Caray, Caray!

Good news and bad news tonight. Let's do the good news first since there's so little of it. Rafa has landed in clover. His new boss doesn't believe in yelling, doesn't believe in pressuring folks when they're new on the job, just wants Rafa to feel "part of the family" and promises that everyone will be collaborative and helpful. And there's no anthem to sing at the sales meetings! Just one step down from heaven, I'd say.

Over at Auto Siglo, it's one shaky step up from hell, as the new sacrificial lamb Zetina (sounds too much like Medina, right?) is about to find out.

But let's go back to the beginning, where a shaky Jaime is chugalugging champagne and trying not to leer at a frustrated Vicky, looking muy fine in a hot pink bra and black bikini bottom and garters. When next we see him, he's under the covers, plump shoulders on full view as well as a sad little patch of chest hair. Completely nude? Looks like it. But did they do the deed? Vicky maintains they did and that he managed quite well in spite of being completely drunk. Our timid galan perks up a bit at this and even thanks her for the compliment. Meanwhile Vicky is working the "poor little woman seduced by a lusty male" bit for all she's worth. Gosh maybe she should tell her brothers....or her dad? Whaddya think? Final decision. It will be just their secret--to spare Jaime's life.

One bedroom scene behind us. Now we have a quartet. Split screen shows Rafa, Alejandra, Jorge and Marcos all tossing and turning in their beds. Not much sleep for anybody tonight, evidently.

Next morning Alejandra is having breakfast with Tia Rosario and trying to explain why she's not ready to commit to Marcos. Tia wants to know why but Alejandra doesn't have time to explain. She's gotta get to work. And the last thing she needs is pressure!

Parallel breakfast showing Rafa with mom and Julieta. And it's little sis' birthday so he's planning on a special celebration tonight. Doorbell rings. It's the reference letter. He's off to his new job, after a brief blessing by Mom. After he leaves, Julieta notes that he's in love. Nope, sez Mom, he's CRAZY in love. Indeed. And not with VickyVicky, alas.

Right outside the door, he bumps into a slinking, guilty-looking Jaime....who swears he wasn't with Vicky last night. Rafa shares the sad news that his attempt to talk to Alejandra failed. Marcos was already there serenading her and she invited him in. Guess we'll have to wait a little longer for our two lovers to reunite.

Meanwhile, there's always Vicky. Who appears suddenly and wants to know where the hell Rafa was last night. And how could he stand her up like that!? He escapes in Pepeto's car but not before his work pal gives Vicky the new office number. Looks like poor Rafa will be besieged at his new job as well.

Chavez is as much of a pain as Vicky. He's hammering on the door bright and early to find out how the reconciliation went. Marcos has had a sleepless night. Gosh, this bodes well. Rolling around in the sheets with Alejandra? Not hardly. She needs time. To decide. And that's what we have the least of. But can't force her to go back with me. Well, did you talk to the family? Chavez prods. Yeah. They were happy to see me but I think I blew it when I told old Jorge Alejandra is still reluctant to marry me.

And now we meet the latest lamb to be slaughtered at Auto Siglo. A hapless bloke named Zetina, Efraim Zetina, he of the sweaty palms and nervous mannerisms. No confidence. And that was before Alejandra, Marino and Ramirez started pounding on him. Painful to watch, really. As was Alejandra's humiliation by Beltran. He's continuing to subvert her authority, handing over her duties to others (like the loathsome Marino) in order to "cover his back". She stands up for herself, but all in all, it was a miserable beginning for both the new salesman and our hapless heroine.

Let's compress all these painful scenes and just tell you that Zetina's training resembled a boot camp run by sadistic sergeants. Alejandra puts him through his paces, coming on like a super-sexy (is she channeling Claudia?) empty-headed dame, looking for a new car (to be paid for by her rich husband). He stammers out a few technical details about the car and she delivers a punishing reprimand. He'll never sell to that kind of woman unless he appeals to her emotions. Immediately she has a vision of Rafa, and how he'd make the pitch. Emphasizing how secure and safe she'd feel in the car. The comfort, the luxury of the interior, etc. Poor Zetina. The worst is yet to come. Once he lands in the hands of Marino, he presents a picture of hell where the least careless mistake will get him a knife in the back. Only the strong survive here, he warns. We're gladiators. We'll eat you alive. And your bosses and superiors won't talk to you. They'll YELL. Got that? So toughen up. Don't flinch when I yell at you. Control yourself.

And Zetina? Well, he flinches, he stutters, his palms continue to sweat, and frankly we find ourselves wondering if he'll even show up for work the next day. One of the salespeople counsels him to pray to San Judas Tadeo (the saint of hopeless causes) because that's the only way Zetina will be able to fill the gap left by the departing Rafa.

For Rafa, it's a different story. Goals? Well his new boss will wait to hear his goals and mission statement after he's gotten acclimated. Personal calls? Well, sure. Personal calls are permitted. (Dang. More access for our annoying Vicky.) And of course tomorrow he'll have that little advance to tide him over. As for the curt recommendation letter that Susana wrote, his boss merely smiles and says Hmm...very succint. It's all golden so far for our barrio boy. Well, except for his hallucinations of Alejandra, castigating him for jumping to the competition and dismissing his boss as a hopeless softie. No matter. This strangely complacent boss is thrilled when Rafa assures him that he's not waiting for clients to show up in the salesroom, or from working a list someone gave him. Nosireee...he's going to go out and hunt those lions in the jungle! Big smile. Great start. Maybe he can get poor Zetina a job there.

So what else happened tonight? Well, old Jorge had an apparent heart attack. He's unconscious when Tia Rosario goes in to wake him and since she's on the phone with Marcos, our skanky novio is quickly on the scene to get Papa to the hospital and try and save his investment. And with the luck of the villains, he intercepts the letter from the mailman announcing the lifting of the embargo on Jorge's hacienda. Double dang. More problems for our skank. Time to talk to partner in crime Chavez. He's as worried as Marcos. But thank God no one else but Marcos has seen the letter. More skullduggery to come, no doubt.

We have a brief scene where all the salespeople at Auto Siglo are doing their usual....NOT selling cars but dealing badly with their personal lives. Tuition isn't paid because Rosaura blew it on a new pair of shoes. Marino's having trouble keeping up with his seven wives and numerous children and school costs. Ramiro rears up and actually tells off his mother-in-law and vows to move out. But where will he find the money for an apartment? And they all decide they'll have to collect from Dandy to finance this brave new move. Stay tuned.

Mientras tanto, Alejandra gets the news that her beloved papa is in the hospital and begs for time off to go see him, even though it's the end of the month. Beltran grudgingly grants it but warns her to keep her cellphone turned on. After all, if they don't make their quota, it's not Auto Siglo who'll pay for his funeral...and he'll surely be the next to go after Jorge.

Big switch now. We're at the hacienda. Chavez is consulting with the groundskeeper who's sure there are ghosts haunting the place. He's seen and heard strange things. Maybe it's old Jorge's wife Maria Consuela, come back to punish us. Chavez dismisses these notions until something drops from the trees near their heads. Yikes. And then there's a strange rumbling sound. Double yikes. Chavez gets control. If you leave, he threatens the gardener, I'll tell everybody you're a no good drunk. That works. Poor guy shuffles off. And then Chavez starts to sweat. I don't know whether to laugh, cry or tremble, he muses. Man, this hacienda is causing me more problems every day.

Meanwhile, Marcos is at the hospital, playing the concerned fiancé, promising to handle all the costs of Jorge's stay and insisting on a private room for his would be father-in-law. Alejandra arrives, makes a face when she sees him, and promises to pay him back for all the costs, as soon as she gets her debt cleared up with Rafa. There's some reasonably cozy chitchat, with Marcos doing a little breastbeating, feeling guilty for his talk with Jorge after the serenade. Yes, he dashed Papa's dreams by telling him he and Alejandra hadn't made up...his erstwhile fiancée still needed time to think about it. Alejandra reminds him that all he did was tell the truth. Yes, but I should have told him a "mentira piadosa" (little white lie). (Sure Rafa, that's nothing compared to the whoppers you usually tell.) Some more palaver about hospital costs, insurance and finally Marcos decides he should be the one to collect the debt money from Rafa like always. This doesn't bode well. Alejandra leaves to go see Papa.

Have we had a hospital scene before in this one? If not, here's the obligatory medical bit, oxygen tube in nose, sleeping patient, weeping visitor. The usual pleas to just get well, I'll never do anything to disappoint you again, guilty tears, and "I'll do anything to make you happy". Punto. Enjoy because for sure, there'll be a few more hospital stays for somebody before this is over.

That's the last we see of Don Jorge for now. And our last glimpse of Zetina is hardly more promising. Ramirez is promising to make Zetina a star salesman, heck! salesman of the month! All he has to do is buy German's theoretical books on the subject. Not for sale in any store, but for you amigo! A deal. And also four cassettes, headphones, a little carrying case...all this for just a little down payment. You can pay me the rest at the end of the month. Poor doofus. He's in for it now.

