Warning: there are plenty of spoilers about the Spanish drama Velvet ahead.
Ross and Rachel of the Week: Clara and Pedro
Spanish Culture Clue: 9:30 for dinner? Who does that?
Language Point: The Spanish word for “first aid kit” is “botiquín de primeros auxilios”, shortened to “botiquín”.
Gloria gives Don Emelio an envelope of cash, which he passes on to Mysterious Stranger. Don Emelio asks the stranger how “she” is doing; stranger says, “some things never change”, then tells Don Emelio not to threaten him.
Gloria gives Patricia a hard time about having a job, but Patricia doesn’t take the bait.
In the workroom, Pedro is trying to pull in a soccer game over the radio. He tells Rita how frustrated he is by Clara, who walks in just then. Pedro leaves, and then Clara tells Rita that she and Mateo kissed. Rita yells at her and the two sisters end up annoyed at each other.
On the sales floor, Mateo and Alberto discuss Raul de la Riva’s visit. Alberto sees Ana and rips a button off his suit so that he has an excuse to visit her in the workroom. He tells Ana not to worry because the wedding will not happen.
Raul de la Riva arrives. He is not impressed with the store’s merchandise, calling it “outmoded fashion for old ladies.”
We go back to the workroom. Doña Blanca assigns Rita to work with Raul. Ana, of course, tags along the meeting with Raul and Rita. They discuss the state of fashion relative to the store. Rita has never made an A-line dress because the store’s customers don’t want them. Ana is a fan of Balenciaga but Velvet customers do not want that look.
Then, the story moves to the office, where Cristina waits – it turns out that she and Raul are old friends. Poor Alberto, this woman is just not as terrible as he wants her to be.
Raul, Alberto, and Mateo cut a deal. Raul will take half of the sales of his line plus a percentage of the future profits. In exchange, he gets creative freedom, which is irresistible to a designer. It’s a great plan, but a bit costly for Alberto.
Back in the workroom, Cristina and Ana are talking about wedding dresses. Alberto shows up to say that he can’t afford Raul’s fee, and Cristina offers to ask her father, which makes Alberto mad. Then the phone rings, and Luisa answers. Her husband is getting his treatment thanks to the generosity of Don Francisco. How wonderful!
Then we cut to Marquez Manor, where Gloria tells Gerardo that she is so impressed that he is backing such a risk with Raul de la Riva, what with the theft from the store and all. What? A theft? Gloria is just so sorry to have to tell him and puts her hands on Gerardo’s thighs for emphasis. Gerardo then races back to the store to confront Alberto and demand a greater role in store management.
The mail arrives, with a new transistor radio for Pedro, courtesy of Rita. Pedro is so happy! Someone needs to sit Rita down and give her a little talking-to.
Don Francisco oozes back into the store. Luisa thanks him for the help wit the medical bills, and he glides over to her. She says that he has misunderstood; he says that she has misunderstood, because he expects to be thanked. Oops.
Back in the office, Cristina tries to cheer up Alberto, who remains unhappy about the agreement with Raul. “Oh, I’ll call my father!” she says, and they get into a big fight, with Cristina leaving in a huff. What does she see in Alberto? I mean, he’s easy on the eyes, but that’s about it. And his response to his fight with Cristina is to go meet Ana on the roof. Ana tells him not to blame Cristina, and that the whole situation is all wrong. Alberto promises to fix things with Cristina. These women are both too good for him.
Carmen sees Doña Blanca and complains that Devastatingly Handsome Maximiliano won’t even look at her. Doña Blanca tells her not to worry, she will find someone else. I just think it’s nice that neither of them is interested in Alberto.
Clara is changing her clothes when Pedro walks in and says he’s taking her someplace special – the private room at Pausa, their usual bar. Clara is not happy. She orders two martinis and tells Pedro to get another two for himself. A soccer game comes on the radio, and Clara leaves.
Cristina and Alberto go to a club, when Patricia shows up and sees them together. She then returns to Marquez Manor to tell Gloria this news, and much unhappiness ensues. I’m trying to figure out if all these quick cuts for quick details is dragging the story down or the only thing that keeps it moving.
Alberto does the logical thing after a night at the club. He goes back to the store to meet Ana. She has been doing research and found out that de la Riva’s collection from two years ago was knocked by all the critics, but now styles have moved in his direction. She suggests that Velvet introduce that line and pay de la Riva a reduced rate.
Down in the dorms, Devastatingly Handsome Maximiliano is looking for the first aid kit and awakens Doña Blanca. He has been in a fight; he had debts. She cleans him up and he says that she is acting like a real mother.
Then it’s morning and everyone is getting ready for work. Pedro tells Rita how disappointed he is with Clara. Clara, meanwhile, gets on the elevator with Mateo and they flirt shamelessly. He then asks her to make dinner reservations for two at Alcalá at 9:30.
Patricia, meanwhile, welcomes Raul de la Riva to the store and tells him that she is a management trainee. She also says that her job is helping with the company’s financial crisis, you know, all offhand like.
Up in the office, Raul and Alberto discuss the designs, and Raul asks about the store’s financial situation. Raul leaves in a huff. He passes Cristina in the waiting room, who asks him to dinner at Marquez Manor that evening.
Cristina then goes to the workroom and asks Ana to join her. They are going to Marquez Manor, where Cristina takes charge of the arrangements for the evening and asks Ana to help her alter one of de la Riva’s dresses from last season.
Back at Velvet, Pedro goes to the office to apologize to Clara and asks her to dinner. She refuses, as she has a date. Or so she thinks. Mateo gets off the elevator with una chica guapa and introduces her to Clara, who made their dinner reservation.
Clara goes down to the dorm, crying, and sees flowers from Pedro. He goes to his room and asks him why he loves her. “Because I just feel it,” he says, and his love is finally requited when she takes him to bed.
Back at Marquez Manor, Alberto tells Ana that everything must go right at the dinner party. And then he kisses her, as Patricia walks in, showing exactly the judgement that earned him the business. Well, that, and being a first-born penis haver. Raul arrives downstairs and Cristina asks Ana to join them at dinner because, after all, de la Riva is her favorite designer. Dinner has much lively banter, and Cristina convinces Raul to take the offer. If only she had been a first-born penis haver!
Doña Blanca sees Devastatingly Handsome Maximiliano and gives him money to settle his debts. Outside, he sees his buddy, and that is when we learn that Devastatingly Handsome Maximiliano is pulling a scam.
The remaining members of the Velvet staff are hanging out at Pausa. Don Francisco oozes in and gives Luisa the card for a cheap hotel, telling her that he expects her to show up.
And then, the episode is over.
