23 January 2019

Jim and Eileen arrive at the French hospital

Jim and Eileen enter the Jean Trezeguet Hospital in France;  

The nurse does not speak English

the first nurse they encounter does not speak English, but takes them to the reception desk.   

"I thought everyone here would speak English"

“I thought everyone would speak English here,” says Jim, but is reminded that this is France.

Gwyneth is not doing very well

Gwyneth appears to be in a lot of pain as she lies on the sofa;  she moans that Megan took her time, and complains that she does not feel well at all.    

"I've got a terrible pain here!"

“I’ve got a terrible pain here, where the scar is.”   

"These things take time to heal"

Megan is unsympathetic, pointing out that these things take time to heal, but Gwyneth is sure that it does not feel right.

“I’ve tried to phone the surgery, but I can’t get through – can you try for me please?” 

"I'm on my way to a meeting"

she whines, but Megan replies that she is on her way to a meeting, and will phone them later.

"Can you make an appointment for me?"

Gwyneth goes on, “Could you call in and make an appointment for me, then?   I need more tablets!   The doctor said they were supposed to last for a fortnight.”   

"Why don't you lie down on the bed?"

Megan suggests that she goes and lies down on the bed, where she will be much more comfortable.

Megan hurries out

Gwyneth asks if she can help with the bed sheets, but Megan is already on her way out of the door.

Dr Dupont speaks to them in English . . .

As they wait at the hospital, Jim says they will need to find a hotel for the night, then a doctor approaches;  Jim introduces himself, “Je suis Jim,” and is pleased to hear that Dr Dupont speaks English.

. . . and explains Sioned's injuries

“I don’t know how much you’ve been told – your daughter suffered a depressed fractured skull,” the doctor informs them, “If she had not been wearing a helmet, her injuries would have been a lot worse.   The procedure went well, with no complications, 

"She remains in a critical condition"

“but she remains in a – how do you say it? – critical condition.   A nurse will take you now to see her.”

Gwyneth is not feeling any better . . .

In bed, Gwyneth is feeling no better 

. . . and has no more painkillers

and reaches for a bottle of tablets, which she finds is empty;  

She reaches for her phone . . .

then she struggles to the other side of the bed to get her phone.   

. . . to summon Megan . . .

She dials Megan’s number, 07902-926799.

. . . but is ignored

Megan is at that moment in the café;  when she sees who is calling, she replaces the phone in her bag, 

Gwyneth's painkillers are in Megan's bag

alongside a bottle of tablets, bearing Gwyneth’s name.   Hywel has been meeting with someone, who is just leaving, 

"What does he want to dump down your hole?   Nuclear waste?"

and Kelly asks, “What does he want to dump down your hole?   Nuclear waste?”

"I was in favour, when Jim was in charge!"

Hywel was under the impression she was in favour of it, but she comments, “I was, when Jim was in charge.”   

"Reg would be delighted there is new life there"

Megan interrupts to say that Reg would be delighted that there is new life in that place, and 

"But you'll need planning permission"

Ed reminds him that he will need planning permission, which Hywel does not envisage being a problem.

“We’ll see!” Ed warns him, 

DJ is more concerned about Sioned's condition

and Kelly asks DJ where he stands on the matter;  he does not know, but is more concerned about Sioned at the moment, wondering if anyone knows how she is.   

"Angela hasn't heard anything"

Hywel reveals that Angela has been trying to contact Jim and Eileen, but she has not heard anything.

Megan is sure that Eileen must be worried sick, and hopes that they can come home soon;  Kelly appears to be less eager for that to happen.   Then she remarks that she has not seen Gwyneth for ages, and Megan replies that she is fine, adding, 

"Sioned is the one who should be in our prayers"

“Sioned is the one who should be in our prayers,” 

Kelly grimaces at the very suggestion

but Kelly turns up her nose at the suggestion.

"I want to know how Sioned is!"

Angela is leaving another message, and tearfully says, “I want to know how Sioned is!   Please just answer the phone, I beg you!”   

"Well, at least Megan supports us"

Hywel comes in, reporting that Megan is supportive of the venture, but then, she understands business.   Then he notices that Angela is crying.

"A useless lowlife – that's me!"

“No-one is prepared to tell me anything,” she snivels, “A useless lowlife – that’s me!   I really thought Mam was going to give me another chance, but she was just using me to get information from the hospital.”   