We find ourselves back at the hospital. Tia is heading for the tocador (powder room). In walks Karen with her uncle. Marcos looks nervous. But of course, neither Alejandra nor Tia are there to see the guilty confrontation. Seems Karen's uncle is having health problems and is there for a checkup. More confusing conversation with Marcos trying to avoid being alone with Karen. Seems he's looking for food for Chavez, who's also in the hospital and needs a hamburger. She sees through this lame story pretty quickly.

Alright. Another weird scene change. Guess we have to get used to them in this novela. We see our loopy hairdressers driving a van full of models. They're tootling along when they almost crash into another car. Driven by....mafia? Well, scary guys in dark glasses, that's for sure. They say they're bodyguards. And we're JLo and Madonna quips the blond hairdresser. Our buxom gal hairdresser (sorry...names?) quickly intervenes and excuses her lad as having a weird sense of humor. Eventually the corrupt cops arrive and more confusion ensues and the horde of skimpily dressed models pour out of the car.

Whoops. Now we're in a bar. Sleazy lawyer type, Enrique Quintana, is talking to another oily man about the hacienda and Jorge. He's heard that the embargo is lifted and old buddy Jorge will soon be in possession again. So now he needs to wangle getting hired so he can manage the place and take advantage of all the money possibilities there. When he calls Rosario and learns Jorge's had a heart attack, he's muy displeased to learn Marcos is on site helping out the family. Well, hope springs eternal. He'll visit the hacienda and find out who's in charge. The camera pans to another guy at the bar who seems to be listening. More skullduggery? Stay tuned.

Brief scene. Rafa in a taxi. Driver trying to keep him entertained, gives him a magazine with a bevy of beauties for him to look at. (Must be angling for a big tip.)

Back at the hospital, Marcos has gone up to the room with Karen and her uncle. Uncle is wheeled out to be examined and the two are left to clear up some old misunderstandings. She doesn't believe the story about Chavez being in the hospital and needing a hamburger. Nope. Marcos, you're terribly handsome but you're a liar. You have some real behavior problems. Are you getting help? He says he is. (Hah!) Well, she doesn't want to pressure him but when he's ready, he knows where to find her. Now, "adios". He starts to leave. Hesitates. Turns again. Hesitates. Turns back. Adios! Karen repeats. And out he goes.

Back to our strange traffic encounter. Insults are being exchanged. Cops are muddled. Innocence is protested. Models are swarming, tight little buns hanging out of even tighter short shorts. Rafa arrives on the scene. They swarm around him like hungry fish. Alejandra also appears on the street. Sees Rafa surrounded by babes stroking his arm and hugging like piranhas. "No es posible" she stammers. And there we end.

Vocabulary:

desvalida = helpless (what Vicky claims to be)
hombre recorrido = experienced man, a guy who's been "around" (what Vicky claims Jaime is)
empeñada = committed to, involved with (Tia asking if Alejandra is still involved with Rafa)
renglones = lines (a comment about the few short sentences in Rafa's reference letter)
escueto = succint (the letter)
San Judas Tadeo = patron saint of lost causes (perfect for Zetina)
descuidos = careless mistakes (what Zetina better not make)
mentira piadosa = lit. pious lie, little white lie
lengua larga = big mouth (supposedly Rafa for blabbing about his romance with Ale)
lanzarme al ruedo = jump right in, what Rafa's going to do in his new job
tocador = powder room

Dicho of the Day

Del árbol caido todos hacen leña lit. everyone makes firewood out of a fallen tree
real meaning: Everyone takes advantage of a person when he's down. (Could apply to Rafa, could apply to poor Zetina. You decide.)

Labels: dinero

We open with introductions, lots of introductions as Said and his family are introduced to Leo and his family.

Lucas is conspicuous by his absence. Mohamed gives Leo a gift (obsequio). Rosa admires the arab dress of the women but Marisa finds it a little 'too folkloric' (I guess folkloric is any dress that couldn't do double duty as a broccoli rubber band). Leo introduces Marisa as the party organizer and as his daughter in law (nuera). Lucia tells Carolina that she is envious of the fact that the arab women never have to go to the beauty parlor. Carolina thinks that their veils are very sexy. When she hears that, Lucia is off to grab Roberto to make sure he isn't tempted.

Natalia tells Alej that he can leave but Alej replies that he only takes orders from Leo.

Ali warns Jade to stay by her family. He says that the evening is full of temptations and dangers. One of those dangers, Lucas, is lurking in a doorway watching Jade.

Leo shows Ali around his house and they sit down for a conversation. Leo tells Ali that the Muslim belief in destiny would seem to make life simpler and is a way for people who make mistakes to avoid responsibility. Ali says no, there is still free will (libre albedrío) and taking responsibility. He says that destiny means that Allah knows everything that you will do in your life. Leo isn't much of a philosopher and he replies that the concept is interesting, contradictory, but interesting. Then he finds out that Ali is Albieri's Moroccan friend and the one who took Lucas in after his 'accident' in the desert.

Jadiyah tells Rosa that men and women don't mix in Moroccan parties.

Fernando wants to leave the party early and have his band rehearse (ensayar) at his house. Clara refuses permission and says that there are rules in their 'gated community.' She tries to get Escobar to back her up but he refuses and walks out. Clara calls Fernando back and tells him it is ok for him to rehearse his band at the house.

In the cultural miscommunication department, Lucia tells Latifa that she can't imagine being a Muslim and letting her husband have four wives. Latifa says that she feels the same way. She doesn't want Mohamed to take another wife and she has 'tricks' (trucos) to keep him happy. Lucia suggests that they exchange tricks because she has some north American ones. Lucia tells Latifa that she knows a doctor who does liposuction (hace unas lipos con laser) that doesn't leave a mark on, or any fat in, your body. Latifa says that she likes her little bit of fat. She likes to 'fill up the bed.' Lucia can't believe it. Then Latifa says that she dances for her husband. Latifa starts a sentence, 'Hace poco, él tuve deseos de que yo..., (literally, 'A while ago, he wished that I...) Lucia hears, 'tubo,' which means a lot of things including a pole. Lucia asks if Latifa also does pole dancing (bailas en el tubo)? 'What pole?' says Latifa, confused.

Said insists on introducing Jade to Marisa.


Carolina admires Marisa's necklace and Marisa claims that it was a gift from Lucas and drags Jade off to see the rest of the jewelry that Lucas 'gave' her. (It was his money so he did 'give' it to her in a way but not out of love.) Jade says to herself that she has spent the last 20 years imagining living in this house with Lucas. [You didn't imagine having a house of your own?]

Then wicked woman #1 starts off with the lies. She tells Jade that it was love at first sight for her and Lucas and that when they met, he had an Arab girlfriend, from Morocco. What a coincidence! Jade is from Morocco, too! It was just a summer romance. She and Lucas laugh so much when they remember her. She says that Lucas calls their romance a 'slip' (desliz) something that happens when you are young and do things that you regret the rest of your life. Marisa says that Lucas told this 'Arab girlfriend' so many things and that he feels guilty because he thinks that she believed what he said. "I don't think that the women in your part of the world are that dumb (tonta). Right, Jade?" Poor Jade can't take any more and she runs out of the room. At least Carolina, who is Lucas' assistant, was a witness to this so there is a way for Lucas to find out what Marisa told Jade.

Jade comes face to face with Lucas and there is a sort of hopeful, hurt puppydog look on his side and a hurt look on her side and they pass like ships in the night. He tells Rosa that this is his Jade.

Said tells Leo that he wants to buy a house in Miami so he can keep an eye on his business. Leo approves.

Andrea continues to give Natalia hope about her relationship with Fernando. Fernando tells Natalia that he has to go rehearse his band but he would like to stay because the party is like Hallowe'en.


A belly dancer performs while the watchers have thought bubbles about their own problems.

Clara's plan works well. When Fernando's band starts playing, Escobar runs downstairs and demands to know where Clara is.


Now it's the day after the party-

Evil woman #2, Alicia, is working on some plan to separate Luisa from Albieri. She gets Albieri's favorite jam (mermelada) when Luisa has forgotten to buy it and she starts to suggest that Luisa go on a vacation by herself.

Clara complains to Carolina about her marriage. She says that it is like being married to herself. She has to work but in addition she has to be the housekeeper (ama de casa, literally, soul of the house), she has to be a mother, she has to be a cook, a banker, everything. She says that she's had enough.

Alicia puts on a 'how come you don't like me?' performance for Albieri and the dummy falls for it. He wonders if he he has been too hard on her. She is only trying to please him.

Leo is happy about the results of the party. Now that he knows the Ali/Albieri/Lucas connection, he says that Lucas is the key element (pieza clave) for their next step.

Just when you think Marisa couldn't get any nastier (honestly, milk must sour when she looks at it), she lays into Lucas on the morning after the party. She accuses him of bringing his lover to the house where his daughter lives. She says that he did it on purpose to humiliate her. He tells her to leave him alone. She says that she won't leave him alone. He is trying to blame her for the fact that he didn't have the courage to after his 'true love' when he could have. She says that he is a coward. Lucas tells Marisa that he stayed with her because he thought that in time he could love her but all Marisa did was run Jade down and try and destroy the memories he had of her so that he would love Marisa. He says that it didn't work. All it did was destroy what he felt for Marisa.

