail (con pelos y señales).

Meanwhile, Alejandra sneaks into the coffee room, and starts sexually assaulting Ivan. He tries and tries to stop her, they have to work. Fine, she says, you work at making the coffee, I’ll make the crackers with jelly (mermelada). She dips her finger in the jelly (apricot, chabacano), rubs it on her lip sensually, then goes to feed him, and when he moves, she gets it on his suit. Then she LICKS it off. Well, that’s it for Ivan, resistance is futile, and the lip-locking begins.

Of course, at this point, Mau arrives at the office with Aldo and Luisa. Gabi and Paula are happy to see them. Then Moni arrives with a downtrodden look, she’s feeling guilty about her argument (agarrón) with her Ma. As Mauricio comforts Moni, Aldo and Luisa go to get them coffee, and I think we’ve had just about enough tender hugging and happiness for this episode. It’s time for some drama!

Well, first a little more of Moni moping, Mau comforting, saying she’s noble, but also intelligent (as if he would know). She shouldn’t let her heart rule her mind. Let the chips fall where they may, you’re not alone, you have me, and all the people who care about you. Gracias, she says.

Okay, NOW for the fun. Luisa and Aldo are shocked to see Ivan kissing Alejandra. Ale smiles sneakily, and leaves to let them work it out. Ivan wants to explain, but Luisa won’t hear of it, and SLAPS him! She runs out, he tries to follow, but then Aldo defends his sister, and starts fighting with Ivan. They take it out to the main office, and the fists are flying. No sooner have the boys been separated, than Luisa and Ale start, too, grabbing each other’s hair,


until Mau and Moni, rousted from their sappiness session, move in to restore order.

We now flip over to Xime’s house, as she gingerly takes the last step down the spiral staircase, wearing sunglasses, holding her head, mightily hung over. Rolu and Arnie have prepared a wonderful breakfast for her, replete with all sorts of hangover remedies. Rolu has mineral water with lemon and salt, Arnie orange juice. She wants coffee. Rolu has chilaquiles and aspirin for her. Ah, Rolu, you made chilaquiles? Well, no, it was Arnie. Oh, well, Arnie how nice to bring me aspirin. Ummm, sorry, that was Rolu’s idea. Doorbell rings, and Xime, holding her head, gets it. It’s a strange envelope. After telling the delivery man her name is Penelope Cruz….Perez, she signs for it. It’s addressed to Jerónimo Sermeño, not to be opened by his sister Ximena under any circumstances. Of course she immediately opens it. It’s a dvd, and of course they’ll watch it. Arnie’ll get the popcorn. Both boys rush to make the popcorn, but Xime says I also want…..tomato juice. They rush to the kitchen, as she says, I also want (they rush back in together)…..a soda with just a few bubbles. They rush out, she says, I also want (they rush back in)

…..two onion tostadas with a little avocado and a pair of flautas without cream but with lettuce. They rush out again, but she yells after them, Just kidding boys. I only wanted the popcorn. And the soda and the tomato juice. They rush out again. She’s loving this, in fact, she’s so happy, her hangover (cruda) is gone!

Aaaaoooooooo! The wolf is back, Lobo’s in the vecindad, runs into Estrella, who informs him that he might as well leave, Moni’s reconciled with Mauricio, it was cleared up that Mau and she never did anything. So hit the road, Jack. Lobo say he loves Valentina, and he’s not the type who gives up easily. He glares at her, and walks off, setting us up for some more trouble.

Mauricio orders Ivan to wait for him in Mau’s office, they need to have a serious discussion. Aldo is ordered to take Luisa home, he’ll talk with her later. Moni comforts her, telling her love is not so easy (that’s for sure!). As they get in the elevator, Paula pulls Gabi, Moni and Mau aside, and says they should fire that hussy Alejandra. Mau says he’ll talk with said hussy later, too.

Coni is just happy to be in the open air (al aire libre), with all the people moving around, the noise of the cars, she knows she’s made so many mistakes, she really wants to change. Ah, THAT’s the word I wanted to hear, says Beto, smiling, kissing her hands, he’s there to help. Coni’s made a decision, too. She’s going to return the vecindad to him, to Valentina, and to all the neighbors. All right! Beto kisses her, this is the best! She continues, she has nothing left, sold her boutique, her house, cleaned out her bank account, for the first time in her life she has nothing, she’s okay with that, but she doesn’t have anywhere to live. Don’t you worry about a thing, honey, says Beto, you have me, and I’m going to work night and day to buy you all the things you like, your fashion sunglasses, your expensive perfumes, your clothes, your handbags, everything. By the way, though, what about Monita, can you stop fighting with her? Coni needs time. Don’t worry, reassures Beto, step by step, with time, with saliva, and with muchas ganas (desire)….oh, speaking of that,…. Let’s get it on (he says porqué no vamos a lo oscurito a verle el esternon al peluche de mono huelo, which is something like why don’t we go to the dark to see the sternum of the smelly stuffed monkey, but you get the idea). She’s ready.