Hywel gives her a comforting hug

Hywel gives her a comforting hug, as he can see that she is definitely not all right, as she maintains.

"I'm just so fed up"

She sighs, “I’m just so fed up – I’d like to be able to forget about everything for five minutes – and not have to worry.   Is that too much to ask?”   

And inevitably, one thing . . .

She turns, looks Hywel in the face, and kisses him;  

. . . leads to another

he makes no attempt to resist.

Gwyneth staggers into the street . . .

Gwyneth has struggled down the stairs from the flat and goes out into the street;  

. . . and is noticed by Kelly . . .

Kelly comes out of the shop, carrying two bottles of milk, but puts them down when she sees Gwyneth about to collapse.   She calls to DJ for assistance;  

. . . who stops her subsiding to the pavement

“You’re all right – we’ll take you back to the flat,” she tells Gwyneth.   

Megan watches from a safe distance

Megan is watching from inside the café, but makes no attempt to help.

A frightening sight greets them

In the French hospital, Jim and Eileen are led to Sioned’s bedside;  

The unconscious Sioned 

she is swathed with bandages, and is still unconscious.   

"You have to try to be strong, for Sioned's sake"

“You have to try to be strong, for Sioned’s sake,” Jim tells Eileen, and she goes closer to the bed.

"This is Mami – we're all here for you"

“Sioned, I don’t know if you can hear me, but this is Mami – we’re all here for you.   

"All we can do is wait"

By the door, Jim tells Dr Dupont, “You can be honest with me – how likely is she to make a full recovery?”   The doctor informs him that she cannot make a prognosis until his daughter wakes up, and all they can do is to wait.   

Eileen strokes Sioned's cheek

Eileen strokes Sioned’s cheek.

"Megan said you were getting better"

In the salon flat, Gwyneth has been given a glass of water, and Kelly is surprised that Megan said she was getting better.   “I’ve been terribly ill!” Gwyneth insists.   

"My phone battery is flat"

When Megan comes in they tell her that Gwyneth was outside and had nearly collapsed.   “I tried to phone you!” she complains, and Megan lies that her battery was flat.   

Megan has just 'found' the tablets

“I need something for the pain – it’s getting worse!” Gwyneth shrieks, and Megan produces the tablets, which she says she has just found;  they must have fallen into her bag somehow.

"I've been so busy, you know!"

“I’m sorry, I didn’t get to the surgery – I’ve been so busy, you know,” Megan continues, as Gwyneth takes some tablets, 

"Drinking coffee and chatting!"

with Kelly muttering to DJ that Megan was drinking coffee and chatting.

"I expect you want to get back to the café"

Megan is sure that Kelly will have to go back to the café now, and she will contact the surgery;  “What Gwyneth needs now is peace and quiet.   “I’m sure you’ll feel better after taking those painkillers.”

She obviously does not feel very clever at the moment

Gwyneth is frightened of the vindictive side of Megan which she has witnessed.

Any guesses what 'Casanova' Llywelyn has been doing?

Hywel comes downstairs, and we are left in no doubt as to what has happened;  he appears to be feeling regretful, 

A photo of him and Sheryl

and notices the photo of himself and Sheryl as he picks up his keys.

Presumably that is Hywel's dressing gown

Angela appears, in a dressing gown, and volunteers to pick up Esther;  he insists that he is going now.   

"I made a move too soon, didn't I?"

“I made a move too soon, didn’t I – after you lost Sheryl?” she says, 

"I'm late – I must go!"

but he denies this, and cannot get out of the house quickly enough.   

Another failure

Angela feels that she has messed up again.

Eileen tells Sioned about the christening

Eileen talks to Sioned, “Do you know what Dani said?   She doesn’t like plain flowers!   She was being awkward for the sake of being awkward – but, apart from that, we had a lovely day.   Huwi looked beautiful – you can see the photos when you’re better.”

"The insurance will cover it"

Jim comes back in, reporting that Eifion has found the insurance details;  “She did have winter sports cover, so the medical costs will be paid.”   Eileen remarks that Sioned is always so organised, and Jim will take the details to reception now, as well looking for a hotel.   

"Jim – I saw her eyes move!"

Eileen is quite adamant that she does not want to leave Sioned.   Then she notices Sioned’s eyes move, and insists that Jim go and get someone.