Natalia comes in and assumes (with Marisa's suggestion) that they are fighting about her.

Natalia goes online and her unknown correspondent suggests that drugs are the way to forget her problems.


Jade calls Zoraida and tells her that her coffee grounds reading that said that she would meet Lucas when the past and the future met has come true. [Let's hope she isn't right. We were hoping for some clone related meaning to the prophecy.] She says that Lucas has changed a lot but is still the same. She starts to tell Zoraida that something horrible has happened when Said comes in and she has to hang up.

Said asks Jade what she felt when she saw Lucas. Jade replies that she didn't feel anything. She says that Said thinks more about Lucas that she does. It's over.


Lucas broods over Jade pendant and says to himself how strange it is that the pendant reappeared in his life at the same time as Jade. [It would only be strange if you weren't in a telenovela, Lucas.]


Luisa urges Albieri to take a vacation with her but he doesn't want to leave town in case the clone shows up. Albieri wonders what the clone is like now since he couldn't give the clone the same life experience as Lucas [why doesn't he say Diego? This would have been the perfect moment to have our first view of the clone - but no.]

Since Albieri doesn't want to go away with Luisa, the devious Alicia suggests that Luisa go away by herself. Albieri will miss her and value her more when she comes back. And before she goes, she can teach Alicia how to run the clinic.

Alicia brings Julio and Escobar coffee. Escobar tells Julio that Alicia is nicer than his b*tch of a wife. 'Why don't you separate from her?' asks Julio. Clara and Carolina are having the same conversation. Clara says that she keeps hoping things will get better and then there's the kid.

Oh goody, Karla with a K is back. Who knows what is motivating Pablo but he tells Karla that Alej is back with his old girlfriend, Diana, and is very happy.

Leo tells Lucas that they have to get closer to the family of the Arab investors and this should be Lucas' job because of his past history with Ali. Lucas explains why that isn't such a good idea - Said's wife, Jade, is his true love Jade. Never the one to be concerned about anyone else's feelings, Leo replies that was in the past and there is no place for emotions in the business world. He tells Lucas that they can't miss this opportunity and that as Leo's successor as head of the business, it is his responsibility to do this. Lucas still refuses and Leo gets angry and fires him.

Jade tells Latifa about what Marisa told her at the party. She says that Marisa didn't know who she was and had no reason to lie to her. [Your recapper is going to rant now. This is so typical of novelas - the 'good' character believes the lies of the 'bad' character. But here it is so stupid. Wouldn't you be a little suspicious if someone you just met started telling you about a casual relationship her husband had 20 years ago?! Marisa said that it was a summer romance and then she met Lucas and they fell in love and were happy ever after. Jade knows that isn't true. Lucas came for her at least twice after he was married, told her he was leaving his wife, sacrificing everything for her. Arrgh! Rant over.]

Lucas tells Enrique that Jade has lost her girlish innocence and is now a cold woman. [What did he expect her to do with her husband and family there - jump into his arms?] He says that he thought he knew everything about her but now he doesn't know what she feels and thinks. Enrique says that Jade is beautiful and wants to know what Lucas felt when he saw her. Lucas replies that he doesn't want to talk about Jade. That's all in the past. Lucas tells Enrique that he won't back down and do what Leo wants. "Then you're saying that Jade isn't out of your life," says Enrique. "Subject closed," replies Lucas.

Latifa tells Jade that Mohamed has invited the Ferrer's to dinner. Jade tells Latifa that she will have to think of something because she can't face Lucas. "Do you know what it is like to idealize a person and then from one day to the next, their image crumbles like sand (desmorone como la arena)," says Jade.

Ali doesn't seem to feel that there is any religious problem with ogling the flesh on display outside Mohamed's house. His compliment to Hilda that she is worth a lot of camels - goes awry. Then he goes to talk to Gloria and compares lamb preparation recipes with her. [Is Ali interested in Gloria? Heaven forfend. I didn't think Mexican/Cuban cuisine used a lot of lamb.]


Natalia makes Alej take her to the beach and stand there and get roasted while she lies on a beach chair. Then she boasts about it to Andrea. Natalia gets gussied up (for her) and goes out to a bar with Andrea. [Where is Alej?]

Leo invites Marisa to go with them to the dinner at Mohamed's.

The credits roll.

Labels: clon

Felicitaciones a todos! We survived our first week of double-up episodes. Have a tequila to celebrate!

Ale takes off to meet with Rafa and the Siglo is buzzing about her and Rafa. As their chatter continues, Susana overhears Marino and Ramirez making some unflattering comments about Ale and drags them into the office. She reads them the riot act for spreading such vicious gossip. Marino says it isn’t their fault that Rafa wouldn’t shut up about sleeping with Ale; they’re just trying to find out if it’s true.

Ale apparently learned a lesson from her accident and uses a Bluetooth to answer a call while she’s driving. Ismael warns her about the gossip concerning her relationship with Rafa. Ale calls Susana to find out exactly what everyone is saying. Susana doesn’t want to say but admits the rumor is that Ale and Rafa slept together. And that Ale is bad in bed. Susana also has to tell Ale that everyone claims Rafa is the one who started the rumors.

Everyone at the Siglo moos at Marco when he visits and Isabel mocks him even more when he asks why they’re doing it. Claudia meets him outside and Marco yells at her. She pleads innocence and says Rafa started the gossip. Marco’s rage starts bubbling to the surface again.

Ale meets Rafa at a very pretty outdoor café. Before they can even properly greet each other, Ale asks Rafa if he told the Siglo employees about what happened at Puerto Vallarta. Rafa swears on his mother that the only people who know what happened are the two of them. Ale swings and slaps Rafa so abruptly it knocks him off his feet.

“When I crashed I thought you were a criminal but now I know you’re worse!” She tears his recommendation to pieces. “To think I believed there was something between us! I even felt love for you but you’re a disgrace! Don’t come looking for me and don’t call me! I am dead to you!” Rafa is stunned as he gathers the pieces of the letter.

Rafa keeps calling Ale and leaving messages for her. He’s determined to talk to her and set the record straight. Meanwhile, Ale sobs in her car. She loved Rafa and blames herself for being such a fool.

Ale is still on edge when she gets back to work. She explains what happened to Susana and cries; she was so blind. Susana defends Rafa but Ale won’t hear it. Who else knew about the fake esposos? Susana and Marco both knew but Ale doesn’t believe either of them started the rumors. It had to have been Rafa. “The whole reason he wanted to work here was to seduce me. He seemed so wonderful, said the sweetest things I ever heard in my life, and made me feel special just so I would forgive his debt.”

Rafa meets Jaime in a bar and recounts his horrible “date” with Ale. He’s awfully depressed about it and recites a line from a poem. “I want to sleep to not think of you, I want to sleep eternally”. (Quiero dormir cansada para no pensar en ti, quiero dormir eternamente)

Later, Jaime and Rafa try to piece together the shreds of the recommendation letter. They get phrases here and there to make sense. “A model employee with special qualification, tireless, committed to his responsibilities, creative, and able to succeed in adverse situations. I have never known a better person.” Rafa is even more confused. If Ale wrote such a complimentary letter, why did she hit him?

Ale holds an impromptu meeting with the employees to salvage her reputation. She explains the trip with Rafa was a business trip and any other gossip about it is the result of an overactive imagination. She warns them to never talk about her private life again. Too bad a threat isn’t enough to stall the rumor mill. Ramiro and Dandy suspect Marino and Ramirez started the rumors but they deny it.

Jaime and Rafa are still puzzling the letter together. Jaime thinks the letter is evidence that Ale was in love with Rafa; Rafa wonders what someone could have told her about him to make her so angry. He tries to call Susana for information but she hangs up on him. Jaime, as Rafa’s lawyer, calls Susana. He says Rafa needs certification that he worked at the Siglo since Rafa’s getting a new job at CloAutos. Susana won’t do anything to help the competition and hangs up again. Dandy tells Susana he’s angry how unjust the employees have been with Rafa; there’s no way he started the rumors because he only ever had respectful things to say about Ale. He always said nothing happened between them.

Susana lets Ale know that Rafa and his lawyer called. The lawyer wants proof Rafa worked at the Siglo. Ale refuses to do it. Susana thinks she should because Rafa isn’t the one who started the rumors; Dandy never heard him gossip. Ale doesn’t believe it since Dandy is the biggest womanizer in the city. He and Rafa are cut from the same cloth and she won’t believe Rafa is innocent.

Vicky asks for permission from her padre to go to a baby shower. He and her hermanos are scandalized the woman isn’t married. Vicky says if she were pregnant by Rafa, he would marry her in no time. The guys don’t like the sound of that and give her money for the party. Later, we find out Vicky plans to use the money for a hotel room date with Rafa.

Susana gives Ale a recommendation letter for her to sign; if she doesn’t, Rafa won’t be able to get a job and pay off his debt. Ale signs it but can’t believe Rafa is working for their sleazy competition.