Okay, is Mauricio going to have all those serious discussions with everybody about responsibility and office procedures? Course not, Xime’s here, envelope in hand, and when Xime calls, duty stalls. She cries out Mao Tsé Tung, Monu, Gabirú, Pao, we have to watch this video, it’s urgentísimo, ajá! Mau protests, but he’s no match for Xime’s three things. Una, I came running here to bring it to you, Dos, it’s not going to win an Oscar, because he doesn’t exist anymore, and Tres, it’s very important you all watch it with me. Mauricio wants to watch it later, but Xime says it has to be “now, Mao”,

and Mau finally gives the green light. Into the meeting room they go. Paula tells Ale, whom she calls besucona, or Miss Kissy, to bring the coffee and cookies, and hers gets two sugars, so move it!

Xime promises it’ll be super revelador (revealing) and aterriguau (combination of terrifying and Wow). Cue movie, and it’s Jero talking, saying


Hello, dear Oscar. If you’re watching this video, then surely I’m taking a plane to a paradise beach where I’ll be waited on by beautiful and delicious women, enjoying all the money I’ve robbed from you. I’m really sorry your vacation has to be in jail, since I sent a copy of this video to my dummy sister. Hola Ximena. (she says, Hola Jero, how ya doin? We’re all watching, dumb-bro’, and gives him an air kiss). If I’m not wrong, my idiot sister answered my question and surely will show this recording to my cousin Mauricio and he to the police. Oscar, my betrayal of you won’t be complete unless I list all your crimes such as, for example, the death of Licensiado Araujo, of Detective Bocanegra, although I had no participation, of course. Gabriela, Gabriela, if you’re there, Salvador, your old man, smells like puke, but he’s not dead. Oscar has him hidden in a cabaña, the address is on the envelope in which I’m sending this video (thanks for telling me now, you creep, says Gabi). I also had nothing to do with this, right Oscar? Same for the time that you hid in the hovel of that saucy Estrella to sedate her and Mauricio, with the idea of extorting my dear cousin, and who is, by the way, not as handsome or clever as I am. I don’t know how Isabel López found out about that. Well, she went to the cabaña to scold you for besmirching her daughter. And for sure, you looked very bad, threatening that poor woman with killing Monita if she revealed your plans!

(You could hear a pin drop in the room. Wow!)

Yes, Hissy’s not dead. She’s just getting ssssssssssssstarted!!!!!!

Previews: Hissy manipulates Jero, manipulates Lobo, and manipulates Moni. The rattlesnake is on a roll.

Vocabulario:

Facha – appearance, look
Con pelos y señales – with all the juicy details
Mermelada de chabacano – apricot jam, chabacano can also mean vulgar
Agarrón – an argument or fight, literally, a grabbing
Al aire libre – in the open air, outside
Besucona – a gal who likes to kiss

Labels: gancho

Roberto tells Lucas that the Arab businessman's wife is named Jade. Lucas claims that he doesn't know her. Roberto is inviting Lucas to have a drink in a new bar with a hot chica when their women come in. "Later," ("Para la próxima") says Roberto quickly.

Marisa sweetly asks Lucas if he had a good afternoon and displays a huge diamond ring she has bought.

In their room, Lucia is surprised that Marisa is taking Lucas' betrayal so calmly. If it were her husband... Marisa replies that Roberto probably has strayed - he's a man (es hombre). She says that Lucas has no idea how she will make him pay for this (cómo me lo cobraré) and all the other insults to her in their marriage.

Alone with Lucas, Roberto tells Lucas not to play dumb (no te hagas). He knows that look. Lucas acknowledges that he was with someone. He says that he is trying to live life like his dead brother, Diego, would have with no attachments or suffering. He says that his marriage with Marisa ended long ago if it ever began. "No justification is necessary," says Roberto, "Flesh is weak (la carne es débil). Don't fall in love." Lucas says that won't happen. He fell in love once and it turned out very badly.

Meanwhile, Jade tells Zoraida that post Lucas, she will never love again. Said is a nice guy but she doesn't love him.

Mohamed finds Prince Amin (PA) at the girl fight. He says that they will leave immediately - as soon as they find out who wins.

Things are not going too well for Karla in the fight until she finds out that her opponent is Alej's ex.

After the fight Karla is furious with Alej and accuses him of knowingly arranging the fight with his ex-girlfriend. Alej apparently doesn't belong to the Leo/Lucas/Roberto school of dealing with women. When Karla demands that he look her in the eyes and tell her the truth, he does. Does this honesty help him? No, Karla is still furious and says that she never wants to see him again.

Mohamed hustles PA back to their apartment. Mohamed is in the liars group. He tells Latifa that PA was helping the Red Cross collect money. Zamira tells Latifa that Mohamed is covering up PA's sin. Latifa forbids her to slander her father.

Latifa tells Mohamed that it wasn't her fault that PA ran away. She says that she is afraid PA is heading down the wrong path ("el camino del mal").[Considering how he reacted to cage-fighting women, you'd better worry about Mohamed on that camino, too, Latifa, remember, el carne es débil.]