We just missed seeing Elgan's replacement

The doctor has been to see Gwyneth, and given her a prescription;  she is looking very stern 

"Well, there's no infection"

as Megan points out that there is no infection.   Gwyneth has to take antibiotics to avoid the possibility;  “The metal wire they use to sew the sternum back together was causing the pain.”

Megan comments that it is good news, 

"If you call the worst pain I've ever felt – good news!"

but Gwyneth snarls, “If you call the worst pain I’ve ever felt – good news!   Why did you tell Kelly I was all right?”   

"Kelly must have misunderstood"

Megan answers that she must have misunderstood, as she was busy in the café.

“You found those tablets all of a sudden!   I’d been looking for those since last week!” Gwyneth goes on, 

"Better get to the chemist's before they close"

and Megan says she will go to the chemist’s before they close.   “Are you going to bring the tablets back – or are they going to disappear in your bag as well?” Gwyneth demands, “Why can’t you look me in the eye, Megan?   Your behaviour is typical of someone who is guilty!”

"You're a fine one to talk!"

“You’re a fine one to talk,” Megan replies, picking up the drone and its controller from the sideboard, 

"I'm well aware you gave these to Gwern"

“I’m well aware that you gave these to Gwern – Garry told me.   Don’t deny it – I can see the guilt in your eyes!”

"Are you punishing me over a toy?"

“Just like I see it in your eyes!” Gwyneth growls, “Are you punishing me over a toy?”   

"You deprived an ill boy of his Christmas present!"

Megan points out that she deprived and ill young boy of his Christmas present– it’s disgraceful!”

"Megan, you could have killed me!"

“Megan, you could have killed me!” Gwyneth protests, and without a further word, Megan picks up her bag and leaves the flat.

"Eileen, let the doctor do her job"

Sioned is checked by the staff in the hospital, and Huwi is taken away by one of the nurses;  Eileen is eager to know if Sioned is waking up.   “I’ve reduced her sedation to help the process,” the doctor informs them, 

"You must both try to be patient"

“But she is not showing any signs of waking up yet.   It will take time.   The movement of her eyes was probably just a reflex action, not a sign of regaining consciousness.”   She urges them both to try to be patient.

"She's not going to recover  – I know she's not!"

“She’s not going to recover – I know she’s not!” panics Eileen, “She’s been in a coma for two days – she’s not getting any better.”   Jim does his best to calm her.

Megan has bought some goodies

When Megan returns to the flat, she has bought chocolates and a fruit drink, as well as the antibiotics, as she thought some sugar would do Gwyneth good.   

"I want you to take this to the hospital!"

“I want you to take the drone to the hospital – I doubt that Gwern will miss it – he hasn’t played with it much since the holiday,” says Gwyneth,    

"I feel so ashamed!"

“I feel so ashamed!”

Megan comments that nobody is perfect, and hands over the antibiotics;  

"You'll have to start taking the tablets"

“If you want to get better, you’ll have to start taking the tablets.

"Esther was tired out"

Angela is in the kitchen, and Hywel has just put Esther to bed;  Angela says that she is so sorry for kissing him.   

"I'll move out, if you want"

She will move out if he wants her to, but he insists that is not necessary.

"Stop this, Angela!"

“Just stop this,” he says, “I should apologise to you, for behaving like that after . . . you know.   I never thought I could get over Sheryl.   The last time I was with someone, my head was all over the place, but the truth is I missed her terribly.   

"I wanted you – I still want you!"

“But today it was different – I wanted you – I still want you!   That’s why my behaviour towards you was strange earlier.”

"What are you trying to say?"

“So what are you trying to say?” she enquires, and he does not know, 

"I think I'm starting to move on"

but thinks he might be starting to move on;  

Just as she had hoped

Angela smiles.

"Why did we have to argue so much?"

In the hospital, Jim reports that Huwi is fast asleep, as they sit by the bedside;  Why did we have to argue so much?” Eileen wonders, “All those arguments – I should have made more of an effort.”   Jim insists that no-one made more of an effort than she did.   

"I can't lose another child, Jim!"

“I can’t lose another child, Jim!” she sobs, “It’s not fair that this is happening to our family again!   Why did she have to go skiing?”

Sioned's finger moves . . .

Suddenly she detects that Sioned’s finger is moving, and holds her hand while Jim goes to find a doctor;  

. . . and her eyes open

Sioned’s eyes open, 

"Oh, Sioned!"

and Eileen dissolves into tears, saying, “Oh, Sioned!”