Rosario brings Jorge breakfast and opens the shades; it’s time to stop being a drama queen. He isn’t having it and wonders where he went wrong with Ale. Rosario assures him he did nothing wrong but Jorge refuses to eat until everything is back to normal.

Vicky calls Rafa but he asks Jaime to answer it for him. Jaime doesn’t want to but Rafa convinces him. She flirts with Jaime and gives him the address of the hotel for Rafa. He has no interest; the only thing he cares about is Ale. Jaime tells Rafa to stop torturing himself and meet Vicky. Rafa thinks it isn’t fair to stay with Vicky when he’s thinking of another woman. He leaves to find Ale.

Marco starts chugging the booze and singing the blues to Chavez that Ale slept with Rafa. Now the Siglo employees are mocking him because of all the talk. Chavez is sure it is just gossip, especially the part about Ale being bad in bed. Marco swears he will kill Rafa. Chavez says Marco may have to make a sacrifice and ask forgive Ale, considering the problem with the hacienda. They need to make a plan to get Ale back.

Rosario welcomes Ale home after work. Jorge is still moping and Ale is overwhelmed. She goes up to her room and pulls Rafa’s shirt out of the drawer. Ale stomps on it and comes across the fiesta pictures. She laughs and cries while looking at them and hears mariachi music outside. “Medina?!”

Ale’s excitement deflates (as does ours) when she sees Marco outside with a mariachi band. Rosario rushes into Ale’s room but Ale is too confused to know what to do. Rosario convinces her that Marco still loves her; the music is his way of saying he forgives her. Rafa walks up to Ale’s house with a bouquet of roses and sees the festival outside. He gets a call from Vicky but hangs up without answering. Rafa tosses the roses to the ground and stomps on them when he sees Marco and Ale talking.

Ale thanks Marco for the song but isn’t so thrilled when Rosario invites him in for coffee. She runs off into the kitchen and leaves them alone. Marco kisses Ale, tells her how much he loves her, and promises there won’t be any more misunderstandings between them. He was wrong not to believe her but he understands why she wasn’t honest with him. Ale is not very receptive but eavesdropper Jorge hurries downstairs to congratulate them for making up. Jorge apologizes for being so childish and leaves to get something to eat. Ale is delighted her padre has snapped out of it but she still looks uncomfortable with Marco.

Julieta runs into Jaime on the street and guesses he’s been acting so strangely because he has a novia. When Jaime says he does have a novia, Julieta snuggles up to him, flirts, and kisses him. Jaime snaps out of it when Vicky calls and demands he meet her because Rafa stood her up.

Marco tells Ale it would make him so happy to be reunited with her. Ale needs time to think. Marco promises he will be there for her when she decides. He offers her a rose but she doesn’t take it. Jorge tiptoes outside and catches Marco before he leaves. Jorge is excited to have Marco back in the family; he could die happy knowing Ale is safe with Marco. Marco says Jorge has been like a padre for him but Ale isn’t so set on getting back together. Jorge is saddened by the news and goes back inside.

Jaime catches up with Vicky. She wants to know where Rafa is but Jaime avoids telling her. Vicky makes Jaime come with her to see the lover’s suite. She asks Jaime to open the champagne so it won’t go to waste. Then Vicky pulls off her coat to show him her lingerie (presumably so it won’t go to waste either…)

Avances: More hot Vicky and Jaime action.

Labels: dinero

Capítulo 51:

[“What lies lurk in kisses.” --Heinrich Heine]

As we return to deal with the family affairs (and I do mean that loosely) at Finca del Mar, Renato is telling his mama the changes in workloads and duties for the workers that he is going to make. The idea is to keep the people strong, well-fed, and productive rather than overworked beasts of burden who can barely manage to carry their load. He will have Regi oversee an artisan workshop for the women that will also bring in additional profits on the side, something muy advanced for the age, and the kids then will have more time for schooling. Leonarda is truly scandalized and worries that Ren and Juan’s new-fangled ideas will take them to the poorhouse. Ren says he isn’t asking her permission; he’s simply letting her know what’s up. He’s already approved them. Needless to say, Mama is muy disturbed that somebody actually has a bigger pair than hers now.

As Ren leaves the office, Arcadio slinks in. Ren eyes him suspiciously and asks if he wants him or his mother. The Orca slavishly says he’s there to speak with Leona. After Ren leaves, Arcadio informs Leona that Regina been in the basement passage ways again to develop more of her photographs. Leona is upset that Regi isn’t using the place she set up for her in the attic. “Regi’s intelligent enough that sooner or later she could figure things out and get suspicious.” She asks what he did with Maria del Rosario. Orca tells her he did the usual: tied MdR up and gagged her, threatening to kill both Mirta and MdR if either of them made any noise. Leona moans and groans at the trouble it causes her keeping on top of things with him. Dunno. Maybe this kvetching turns the Orca on, because he immediately whispers in Leona's ear that he wants her to visit him later for another nighttime nookie-fest. Leona refuses, saying she’s gotten his job back for him and so nookie nights with him are now a thing of the past. He says no way and not so fast! Their little goosing get-togethers are forever and always. If she doesn’t believe him, well he’s got a letter that will be more of a threat than just parading MdR around for everyone to see. She wonders what letter he means. Orca shows her the letter he found in Constanza’s trunk which accuses Leonarda of having poisoned her. So now Leonarda is at his mercy and will have to do whatever he orders her to –and that means givin’ him more of what he’s lookin’ for.

Aimee is back upstairs in her room remembering tackily trying to kiss Juan in the tack room and him rejecting her. Clemencia comes in to check on Aimee. Aimee says she wants to rest a bit. Clem asks why, since she hasn’t done anything today to make her so tuckered. Aimee says she just would rather not see people when so much chaos abounds throughout the house. Just then Regi races in to tell them that she just found their mother’s trunk full of interesting things and wants to look through them. Aimee has no interest in useless old pieces of junk [cachivaches= knickknacks/ junk], so Regi and Clem head down to the basement to check things out without her highnass.

In the basement, Orca returns to find Jimena waiting on Regi to return with Clem. He suspects her of trying to steal something out of the trunk, but Regi and Clemencia show up and she’s off the hook. Clem mentions that the lock’s been broken on the trunk so the key Sra. Constanza gave her years ago is no longer necessary. Regi and Mena say the trunk was already opened when they found it. Clem starts poking through the stuff to find the letter that was to be given to her daughters. Clem looks suspiciously over at Orca. “Who could have taken it?” Orca looks a little sheepish and asks what use a letter would be to him. Clem looks accusingly at him and is definitely not convinced.

Back at the manse in Veracruz, Rod sends Rosenda home with a few gold coins for her special sheet turn-down service. He says he’ll send for her the next time he’s in the mood. For now, she’s got to leave before the servants show up. Rosenda obeys and kisses him sensually on the cheek, adding she’s hoping he’ll be sending for her again ve-r-r-ry soon. Rod’s face turns to stone.

Back in the finca’s basement, Leona has come to see about the opened trunk. Clem tells her the trunk’s lock was broken and Constanza’s letter to her daughters is missing. Leona, acting cool as a cuke in cold storage, asks if Clem knew what was in the letter. Clemencia says she hasn’t the slightest idea. Leona “orders” Orca to look for it everywhere and says she’s sure it will turn up soon. Regi introduces Mena to her. Leona pretends not to mind their friendship and gives it her blessing. She wants Regi to promise not to go anywhere else down there. She is to use only this room because it would be too dangerous to go traipsing through the rest of the basement. Regi promises enthusiastically. Leona’s played her cards right and her secrets are safe for now.

Meanwhile, Renato comes upstairs and finds Aimee in their room. After a little turtledove chitchat he asks her why she doesn’t seem to like Juan. Aimee tells Renato that there is just something about the man that makes her uneasy and mistrustful of him. Ren says it seems Regi doesn’t like the guy either. Aimee tells him she thinks Regi is simply pretending to throw off their suspicions, but she is certain that Regi and Juan have been seeing each other all along. Ren insists they have no proof of that unless perhaps Regi’s said something to her. Aimee insists that she knows her sister and therefore what she says is true. Regi is involved with Juan. She can see it in her eyes. Ren thinks she’s possibly making false accusations and Aimee pretends to be greatly offended. When Ren defends Regi and her good works for the people of Paradise, she lets her jealousy show. “You seem to be enchanted with her! --Well, anyway, for her own good she should go back to the convent to avoid temptation and sin.” (Aimee knows all about this kind of sin.) The aforementioned accused walks in on the two of them unexpectedly. Regi excuses herself for interrupting them. She’s there to speak to her sister. Ren kisses Aimee good-bye and kisses Regi’s hand politely before excusing himself so the two women can chat alone.

Once Ren is gone, Aimee continues to lord her control of him over Regi. She cruelly teases her sister about feeling “heavenly” when Ren kissed her hand. Regi accuses Aimee of being jealous of her but says not to complain. After all, Ren loves Aimee, and she has no intention of betraying her. “Enjoy your perfumes, your oils, your lace, and your silks. Leave me to my misery and misfortune. We won’t cross paths again because we are going our very different and separate ways.” (Methinks she’s just politely told Aimee to stuff it.) Aimee sniggers condescendingly as Regi leaves in tears --no sisterly love loss there on Aimee’s part.