Lucas asks Marisa how much the ring cost and says that she shouldn't make such large purchases without consulting him. Marisa says that she tried to contact him but he wasn't in the office and his cell phone was turned off. Lucas mumbles that he was at a business meeting at a bank. Marisa replies that she deserves the ring for all she has had to put up with in her marriage with him.

Said tells Jade that he wants to talk about Lucas. He says that the trip to Miami will be a test of their marriage. Jade was honest with him from the beginning about her her love for Lucas. He hoped that over time, she would come to love him and he thinks that he has succeeded. The trip to Miami will be a test of this. Jade begs to stay in Morocco with Jadiya and leave her past behind. Said insists that she come with him to the US and go to his business events. He won't encourage her to meet Lucas but he won't prevent it either.

Lucas tells Rosa that the Jade from his past is coming to Miami. He asks Rosa not to mention this to Marisa and says that everything was in the past and he has thrown her out of his heart (ya la saqué de mi corazón). [And we believe that, right?]

Mohamed has a dream about boxin' babes and wakes up yelling, haram! He tells Latifa that it was a terrible nightmare (pesadilla horrible) It was so terrible that he can't tell her what it was about.

At the club, Osvaldo tells Miguel that he is going to meet Karla the next day. I guess Karla didn't think the boxing match was good for her career. She told Osvaldo that she had to take care of her grandmother. Miguel asks Osvaldo how he is going to make Karla believe his tall tale ('cuento chino') about being a talent agent. Osvaldo says that he has that under control. Dora and Vicki come into the club, Miguel warns Osvaldo, "It smells like death and it's not me," ("huele a muerto y no soy yo"). Dora is looking for Daniel. Osvaldo says that he has things to do and leaves without saying a word to Dora. She tells Vicki that Osvaldo is over her.

Natalia is all happy. She tells Rosa about how Fernando kissed her yesterday and went over to his house and they play music. She is going to meet him at the beach (without Andrea.)

Natalia arrives at the beach and the odious Fernando is with another girl.

Ramon invites Karla to Gloria's restaurant for empanadas that evening. She accuses him of spying on her for Alej. Osvaldo arrives with flowers for Karla. He dodges her questions about her contract and his fancy car and invites her to come dancing with him. She in turn invites him to a party. Up comes Mohamed and tells Karla that Mohamed is his sister's boyfriend. [Wasn't that like 10 years ago?] He tells Osvaldo that his sister will be pleased when he tells her that they ran into one another.

Zoraida tells Ali that Nariza has come to hear him read the Koran. She warns him not to let Nariza deceive him. "A person doesn't change change overnight like that," ("no puedo creer que lala Nazira se duerma como aceite and se despierte como miel," literally, "I can't believe that Nariza went to sleep as oil and woke up as honey,") says Zoriada. Ali thinks that he would be better off with a witness and takes Zoraida with him to hear the the Koran read.

Nariza tells Ali how much better she understands the Koran when he reads it an interprets it. She tries to send Zoraida off to make tea but Zoriada says that she is staying for the reading. At that moment, Said and Abdul arrive. Abdul tells Nariza that he wants her to come to the States with them to babysit Jadiya. Nariza throws a fit demonstrating how far from 'submissive' she really is. She says that she refuses to leave when she is so close to happiness in Morocco. Said and Abdul ask what happiness she is talking about and Nariza runs out of the room. Zoraida's and Ali's reaction:

Escobar complains about his son and tells Albieri and Julio that they are lucky not to have children. Albieri says that he didn't want to have his own children because they were already born. He lost one to death and the other to life. Julio is happy with his pet iguana and doesn't have a wife or children.

Lucas' assistant, Carolina, runs into Enrique (literally) again. Clara gives her the lowdown: not married, not gay. Perfect!

Marisa is apparently paying for sex. [Can't she get it on with the pool boy or her tennis coach?] She meets a gigolo (is that what you call these guys now? male escort? male prostitute?) in a hotel room. She is wearing the ugliest of her many ugly dresses. She actually looks vulnerable in this situation.

Poor Natalia. She tells Rosa about Fernando on the beach. She says everything in her life is bad. Her friends think she is a nerd. She doesn't fit in anywhere. She has no one. [God, how I remember this teenage agony.]

Luisa's long lost cousin, Alicia, is coming to stay with her and Albieri.

The party is on at Gloria's restaurant. Mohamed and Latifa watch from their house with disapproval. Zamira is dancing to the music with her friends. Mohamed orders her back inside the house. Zamira wants to dance and go to the movies with her friends. Latifa tries to tells her that confrontation is not the way to get what she wants from her father. 'I'm not going to wear a veil after I get my first period, either.' announces Zamira. 'We'll talk about it when that happens,' Latifa replies.

Ramon tells Alej about Karla's new boyfriend and then Karla and Osvaldo show up at the party.

We meet Alicia, Luisa's cousin.

Marisa comes home and tells Lucas that she has found a way to be happier.
'Is that so? replies Lucas, 'That's nice.' He tells her that Rosa was trying to reach her but her phone was turned off. When Lucas leaves, Marisa says that this is just the beginning. Her ring is just the first example of all the money she is going to spend. [How exactly is this taking revenge on Lucas? Isn't there plenty of money?]