That night at Juan’s, Gabriel comes in with news that the price of wood continues to fall and that the company has lost thousands of pesos. Gabe asks if he shouldn’t tell his business partners about this. Juan doesn’t want them told yet. “Just keep buying their shares and investing in wood.” “—But your lawyers in Spain are very upset.” He tells Gabe to calm them down and tell them he has a strategy in mind. Juan is, in fact, very happy to see that the price of wood continues to go down because Rodrigo Montes de Oca is at the point of going broke. Gabe is worried about how angry MdO will be when he realizes it was Juan who took him to ruin. Juan doesn’t care and says he wants MdO to suffer so much that he can’t eat or sleep. “It should consume him slowly, just like my father’s pain consumed him—or have you forgotten that I am a man without a country or a family thanks to him? I don’t understand you who always search for your ties to family and love. Ties that I have never had!”

Samuel comes looking for Servando in his tent. Fulgencio wants a meet with him. The only thing Samuel will tell Servando up front is that there’s a lot of money for him in it.

Aimee is still in her bedroom staring lovingly at herself in the mirror. “Juan will never leave me because he will never find another woman like me!”

Juan asks Gabe if he thinks there’s something his enemies can do to hurt him. Gabe says he’s simply thinking of something unexpected, something like love. Is he sneering at love also, asks Gabe? Juan doesn’t want to talk about love right now.

Eloisa and Feddie are finishing up in bed at her seamstress’s house. Feddie wants to leave and head to the casino before Fulgencio gets back and realizes she’s been gone. Eloisa tells him Fully’s no threat. “The old fart couldn’t kill a fly.” Feddie thinks to himself, “If she only knew how vengeful and vile her husband really is.”

Servando and Samuel arrive at the gunrunners’ cave and Fulgencio makes his dramatic appearance. Fully offers Servando a job working for him if he can prove his ability with a knife. He needs a strong man who doesn’t ask questions. In exchange he offers his protection and a boat-load of money. Fully puts him to the test. He has Servando and one of his gargantuan goons go at it in the cave. If Servando wins the knife fight the job is his. If he loses, he’ll be thrown to the sharks. Servando wins by throwing knives into the goon’s stomach and heart, killing him almost instantly.

At the casino, two of the three hookers do another version of their strip-tease which is very “warmly” received by the politely panting male patrons.

Meanwhile, our fourth little hooker, Rosenda, returns to the finca and comes into the kitchen. Clemencia is waiting for her. She asks if Rosenda has been fooling around with Don Rod. Rosenda tells her to mind her own business and threatens to tell everything she knows about Aimee and the others if Clem meddles any further regarding her doings with Don RamRod. Rosenda then leaves the kitchen and runs into Leonarda by the stairs. Leona wants to know where she’s been all this time. Rosenda lies, saying that she’s suddenly got religion and has been at church in town. Leonarda tells her she doesn’t mind her going as long as she takes care of her household duties first. She sends her upstairs to tell Aimee that dinner will be ready in a few moments.

Aimee is still admiring herself in the mirror when Rosenda comes in. Aimee reminds her of the time Rosenda offered her assistance. She asks if Rosenda can get hold of one of Regina’s old habits. She offers Rosenda any jewel of hers she chooses if she can find a habit for her. She wants it that same night. If Rosenda passes her “test” then fine, otherwise she’ll kick her out on her ass-ets. Rosenda assures her she can stay mum and will be able to help.

Fully’s next “test” for Servando is to rob Feddie’s house. He gives Servando a makeshift plan of the mansion’s layout and tells him where Feddie hides his cash. Servando agrees and leaves on his mission. Once Servando’s gone, Fully tells Samuel that he wants to make sure Feddie remains peso-less and dependent on him.

Eloisa comes home with her cover story ready. She complains to the housekeeper that she has a migraine after spending the whole day at the seamstress’s house. She refuses dinner and goes upstairs to bed.

Feddie has lost all his cash tonight playing poker at the casino. The horn toad has been eyeing Fifi on stage and decides to ease the pain with the kind of evening “intervention” Fifi is best known for. They arrange to meet at his place in a few minutes.

Back at the finca after dinner Rosenda appears and signals Aimee “mission accomplished”. Noel suggests a game of chess with Renato. He wants to beg off to spend time with Aimee, but Aimee, having plans of her own, tells him tonight she’ll let him and his father enjoy themselves because she’s not feeling too well. Aimee, Regi and Leonarda say good-night to the men and go their own way.

Aimee is ecstatic to find the novice’s habit ready and waiting for her on her bed. Rosenda comes in and says she has kept her word. Aimee has her choose something out of her jewelry box and Rosenda chooses the locket that Ren (I think) gave her years ago. She starts to object, but when Rosenda gets snippy, she figures what the hey.

Regi is in her bedroom, suspecting that something’s up with Aimee. She doesn’t want to believe that her sister would actually to try to see Juan again. “She wouldn’t be that foolish or careless! Besides, Renato would surely realize!” In the end she figures the only thing she can do it try to relax and go to bed.

Back in town, Feddie and Fifi start to get frisky in the bedroom. A badly timed and muy intrusive ring at the front door from Rodrigo, who’s bored and eager to chat, interrupts them. Feddie tells her to stay put and not to step foot outside the bedroom.

Rodrigo mentions he was interested in seeing the house Feddy and Regi would be living in. He asks to see some of the handcrafted furniture from Italy that his parents accumulated and displayed in their bedroom. Feddie gulps hard but manages to think on his feet. He replies that unfortunately the furniture was too moth-eaten [estragos del polilla] and so he sold it off. Feddie offers to take him on a tour of the house (minus the bedroom) instead, and Rod accepts.

While Feddie’s in the living room, Fifi starts rummaging through his drawers looking for some sort of document but she doesn’t seem to find what she is looking for. She stops to check her watch and realizes how late it is. She tells herself that she has to leave and get back to the casino immediately or Mme. Marlene will realize she’s been gone. She puts on her cape and races out through the back hallway.

After the house tour Rod compliments Feddie on the way he’s restored the house to its earlier beauty and advises him to continue being subtle and persistent with Regi until she finally comes to accept him. Feddie agrees to and says he is certain she will eventually realize he loves her sincerely. (Viewerville offers a major eye-roll here.) Rod reminds Federico that the wedding with Regi will bring together two fortunes: his and his daughter’s inheritance from her mother which she will receive on her wedding day. It’s much more than whatever Rod is going to give him as a dowry. The dowry, he adds, will consist of half his shares in the wood enterprise. (Viewerville enjoys the last laugh on that one!) Feddie’s eyes are big as saucers impactados.

Out back of Feddie’s manse, Servando grabs Fifi from behind and holds a knife to her throat.

Back at the finca Noel takes a break from the chess game. He looks out the window and sniffs in the sea breeze, but then has a start when he thinks he sees a shadow of someone in the garden. Ren comes over to look with him.

Juan, meanwhile, is going stir crazy at home. Gabe’s little talk has left him antsy. He leaves the house.

Ren is starting to have negative thoughts after Noel’s mention of the shadow passing through the garden.

Servando warns Fifi not to look at him and says she’ll be fine as long as she doesn’t raise a ruckus. He asks if there’s anyone in the house. She nods that there is. He says he thought he might have made a mistake about the house. He then covers her eyes and gives her one of those disgusting, signature kisses of his before climbing over the wall and disappearing. After a few minutes the frightened Fifi climbs over the wall herself, in a hurry to return to the casino before being found out.

The Fopster, meanwhile, points out to Rod that it should be evident that he has no economic problems and thus will not care in the least to touch a centavo of Regi’s fortune. “She herself is the most valuable of all.” (The smell from the sh!t he's slinging here is so strong it's suffocating!) Rod says he realizes that to be the case and once Regi is married off he will cease to fret over her. He talks Feddie, then, into joining him at the casino a while. Feddie goes to his bedroom supposedly to get his cane and hat. He looks for Fifi In the bedroom, but eventually decides that she must have already left. Feddie races out through the back hallway with his cane and coat.

Back at the finca Renato can no longer concentrate on the chess game and tells his daddy that there are many things about Regi that are now beginning to worry him. He reminds Noel about the time she snuck off to the caves. They don’t know why she would have gone there in particular, but several things he’s “discovered” about Regi’s actions are beginning to frighten Ren. Noel asks him to clarify. Ren says he cannot be sure but he thinks Regina and Juan have something going on together and he thinks she went to the caves that time to meet Juan. Noel asks if he can prove it. Ren admits that he can’t. Noel tells him not to mention the business to anyone unless he can.

Juan enters the love cave and hears someone rustling around in it. He turns around and sees “Regina” standing there. “Santa Regina! This is the last thing I needed right now! What are you doing here?” “Regina” tells him meekly that she put on the habit again because of her impending “great sacrifice”. He’s totally confused. She explains that she is ready to sacrifice herself by “surrendering” herself to him [entregarse = polite euphemism for sexual intercourse] in exchange for him leaving her sister Aimee alone. Juan spouts jibberish as “Regi” inches towards him. He doesn’t understand a word she’s saying, he tells her, though it seems Juan’s actually struggling to keep his knees from turning to jelly as the heat from her simply being near him continues to melt his resistance. He tries valiantly to resist her upturned face and gentle kisses for all of about a second or three.