Escobar has a fight with Clara. He is of the opinion that his job is more important than hers and she should spend more time cooking and cleaning for him. Clara says that she is his wife not his servant. She is tired of picking up after two men who can't do a thing for themselves, etc. etc.

Alej cuts in on Osvaldo and Karla dancing. Karla tells him to get lost (esfumate). Osvaldo says that the lady is connected to his chest (pecho). "The lady," replies Alej, "is my girlfriend. Get out or I'll break the connection and your chest." Osvaldo splits and Alej pretends to call his ex. Karla is jealous and they seem to get back together.

Zamira tells Latifa that she doesn't care about the customs of their religion. She was born here and just wants to be like other girls.

Mohamed tells Latifa that they have made a lot of money living in the US but as the expense of their tranquility and the ability to raise their children as good Muslims. Latifa suggests that they spend more time with the children going to malls, parks and the movies so that they don't hang out in the street.[Brilliant idea - the kids are going to love to be seen with their parents who look so different than anyone else.

It's late. Albieri is reading a book. The phone rings. It's the clone on line one. "Dad?" he says.

The credits roll.

Labels: clon

Tonight, María Sorté is "María, Pescadera" (María, fishmonger).

A body is wheeled out on a stretcher through a supermarket. One of the DIEM crew walks a handcuffed and bloody-handed María out, while Aranda walkies Capellan that they're on the way.

You got it, Gloria, it's gonna get bloody tonight.

Capellan watches María Gonzalez get walked into an interrogation room by Moran. She's looking like she was rode hard and put away wet. Gerardo tells Capellan that they're not going to be able to do much--they've got a body, witnesses, and a suspect. Aranda says they found a knife, too. Capellan says they might not have much to do, but they investigate the "How?"…She investigates the "Why?" Touché, madame, touché. Capellan walks into the room and introduces herself.

Flashback: It's 4:30 in the morning. A young woman stumbles toward María's bed and wakes her up. This would appear to be her daughter, Luchi, who has some kind of physical or developmental disability. María hands her a crutch so she can walk to the bathroom. Later, she braids her daughter's hair and comments that they ought to try getting up earlier in the morning instead of having baths at night. María vetoes lip gloss for Luchi saying she's already told her "no". María and Luchi have breakfast. María announces that it's late and she asks Luchi to wash the dishes. Luchi holds out a hand and María remembers she has to give Luchi her massage. She starts stretching out Luchi's fingers, then stops to massage her own hand, which is getting a little stiff. She goes back to massaging Luchi's hand and asks if it feels nice. María tells Luchi that her godmother will be there at 9 to take her to therapy, because it's Tuesday. This would be godmother Carmelita. Luchi reaches her other hand over and strokes María's hand, asking her if it feels nice. María assures her that it does and reminds her again to wash the dishes, brush her teeth, and don't do anything naughty. Luchi nods. María left money for Carmelita for the therapy. She asks Luchi if she remembers. "Mom! I'm not stupid!" "Of course you're not." "You are mom!" "Hey!" "You forgot I go to get tortillas today." "You're right! What would I do without you?" "You wouldn't eat tortillas." María kisses Luchi and blesses her.

María makes her way to her stall in the market, wishing everyone a good morning as she goes. She puts on an apron and starts putting out ice in the display case. The ice is hurting her hand. She starts laying out the fish.

Present: "That's how it was for years. The same thing always. An endless nightmare. Only my daughter got me through."

Flashback: Blanca and Ramón walk through the market. Ramón gets an eyeful of María. Blanca teases him that there's nothing to see there. Ramón says "If I told you, you'd get mad." Blanca goes over and bitches out María for not having her hair back. She says she's been warned before and she'd better get it taken care of or she'll report her to the health inspector. Blanca says it's Don Ramón who pays them off. Blanca walks off. Ramón takes an extra few seconds to linger before he says goodbye.

María calls Luchi at home from a pay phone. She has to convince her to let her godmother have the phone. María checks to make sure that Luchi gave her godmother the money. María, repeating what Carmelita is telling her, says for our benefit that she has to take Luchi to a checkup tomorrow. She thanks Carmelita for feeding Luchi, "I know how much she eats! And she's so skinny." María goes back to her stall and her neighbor, Lupita, offers her half her sandwich. María tries to refuse, but gives in, saying she hasn't had time to eat anything. She and Lupita chat about how Luchi is doing. Lupita has noticed that Blanca is giving María a hard time. María says they're after her spot. Lupita encourages her to talk to Pancho, the union rep. That's what their dues are for. María says she doesn't want to get the union involved. If she ticks off Ramón he might take her spot. Lupita notices that María's arm is still bothering her. María says sometimes she loses feeling in it. She won't go to a doctor, though, because she'd have to ask Blanca's permission. She gets the idea to ask Don Ramón directly, since he's the owner. Lupita laughs that he's Blanca's boyfriend, a little fishie told her.