An old Chinese saying states that “kissing is like drinking salted water: you drink and your thirst increases.” Juan’s definitely been thirsting in the desert for quite a while now and eventually he lets his lower half convince his upper half to go with the proverbial oasis-like flow. --Someone else has also said that “a kiss that speaks volumes is seldom a first edition.” It remains to be seen if Juan recognizes which volume he’s currently reading.

Labels: salvaje

Permalink posted by Jardinera654 @ 10:07 AM 59 comments

Cris meets Lucas in a bar. His gaze is riveted to Jade's pendant around Cris' neck. He asks her where she got it.

'It's a long story (historia patria),' she says. She tells Lucas that not long after she opened the bar, a girl came in wearing it and Cris was blown away when she saw it, ('quedé muerta y sepultada,' literally, 'became dead and buried,'). She traded the girl's tab at the bar for the pendant. Lucas asks to buy the necklace (collar) from Cris for whatever she wants. He tells her it that it belonged to his Jade.

Jade is afraid to see Lucas again because she knows it will hurt. Latifa tells her to just laugh it off the same way she does when she sees Said who was originally going to marry her. Jade points out that it's not exactly the same. Jade spent the best hours of her life with Lucas. She is afraid that the happiness she hasn't had for so many years will return upon seeing Lucas.

I guess Ramon isn't Gloria's son because he calls her 'Doña Gloria.' He must be just an employee at the restaurant. He tells Gloria that he overheard ('escuchar sin querer,' 'listen without wanting to') Mohamed's kids saying that Mohamed's brother is a millionaire. Gloria reminds him that he was not supposed to get involved with that rabble (gentuza). She says that if she catches him snooping around them ('husmeando,' from 'husmear,' to scent, get wind of, pry into) she will cut out his tongue, chop it up and cook it ('te corto la lengua y me la como en picadillo').

Ramon seems to be a little gossip monger. Alej shows up at the restaurant and Ramon tells him that Victor (el asesino) bought Karla a car. Alej says that he isn't interested. Alej tells Gloria that his first day at work was a nightmare. His boss (jefa) is a brat (mocosa, literally snotty), spoiled (engreida), badly brought up (mal criada) and a daddy's girl (hijita de papá y mamá).

Natalia complains to Leo about having to have a chauffeur. She says that she is 18 and doesn't need a bodyguard (guardaespaldas) breathing down her neck (detrás de mí soplándome la oreja,' literally, 'behind me blowing in my ear'). She makes no headway with Leo at all.

Alej says that he can't stand working for Natalia and wants to get another job. He doesn't want to be anyone' slave for money. [He might think differently if he got into David's line of work - still a slave but better hours and more money.] Gloria sees a business opportunity and gives Alej a menu from her restaurant to give to his employers before he quits.

There is a party for Said's family at Mohamed's house. Mohamed complains to Ali about his neighbor Gloria's business. He says that not only is she a woman, she is out of control (desbocada), extravagant and everyone's favorite bad thing - an exhibitionist. He doesn't want his kids growing up seeing her bad example. [You should have stayed in Morocco, then.] Prince Amin pipes up and says that when he grows up he wants to run his father's store and go to Morocco to get a wife. Jade points out that there are lots of women in the US. Latifa replies that when the time comes, she and Mohamed will go to Morocco with him and find a nice religious wife.

Jadiya tells Zamira that she can't wait to get her first period 'cause her Daddy will load her up with gold. Zamira replies that gold is horrible and an ugly color.

Alicia makes points with Albieri by sewing the buttons on a shirt that he wants to wear to the party.

Latifa discovers that Zamira got her her first period. Latifa thinks Zamira should be happy about this development because she is becoming a woman. Zamira begs Latifa not to tell Mohamed because she doesn't want to have to wear a veil. She doesn't want to go to school dressed like an extraterrestrial. It's bad enough what she has to wear now. Latifa agrees to say nothing Mohamed for time being but says that it isn't something she can hide forever.

Albieri and Luisa arrive at the party.

Lucas makes his pitch for Cristina to Leo. Leo says that Cristina ruined his marriage with Sofía and their night in the hotel never should have happened. Lucas asks Leo why he doesn't accept that he adores Cris and can't live without her. Leo tells him to fix the problems with his own wife before giving advice about Leo's love life.

Ali says that when he read that someone claimed to have created a human clone, he thought it must be Albieri's work. Albi says that he doesn't believe the claim because no proof has been provided and anyway it isn't the first human clone. Albi denies that he has any actual knowledge that a human clone has been created while thinking to himself how much he wishes that he could confess everything (deshogar) to Ali.

Latifa and Jade explain to Luisa the whole milk-sibling reason that Latifa couldn't marry Said.
Latifa and Jade try and teach Luisa to dance.

Rosa refuses to let Natalia go out with her friends without Alej. She won't lie to Leo saying that lies have a way of being discovered ('la mentira tiene patas cortas,' literally, 'the lie has short legs')

Alej's former girlfriend shows up. She knows he didn't set up her fight with Karla and she tells him that she still loves him. Alej is saved by the Rosa's call summoning him to work.

But when Alej arrives at the house, Natalia is in her jammies and says that she has changed her mind about going out.

Marisa returns from her art opening. Just like years ago, Lucas is fondling Jade's pendant. Fortunately, he doesn't let Marisa see it. Marisa says some nice things to Lucas but he has left the room. She calls David for some consolation sex.

Estela is back in town and looks much better with what is clearly her own hair and without the weird wig. Dora shows her their new place. She says that she will buy stuff little by little so that it will be furnished when Daniel comes home. [And what makes you think that a 20-year old who has lived on his own wants to come back and live with his mama and grandma?] Dora tells Estela that Albieri doesn't know about this place but she did tell him that Daniel was in Miami. She says that Albieri has contacts who can put Daniel's picture in the newspaper or on television. [We know how likely that is to happen.] Estela has a recent picture of Daniel that she is going to put up all over town and find Daniel without Albieri's help.

It appears that Clara's son, Fernando, is going to be an intern (practicante) in Leo's business. Clara gives him a lot of advice on how to behave to which neither he nor Escobar pay the slightest attention, much to Clara's annoyance.

Natalia gets no support from her mother in her campaign to get rid of Alejandro.

Said shows up unannounced at Leo's workplace. Lucas tries to bolt without success. Roberto introduces Said to Lucas and they stare at each other like junkyard dogs.


Jade, meanwhile, wonders where Said is and whether he has seen Lucas. She gets Jadiyah to call him but aside from finding out that Said is in a meeting, she is none the wiser. Lucas is sure that Said was talking to Jade. When Leo finds out that Said's family is in Miami, he invites them to dinner at his house. Said looks at Lucas and says to himself that it was Lucas' fault that Jade never loved him.

Alej tells Rosa about his mother's restaurant and gives her the menu. He doesn't get to finish his lunch before Natalia announces she is leaving.

Rosa asks Marisa's help to organize the dinner for the Moroccan delegation. Marisa suggests a Moroccan dinner. [Why wouldn't you do something typical of the US for these people from Morocco?]

Albieri and Luisa are showing Ali around his lab. Way back when he was in Morocco with Lucas and Diego, Albieri defended the Islamic culture as different but not bad. Now he he all snarky and critical.

Once again, Mohamed announces that their family will be blessed with a visit from Nariza and once again, Latifa is able to contain her excitement at this news.

Said returns to the hotel and tells Jade that they are going to have dinner at the Ferrer house tomorrow. Jade is impactada. Said asks Ali, and Mohamed and his family to go to the dinner as well. Ali looks worried. Jade tells Latifa that she hasn't had to courage to ask Said if he has seen Lucas.

Leo is enchanted with Marisa's preparations for the dinner. Lucas fondles Jade's pendant and says that he has to find a way to get out of going to the dinner.

Natalia escapes from Alej.

Tío Abdul tells Nariza to behave in Miami because she will be setting an example for her nieces and nephews. As usual, Nariza replies that the children have mothers and no one cares about what she wants.

Zamira introduces Jadiyah to reggaetton (the 'baby baby' song we've heard a thousand times). Prince Amin scurries by obviously hiding something. The girls surprise him putting money in his piggy bank (alcancía). 'Caught you! (¡Te pillé!) says Zamira. She says that she knows that he is stealing cards (cartulinas) from their Dad's store and selling them for himself. She says that she will tell Mohamed. Amin says that he will tell that Zamira was dancing to forbidden music and teaching it to Jadiyah.

Alej is sure that he has lost his job but Rosa agrees to cover up for him.

Marisa taunts Lucas about not wanting to go down to the party because of the Arab theme and decorations. Lucas says that he has bigger problems than her party decorations.

The guests arrive. [Why does Alej need to be in the house when obviously Natalia isn't going anywhere?]

Jade arrives at the party. She looks like a giant creamsicle.

Lucas and Jade see each other.


The credits roll.