Blanca comes up to Ramón in the market. She asks him if he remembers telling her that he wanted to rent the fish stall with a higher rent. She's got people interested. Blanca notices him looking at María again and says she's slow and dirty. Plus she figures she's so dumb that if they took the stall away from her she wouldn't even be able to find another job. Ramón laughs and says you don’t have to go to university to know how to cut the heads off fish. He then remembers that Blanca used to do the same thing. "Hey, don’t compare me to her! Besides, I'm not so dumb. You made me administrator!" He says he just meant that she was "perrada" (a dirty trick?). She totally agrees. He calls her a tigress. He asks if María is her friend and she gets pissed off again. He reminds her that he's the owner. "Fine. DON Ramón." She walks down to the stall.

Lupita gives María a warning when she sees Blanca coming. Blanca asks María if she's tired. "You've been cutting fish as long as Lupita and you've only done half what she's done." María tells her to back off, what business is it of hers how fast she does her job. Blanca says it is her business because if María doesn't work, she doesn't sell, and if she doesn't sell, she can't pay the rent. Blanca tells her Don Ramón isn't going to cover her rent. Lupita blurts out that María's having a problem with her arm. Lupita keeps encouraging María to tell her and says it's what they've all got. María says it's tendinitis. She tries to downplay it, but Lupita says she needs to go to the doctor. Blanca says "ok, go to the doctor, then." Oh, but she's going to make María pay a penalty for being out. Lupita says she'll pay it and insists that María really needs to go. "Or have you already forgotten how our arms hurt when we cut fish? You don't remember anymore?" Blanca tells María to go to the doctor and pay the fee for having the stall closed. María doesn't think it's fair and Blanca mocks her, asking if she thinks they ought to pay the doctor bill for her too. Blanca lists her options as going to the doctor and paying the fine or losing the stall altogether. That's as fair as Don Ramón wants to be, she says. Blanca leaves and Lupita apologizes for making things worse. María's not worried about it--she can take advantage of the day and take Luchi to her appointment. They go back to cutting fish.

The doctor tells María that she should be proud of Luchi--she's been doing her exercises. Luchi says she has been, but Mom hasn't. "Oh yeah, what haven't I done?" Luchi tells the doctor that her mom cries because they don't have money and her arm hurts. The doctor asks about it, but she tries to play it off, at least until he stretches her arm out and it hurts. The doctor pronounces it a severe tendinitis and recommends she rest it for at least 15 days. The doc confirms that she's working at the fish stall in the market, all day, standing. He tells her she needs to work sitting down, maybe on a bar stool. María tells him the administrator won't like it. He offers her some anti-inflammatories and some muscle relaxants. María protests that the appointment is for Luchi. "And if you're sick, who takes care of Luchi? Luchi is well, you're the one who needs to take care of herself. This is very delicate and it could turn into a paralysis." Luchi looks upset. María tells her not to worry and hugs her.

The alarm goes off at 4:45am. The gals go through their morning routine. Carmelita comes over. María is going to try to close up at work early. Carmelita is worried about what will happen if Luchi has another "attack," but María says they're just spasms, don't worry, it's not epilepsy. María says goodbye to Luchi.

Present: María cries. Capellan wonders if even with the doctor's note, María still had problems with the administrator.

Flashback: Blanca sneers at 15 days of rest. She asks why María doesn't just give up the stall, but María can't. Then Blanca notices María is supposed to work sitting down, "Oh, anything else? Do you want coffee? Cookies?" María reminds her that tendinitis is serious, not to mention her arthritis and her legs. "You remember what it's like to work this job. Do you remember when you started getting arthritis?"

Two years ago: Blanca is in María's house bragging about telling off Don Ramón. Blanca is rubbing her wrist. She says it's horrible, either they take away your job or send you in back where no one can see you. Blanca says she's brought María a present, a really nice knife. María asks if she stole it. Blanca laughs that it's fair payback for all her hard work. María recognizes it as one of Don Ramón's special knives. Blanca doesn't think she'll get caught, or if she does, she doesn't care. María notices that Blanca's wrist is hurting. "I told you to wear gloves when you put your hands in the ice." Blanca asks who's going to buy her gloves. María asks Luchi to pass her the arnica cream. She won't accept the knife. María takes Blanca's hand and massages it with the arnica. Blanca puts some arnica on Luchi's hand and starts rubbing it. So I guess we know how that little ritual started.

Blanca tells María she doesn't remember it and has no idea what she's talking about. Bitch. Blanca says she can do whatever she wants, but she won't stand up for her if she's late on the rent again. "Thanks to me, you're not on the street. I haven't done anything but watch your back." María starts to leave. She turns back to tell Blanca that Luchi asks about her and misses her. "She's well. She's a young lady now. But she asks why her Tía Blanca doesn't come to visit. I tell her that I haven't seen her in a long time either." Blanca looks sad.