Labels: clon

Tonight, Sherlyn is "Laura, Confundida" (Laura, confused).

Present: Laura, a goth girl with heavy black eyeliner and a lip ring, sits in the interrogation room with Capellan and says "It's my fault." She claims to be responsible for the deaths of both Miguel and her mother.

Flashback: a man and woman struggle and a gun goes off.

Present: Capellan is confused about Laura's claim to have killed her mother. Laura doesn't clear up the confusion, she just keeps saying it's her fault. Capellan knows Gerardo's behind the two-way glass. She gets up and leaves the room to go talk to him while Laura starts crying, sending a stream of charcoal tears running down her cheek. Gerardo says he doesn't understand and everything is back in the lab, so what's she talking about. Capellan doesn't know, but that's what she needs to find out.

Que emane, says Gloria, like blood from an open wound. Or like the black tears of a goth girl.

Past: Laura's parents are arguing. Dad, Jorge, is played by David Ostrosky, who apparently had a part on ENDA, which I didn't see. Mom, Claudia, is played by Patricia Martinez, who was Maruja in Querida Enemiga (IMDB is wrong about which Patricia Martinez is in this role, but trust me). Claudia is griping at Jorge about having forgiven him before about being with another woman. He makes excuses. It's a "Clauda's lines" "Jorge's lines" situation. Laura gets tired of hearing it and says she'll heat up some dinner. She gives him a kiss and he asks for a "besito de esquimal" (Eskimo kiss). Mom gets in one last barb and then leaves. Laura tells dad she's tired of Mom's griping, always the same story. Dad says that's just the way she is.

Eva, played by Monika Sanchez (who was Mili's mom, Rosario, on Al Diablo Con Los Guapos for about five seconds, and Silvana on Amar sin Limites for way too long) is getting a little girl ready for school. Jorge comes in and is addressed by the moppet as "Daddy" and by Eva as "mi amor." Dad requests an Eskimo kiss before the moppet leaves. Eva walks the kid out the door and Jorge fixes them each a coffee. When Eva comes back in, she asks if his wife's bugging him again. "She says I'm cheating on her! I know I am, but what a I supposed to do about it?" Eva's unsympathetic. She's told him before to leave the cow. "But when I talked about divorce, she said she was going to kill herself!" Eva's take is that people don't threaten suicide, they just do it if they're going to do it. Jorge worries about his daughter, and Eva reminds him he has more than one. His rationale for Eva being mistress instead of wife is that she's stronger, she can take it.

Claudia cleans up the bedroom and starts to go through the pockets of a pair of Jorge's pants. Laura sees her and sits her down on the bed. She asks why Mom treats Dad like she does. "Dad's not cheating on you or lying to you!" But Mom is convinced he has another woman. Laura gives up and leaves.

Present: Capellan asks why Laura feels responsible for her mother's death when she didn't kill her. "Because he cheated on me." "Who? Miguel? What did he have to do with your mother's death?" "Miguel cheated on my mother. Jorge cheated on me. Miguel cheated on my mom. No, no." If that made no sense whatsoever, even after rechecking the names appearing so far in this recap, then yes, you're on the right track.

Flashback: Jorge sits at the dining table in his official home reading a car mag. He and Laura talk about the rough day he had. He's almost about to be able to pay the down payment on a taxi. He shows her a picture. Claudia isn't too excited about that. She'd rather he were a tire store manager like he used to be. Laura explains, for what's probably the millionth time, that when cars don't sell, neither do tires. Laura reminds Jorge that it's her birthday in a month and Jorge teases her about talking economic crises and then asking for presents. Claudia is upset that he won't get his ONLY daughter a present, because she is the ONLY one he has, that she knows of. Laura gets up from the table. Claudia tells Jorge that she married a store manager, not a taxi driver. "And I married a tender, sympathetic woman, not you!"

Jorge and Eva are in bed together. He needs to leave and she tries to wheedle him into staying. Seriously, what does this guy have that either of those women could want? They aren't a bad looking pair of babes and they so could do better than Mr. Part-Time Lover. Jorge says he's got to go or he'll have missed too much work and get fired. He'll be home late, after the moppet is in bed. Eva reminds him she needs money for shoes for the kid and he says he'll give her money, assuming he makes any. Eva rolls her eyes and rolls back in bed at mention of the taxi.

Present: Moran and Aranda are doing their respective things. Gerardo is analyzing the wounds--3 to the lungs, one to the heart. He asks how they're doing and they both try to talk at the same time and then get kind of giggly about it and Gerardo busts in to tell Moran to talk first. The blood from the "desarmador" (screwdriver, and it's the same whether you mean the tool or the drink) matches the victim. Aranda adds that the fingerprints match the accused. Gerardo says the wounds are from a screwdriver, so therefore…. Another "no, you first" match ensues. Gerardo says whenever, he and the young man aren't in a hurry.

Flashback: Claudia reviews an Avon catalog in bed. Jorge joins her and she shows it to him. Jorge is shocked she'd go selling door to door. Claudia says he drives a taxi, so what's the big deal. He starts to tell her, but the phone rings. Laura says she'll answer it, but Jorge gets so freaked out that Claudia freaks out in turn and they both go running into the kitchen. Laura is sitting there, eating some Ben & Jerry's out of the carton. She says it was a wrong number, and Claudia, predictably, freaks out. Laura looks at Jorge and says "It was a wrong number, right dad? Right?" Jorge leaves without answering and Laura cries.

The next morning, Eva admits that she did call. She's tired of him talking about "my house" and "my daughter" when he's got two of each. Jorge hands her some money for Jazmin's shoes. Eva is shocked. "What? How much do shoes cost, anyway?" He shows her his empty wallet. Cry me a frickin' river, dude. He also mentions that Laura's birthday is coming up and he doesn't know what to get her. Like this woman's going to care. She reminds him she needs a watch. "Oh, so now you want a watch?" NEED, she says.

Laura makes plans to see a movie with a friend for her birthday. Jorge comes in and talks to someone on the phone about covering a shift, or rather, not covering a shift. He goes into the kitchen and Laura takes the opportunity to check out a jewelry box that's half sticking out of his bag. It's a watch with a matching necklace and earrings. Laura is thrilled. She puts the box back in his bag.

Present: Capellan looks morosely at the computer as it analyzes fingerprints. Moran sent her the records for the dad. Capellan takes a look. He has an arrest record. According to what I can read, this is Jorge Mendoza Cervantes, Mexican citizen, married, taxi driver, incarcerated 6 of October, sentenced to 18 years for homicide, died 28 of March from pancreatic cancer. And in a couple of weeks when I get my new reading glasses, I might be able to read even more of that, but for now it's enough.

Past: Laura walks down the street and looks in the window of a restaurant. She sees Dad, Eva and Jazmin sitting at a table together, and Dad and Jazmin giving Eskimo kisses. Jorge starts talking to Eva about some opportunity he's really excited about. Laura walks in and stands by the table. Jorge doesn't see her. Laura notices Eva's watch, and Jazmin playing with Jorge's keys. Eva tells her to put the keys down. Jazmin asks "dad" if she can play with them. He finally figures out what Eva's look means and turns around. He, rather stupidly, calls Laura "hija" (daughter) and asks her to sit down with them. She leaves without saying anything.

At home, Laura rips up her dad's car magazines. Claudia comes home and is very confused. Laura tells her she hates her dad. "I saw him!" Claudia wants details. "He has another woman, and he has a daughter." Claudia takes this as a sign that Laura hates her. "He has another daughter. She's younger than me. I saw them together, by chance." Claudia wants more details, but at the same time, she thinks Jorge can't have another daughter, and Laura just hates her and is saying this because she hates her. Laura cries and says she does hate her mother, she hates her dad, she hates them both!

Eva brings Jorge a drink and tells him not to be so upset. Jorge doesn't want to go home, but Eva tells him he has to. "She was going to find out sometime." Eva says she's not going to kill him, she already knew he had another woman. She has no sympathy for him, having been through worse, and had to do it alone. Jorge is worried that Laura saw them. "Both your daughters saw you, Jazmin is just a girl, but Laura is a young woman." And now we find out that Jazmin already knew, because Eva believes in telling her the truth. "I'm not like you, a hypocrite!" Potato, potatoh.

Jorge makes his way quietly into his official house and sits at the dining table, trying to figure out how he's going to talk his way out of this one. Claudia walks in and orders him out of the house. OK, problem solved. But no, Jorge wants to talk. Claudia says for him to get his stuff and get out. But he doesn't want to go. Claudia says he's going, like it or not! He makes her sick! Laura comes in and Claudia tries to send her to her room. The parents hurl all sorts of nasty remarks at each other as Laura keeps watching and crying. Claudia goes into the kitchen and grabs a two-pronged fork. She stabs Jorge in the arm with it and he screams "You're crazy! I'm going to turn you in! You're crazy!" (first crazy "loca", second crazy "desquiciada" which is more like unhinged, out of one's senses) and when Laura comes near him he tells her to go to her room, it's all her fault. Oh, no he didn't! Claudia goes back into the kitchen and comes back out with a gun. Laura is cringing in the doorway, crying and freaking out. Claudia tells Jorge she's going to kill him, and then she'll kill his whore and her daughter. They fight over the gun and Claudia ends up getting shot. Laura freaks out some more and cries over her mom's body.