A year ago: María leaves Lupita in charge of her stall and goes to pay Don Ramón the rent. When she knocks on the office door and pushes it open, Ramón is screwing Blanca. Blanca goes running out after María and Ramón laughs. María and Blanca get into a strange argument. María is perfectly willing to keep her mouth shut and isn't judging Blanca, but Blanca acts like María can't wait to blab it to everyone and is looking down on her. Blanca is offended at María saying "to each his own" and takes it as María thinking she's better than Blanca, as opposed to agreeing that she would've done it too.

Blanca thinks about that day and sniffs, collecting herself. She sits back down at her desk and reviews the file of health inspections. There's a certificate saying that María has complied with health department regulations. Blanca signs it, but I don't get what's going on with this.

Present: Capellan visits the lab. Gerardo says she may not want to hear it, but the victim's blood was on the suspect, the fingerprints match, and she did it in front of witnesses, so let's close this case already. Capellan says she won't until she has a full picture of what's going on. She accuses the team of only being interested in blood, fingerprints, and criminals. Well, in their defense, they are cops. Capellan seems to be in a particularly pissy mood today.

Flashback: What it looks like is that Blanca has signed a complaint to the health department. Ramón looks at a couple of them and gripes that he'll have to talk to the union. He doesn't like the idea of getting rid of María, though. He says she's got a sick daughter. Blanca complains that she's always late with the rent and wants to work sitting down. She accuses Ramón of being into her. Ramón says fine, he'll get rid of her if Blanca wants, but first he's going to screw her. Ramón laughs that there's nothing like a woman to screw another woman over. "Why are you so mad at her? Because she saw us that time? It's been almost a year. Ah, you're mad because she saw what a pig you could be. Or maybe because you gave it up so easily, but she's a decent woman. Or because she has a daughter and you don't even have a dog to bark at you." Blanca starts to say something about his wife, but Ramón reminds her that topic is off limits. He proposes they make a bet--Blanca will do everything she can to break her, to get her to leave, and Ramón will do everything he can to get her into bed (or desk, as the case may be). Blanca takes the bet.

Present: Lupita gives Capellan the 411 about the work environment. She calls Blanca and Ramón pigs, "Begging your pardon, ma'am" (ha ha, didn't realize they called cops "pigs" in Spanish too). Blanca and Ramón were sleeping together, but if Ramón wanted someone, Blanca would get her for him. They would make bets, or rather, Ramón would. And he did have a thing for María.

Flashback: María is leaving for the day, but Lupita reminds her it's the feast day of San Ramón. That means a party for the boss. Lupita tries to convince her to stay. Ramón walks up and scolds her for leaving without staying for the party. María apologizes for being a month behind in rent. Ramón brushes that off and says nothing's going to happen to María's daughter if she stays for just one dance. "You're the only one I haven't danced with." Lupita says he hasn't danced with her either. Ramón's like, "uh, yeah, later maybe." He sends her off to help her coworkers. Ramón starts schmoozing María. "You're a very attractive woman and I like you. But I'm a gentleman, so I'm going to let you go home and see your daughter, but just this once. You have to give me a chance to ask you out for dinner sometime, away from the market." While he's schmoozing, Blanca is smuggling the fancy knife into María's bag. She goes over to tell María and Ramon that she needs to see them both in the office right away.

Ramón wonders what's going on. Blanca tells María to put her bag on the table and starts searching it. She pulls out a knife and María is shocked. Blanca now demands that María strip so that Blanca can search her. María starts undressing, but won't strip past her undershirt. "Touch me if you want, I can't hide anything in here." Blanca tells Ramón that she wants him to take a good look at her, "If she stole this, who knows what else she stole." María accuses Blanca of putting the knife in her bag. Ramón asks to be left alone with María. Blanca gets upset, "Fine, if you don't care that she's stealing, maybe you should know that the health inspector wants to close her down for two days to disinfect." She leaves. María wants to look at the report. María says she didn't steal the knife. Ramón starts putting the moves on her and asks what he can do to compensate her. He claims not to be able to do anything about the two day shut-down, but he offers to pay the fine. He tries to get her to use "tú" with him. He reminds her that he owns half the market and is also Blanca's boss. "Blanca is difficult. Imagine! She says you're ugly, but you're really pretty. I want you to be ok, and to trust me. If she gets bad, come to my office and we'll talk."

Present: Capellan questions Ramón. He claims it was just a chick fight. Capellan asks him if he had an "emotional" relationship with Blanca. He denies that he did. I'm inclined to agree. She asks if he was interested in María. "Well, yeah, I like women." Capellan tells him his interest is the reason she's got a cadaver in the morgue, so he'd better behave himself. He's not in a good situation--she can accuse him of workplace violence and sexual assault.

Flashback: Maria is just waking up and its after 9. Luchi is in the kitchen filling cups with green liquid. She's proud of herself for making jello to sell so that mom won't be sad. She did it all by herself. María asks what she can help with. Luchi tells her to put them in the refrigerator, but carefully. "Don't spill."

María is still home and in her pj's when Carmelita comes over to take Luchi to therapy. Carmelita offers to let María take her. María hesitates, so Luchi jumps in and says they don't have money because they closed down her stall for two days. Carmelita is sure it was Blanca. "Ever since I've known her, I've seen her bad intentions!" María wants her to hush in front of the girl, but Luchi reminds her she's not a little girl anymore. Carmelita offers to give her money. She insists she's taking Luchi to therapy, and no paying back later. Luchi asks Carmelita if she'll buy some gelatinas. Carmelita will buy them all, but after therapy.

Present: Capellan confirms that Blanca was suspended for two days-Tuesday and Wednesday-and went back to work yesterday, Thursday. "What happened yesterday?" María says that Blanca told her that Ramón had stocked the stall with fish for her and she needed to pay him back for it, and she should be grateful not to be kicked out.

Flashback: Ramón is leaving the market, but he changes his mind when he hears that María is working late. He visits her at her stall and gives her a scare. She says she's making up for the time she lost. Ramón tells her that he does need her to pay him back for the fish. He goes behind the counter while she's washing her hands and starts touching her. She knows what's up and tells him to back up. Ramón says he'll do her a favor and report her the next time he sees her working late. María sits on the floor of her stall and cries.

Present: Capellan asks what happened today.

Flashback: María gets to her stall and finds it plastered with signs saying it's closed. There's an envelope for her. Lupita wants to know what it says, but María won't talk, so Lupita takes it from her and reads it herself. They took the stall from her.

In his office, Ramón laughs. Blanca is upset again. "I ran her off, see! I won!" Ramón keeps laughing and just wants to know if when she talked to the union rep she was as close to him as she is to Ramón now. She calls him an idiot and leaves.

María is ripping the signs off her stall. She goes behind the counter and tears off all the signs and the tape she can get her hands on. Blanca and Ramón see her and Blanca says she's crazy.

Present: Capellan asks what happened. "It was the lowest of humiliations. They made me feel like my life was worth less than a fish with no head or guts."

Flashback: Blanca comes over and yells at María. "Can't you read? It's not yours anymore! It says closed." Blanca keeps harping on it and saying they're going to throw María in jail. She's a pig, an idiot, she's disrespecting her authority. María yells back to shut up, stabs her, and keeps twisting the knife, holding one hand over Blanca's mouth and shushing her. Blanca bleeds all over some unfortunate produce and the bloody butterflies fly away. María yanks the knife out.

"María Gonzalez was tried for homicide. The judge in charge of her case took into account the recommendations of Sofia Capellan and judged the crime as a product of a violent emotion produced by extreme workplace violence. She was condemned to three years in prison. The provisional guardianship of Luchi was given to her godmother Carmen Gomez. Luchi continued attending therapy."

Labels: asesinas

Buenos dias a todos! We've had a busy week so let's get to it.

Rafa walks in the front door just as Vicky pries her lips off Jaime. He greets Rafa and leaves in a hurry. Vicky hugs close to Rafa; she just missed him so much. Rafa pulls away because the last time they talked, their relationship was over. Vicky says there is no way they could be broken up; she forgives him and now they’re going to be married. Rafa tries to get Vicky to understand that it isn’t that simple.

Marco pushes Ale to get Rafa to pay off his debt as soon as possible. Ale is short with him but apologizes. Marco notices Rafa’s shirt in Ale’s suitcase and asks where it came from. Ale evades the truth but has to own up to it; she must have accidentally picked up Rafa’s shirt while she was packing. Marco says since Ale and Rafa have done so much traveling together, they must be great friends by now. Ale tells him to cut it out; the deal will be official the following day and Rafa will be leaving the Siglo.

Marco leaves and takes the shirt so he can burn it. Ale tries to stop him but chickens out.

Vicky’s hermanos stop by Rafa’s and pull out their knives. They’re ready to annihilate Rafa for breaking up with their sister. Vicky says as long as Rafa is her novio, her brothers have no right to kill him. They are back together and better than ever. Rafa hesitates, but since he would rather not see the business end of a knife, he agrees. The hermanos threaten Rafa as usual and drag Vicky home.

Rafa unpacks in his room when Leonor gives him a big hug to welcome him home. She’s thrilled to hear Rafa has nearly closed the deal; if he hadn’t, he would have ended up in jail again. Leonor asks if he’ll still work at the Siglo but he says no, it would be impossible. He digs through his suitcase and can’t find his favorite shirt. Rafa figures it must have been mixed in with Ale’s things.

Ale admires a picture from the famous wedding reception when Azucena interrupts to ask what she should do with Rafa’s shirt. Ale takes the shirt and says she’ll take care of it. She tenderly wraps the picture in the shirt and smells it before throwing it dismissively into a drawer. Ale, still clearly conflicted, grabs her cell phone and asks Susana to meet her for some girl talk.

Similarly, Rafa calls Jaime and asks to talk with him right away. Jaime flips out and thinks Rafa want to talk about his tryst with Vicky. Rafa tells Jaime to stop panicking; he just needs to talk with a friend.