8 years later: Laura has gone goth. She tells a nice-looking boy it was all her fault. Dad ended up in jail and now she lives with her Tía Olga, so Olga can look after her. This is the soon-to-be-dead Miguel, played by José Luis Reséndez, currently playing David in Tormenta en el Paraiso (which show I'm am SO OVER already, just put it out of its misery) and who will soon be playing some other pretty boy in Camaleones (which will at least have stuff blowing up and therefore will keep Mr. 5ft more interested). Miguel wonders if she ever saw her dad again. She hasn't gone to visit him in jail and hopes someone killed him there. She figures the other daughter visits him. Laura ribs him about acting like a psychologist. "I could use one. Or better yet a psychiatrist. My mom's dead, my dad's in jail, and I'm crazy." She stops freaking out Miguel for a minute to give some guy a box of balls, not a euphemism, so he can play some pool. Miguel tells her he can't go out with her tonight, he's got to work on a car before tomorrow. It's a taxi. Dun, dun, dun. "What are you going to come up with next, that they changed your shift?" He's confused, and makes the mistake of calling her "loquita" (little crazy girl). He takes it back. Laura says she's got to get back to work, but she'll call him tomorrow. He asks for an Eskimo kiss "like you showed me." He can't figure out why she gets upset about this.

(Hey, what's this new show, Tiempo Final? And when are they actually showing it, because I don't see it in my listings. And more importantly, what crack are they smoking over at Uni?)

Miguel works on a car and his buddy, Luis, makes cracks about Laura's mental state. Luis is played by Ramón Valdés, last seen by me as Chamuco on Guapos. The phone rings and Miguel asks him to tell them he's not there, figuring it’s the guy calling about the taxi. Of course, it's actually Laura, but Luis is a dumbass and doesn't figure that out. Miguel also doesn't worry about it and says if it's important they'll call back. They keep working on the car.

Laura paces the living room, talking to herself. Tía Olga comes in, wondering what's up. Laura tells her that that idiot told her he'd be working late on a car and now he's not in the garage. Olga wants her to ease up on this guy. It's only been a month and she's already harassing him. Laura goes off to look for him and Olga just sighs.

Luis is ready to leave and checks with Miguel to make sure it's ok. As he's leaving, he runs into Laura, who asks him if he's being an "alcahuete" (procurer, pimp, i.e., is he covering for his friend). Luis is confused, but leaves anyway. Laura gets after Miguel about Luis telling her he wasn't there. She grabs him by the shirt and says she doesn't like being lied to. He yells back that he's not. When she gets upset he apologizes and suggests she go heat them up some coffee. Near the coffee pot are some car magazines. Laura looks uncomfortable.

Present: Tía Olga tells Capellan that she was right, Laura was getting very paranoid, everything bothered her, she thought everyone was against her. And when Olga gave her the message that Eva called, she accused her of making it up to bother her. Capellan wonders why Eva would call Laura.

Eva tells Capellan she called to tell Laura her dad was dying of cancer. She said Laura "me mando al diablo" (literally, "sent me to hell"; i.e., she blew her off).

Flashback: Laura is cleaning up a pool table when Eva walks in, asking if Laura works there. Laura is shocked to see Eva. It takes Eva a minute to recognize Laura, she's changed so much. "Why would you recognize me? My dad never introduced us." Laura wonders if Eva sees her dad. "Once or twice a month. Your sister, Jazmin, also visits. She's 18 now." Eva tells Laura that her dad is dying from pancreatic cancer. "And? He's finally going to burst. I'm his daughter, I can say what I want. Everyone dies. My mom died. He's dying. You're going to die. And Jazmin." Eva walks out and Laura says to herself "and me. And everyone."

Present: Eva can't believe a child would talk about her father like that. Capellan says no child could believe her father could kill her mother.

Flashback: Miguel and Laura eat burgers. Miguel talks about how he wants to save up money for a really cool garage, which is why he can't take her out for nicer dinners. He notices she's not listening. Laura says maybe she doesn't give a crap what he's talking about. She starts wrecking his place and he calls her an imbecile. She starts running Claudia's lines, and he, without knowing it, starts running Jorge's lines. He grabs her to keep her from hitting him and keeps repeating her name, Laura, until she seems to realize that he's Miguel. She cries and hugs him.

Present: Olga talks to Aranda over coffee. She tells her that Laura was doing strange things, like moving things around for no reason, spying on her while she's on the phone. "Sometimes she calls me aunt, and sometimes she calls me Mom." Olga suspects she's bipolar. Aranda explains that we've gone way beyond "bipolar" here. "Is she…crazy?" Aranda says she's manifesting symptoms of schizophrenia. "Her reality is fragmented." Olga thinks that makes sense.

Flashback: Laura is ripping up magazines in the living room when Olga comes in and asks what she's doing. "I hate him. I hate him! I already forgave him so many times and I'm not going to forgive him again. What do you mean what did he do? You're my sister and you don't know what he did?" Olga reminds Laura "I'm your Aunt Olga. Who are you talking about?" "I'm talking about what Jorge did to me. Jorge my husband. My husband." Olga is freaking out and tells Laura that Jorge is her dad and she's not married. "Jorge my husband, no, I'm with Miguel, Miguel my boyfriend, my husband, Jorge, Jorge's my boyfriend, Jorge's my dad." Laura cries and rocks back and forth as Olga tries to comfort her.

Present: Capellan tells Gerardo that if they can demonstrate that she commited the crime in a state of "enajenación mental" (insanity) that they can have her declared "inimputable" (not responsible). Gerardo thinks that responsible or not, this girl needs to be locked up or get treatment. Capellan wonders about the cause of her schizophrenia. Flashback to the night Claudia died. "She could have inherited it from her mother, but her father didn't help much." Gerardo agrees.

Flashback: Laura is cleaning up at the pool hall when Olga comes in to tell her that Eva called. Her dad is dead. Laura starts to cry, and then kind of laughs. "Of course. I thought the air smelled a little cleaner today." Olga says there will be paperwork now, and she'll go with her if she wants. "I'm not going. As far as I'm concerned, he can rot. Let them bury him, burn him, get rid of him. Let that whore Eva and her daughter go."

Luis is on the phone with his girlfriend. Miguel makes fun of his lovey talk. Luis tries to play it off like she's just some chick, whatever. Miguel claims he broke up with Laura cause she's kind of nuts. "Oh, and she didn't have a problem with that?" Miguel has to fess up. "What am I supposed to do? She gets crazy for any little thing. Last time she almost destroyed the garage. Next time she'll kill me." His cocky smile fades.

Present: Dead!Miguel's body bag is being zipped up. Gerardo tells Aranda and Moran that they can't do anything else, couldn't have been easier. Moran offers to carry the evidence box for Aranda, but she says she can carry it on her own, "Lieutenant." Gerardo summons Moran to give him advice. "What are you playing at? Never mix love and work. You always lose at something, and losing always hurts." Hm, but haven't you ever…? "Do as I say, not as I do." He smiles at the dead guy and keeps zipping.

Laura tells Capellan "If you don't help me, I'm going to end up going crazy!" Capellan says she has a clinical disorder, it's treatable, and she's going to be able to control it. Too bad it's the reason Miguel died, and no matter what she says to the judge, Laura committed a crime and Capellan needs to know how it all went down.

Flashback: Luis tells Miguel that he's going to get some dinner. He agrees to bring back some tacos for Miguel. Laura walks in after Luis leaves and Miguel, hearing the footsteps, thinks it's Luis, back already. Laura says hello and Miguel quickly gets out from under the car he's working on. He offers to get cleaned up so they can go get a coffee. She's upset that he wants to get coffee since she thinks it means he has something to say. She gets on him for the phone always being busy. He tells her that Luis has a girlfriend now and he's always on the phone. She, of course, thinks it's him on the phone. She's seeing his face flash back and forth with her dad's as he says "You're upset because I didn't call you and you're right, but sometimes that's just the way things are." He says maybe it's time for them to break up, because she's "prendida" (lit up, lively, etc.) and he's more "tranquilo" (calm). She grabs a screwdriver and says she'll take the calm out of him.

Present: Capellan asks how she took the calm out of him. "With a screwdriver." Laura kind of laughs and then repeats it. "I had to punish him, for everything he did to me and to my mother, and because I wanted him to be quiet. I wanted them both to be quiet." She keeps repeating that she wanted them both to be quiet.

Flashback: Laura tells him she'll take the calm out of him. "You know how?" She stabs him in the arm. He calls her stupid and crazy and says he'll send her to jail. She tells him she'll send him to jail for killing her mother. "What are you talking about?" She says he killed her mother and stabs him again in the chest. When he collapses onto her, she stabs him a few more times in the back. The bloody butterfly flies away and she stabs him a few more times, just for good measure.

"Laura Mendoza was declared incompetent and completed a sentence of six years in the psychiatric wing of the women's prison. To date she has had two suicide attempts."

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