The Siglo crew, minus Ismael, has drinks at the Trancazo. Marino, being the self-declared best salesman, offers to buy drinks for all of them. Ramiro tries to cut out because of his demon of a mujer. Dandy tells Ramiro he needs to use his “powers of seduction” like Dandy did to get Susana under his control. (Bah. He spends too much time with Marino.) Speaking of Marino, Ramirez pulls off Marino’s wig to reveal a full head of hair.

Marco is furious about Rafa’s shirt being in Ale’s suitcase. He tells Chavez the Ale is behaving strangely; he suspects something happened between Ale and Rafa.

Susana and Ale sit down at a nice restaurant and get straight to the good stuff. What happened at Playa Estrella? Ale says she “had a romance with a killer”. Straight-laced Susana flags down a waiter and orders a martini to prepare for the rest of the story.

Rafa meets Jaime in a bar. Jaime is a nervous wreck; he orders a double tequila and lights up a cigarette. Rafa is concerned since Jaime never used to drink or smoke. Jaime asks how it went with Vicky. Rafa tells him they’re novios again because her brothers forced him into it. Rafa would rather talk about something other than Vicky: the fact that he is in love with Alejandra Alvarez del Castillo.

Ale tells Susana all about pretending to be married to Rafa; she says he was very caring but very immature at times. They danced, he sang to her, and they kissed when the crowed started chanting. And it wasn’t fake or the only one. Susana is riveted and asks if Rafa is a good kisser. Ale nods and Susana melts.

Rafa tells Jaime he went along with the marriage story and began to feel as though it were real. “There was a moment that she took me by the hand in a different way. She wasn’t acting. And those kisses, God, they felt so real. I was happy and I thought my life had changed forever because of that night. That only night we spent together in that room in front of the ocean and the sunrise with her sleeping in my arms.” Jaime asks if anything else happened. “Of course not! I’m a gentleman. I watched her sleep. I swear I have never been so happy to see someone sleeping.”

Ale is gushing in a similar way to Susana. “I was so unlike myself. So happy and moved by the ocean, the dancing, and the night. If I hadn’t fallen asleep, we might have slept together.” Susana doesn’t think it would have been such a terrible thing but Ale is sure she would’ve regretted it. She’s getting married to Marco in 2 days and he doesn’t deserve to be treated that way.

Susana says Ale should cancel the wedding but it isn’t that simple. Susana makes Ale look her in the eyes when she asks Ale if she loves Rafa. Ale cries that she can’t afford to think about it. She can’t be in love with him and blames what happened on the alcohol. Susana doesn’t buy it for a second and gets Ale to admit she has feelings for Rafa.

Rafa is upset he fooled himself so badly. Ale is still getting married in 2 days. If Marco found out about what happened during the trip, he would do anything he could to get Rafa thrown in jail or have Leonor’s house taken. Besides, Rafa could hardly leave Vicky for another woman, let alone Ale, because of her father and brothers.

The Siglo crew is toasted and enjoying themselves at the Trancazo. Marino swears he’s going to make Rafa regret he ever messed with “Edgar Marino, the best salesman!” Dandy tells everyone that Ale and Rafa are supposed to be back the next morning. Ramiro, with Marino’s wig on his head, bumps into Claudia as he’s leaving and gets bopped on the head for staring at her chest.

At everyone’s favorite beauty salon, B/V and Ovi talk about astronauts after seeing an article in a magazine.

Jaime asks Rafa what Ale thinks about that night. “She said to forget it. I can’t have such fantasies anymore. Ale is so refined and so beautiful. She needs an elegant man of means, unlike myself or that vicious novio of her’s. I should have told her what I saw him doing.” Jaime thinks telling Ale about Marco’s wandering eye would just drive a bigger wedge between her and Rafa. Rafa says it’s the only weapon he has to fight for her. “But it’s a weapon with wet gunpowder.” (“Un arma con pólvora mojada”)

Ale says she can’t think about her feelings for Rafa because then she would have to think of what to say to her family if she canceled the wedding and the huge scandal that would erupt at the Siglo. The most important thing for Ale is that Rafa disappears as soon as possible. She never wants to see him again because having him around is a danger to her marriage and family.

Marco is still pacing because of the shirt in Ale’s bag. Chavez thinks the allures of the beach would be very tempting and says if he were Rafa, he would have gone for it. Marco keeps repeating to himself that Ale is loyal and would never trade him for a mess like Rafa. “If something did happen between them, rest assured I will have him jailed, shot, and killed.”

Meanwhile, Ale hopes Marco doesn’t suspect because of the shirt. She doesn’t want Marco to have reason to be jealous. Ale says that the next day, she and Rafa will finish with his debt and they will both return to their own lives. In 2 days, she will be married to Marco.

Jaime asks what Rafa is going to do about Vicky once he gets his debt squared away. He isn’t looking forward to a life of being under her thumb. Rafa decides he needs a woman with integrity, who truly loves him. “My mom, sister, her, and you are the only people I trust in the world.” Jaime downs another shot and says he needs to tell Rafa something.

Avances: Vicky makes out with Jaime again. Rafa tells Ale he loves her and when they hug an enraged Marco pulls her away.

Labels: dinero