 |
| Marks posts a letter through Beti's door |
Mark is on his delivery round when he sees a taxi arrive opposite,
 |
| Colin alights from a taxi |
and Colin gets out;
 |
| "Colin!" |
he runs across the road to welcome him home.
 |
| "I thought you weren't out for a few weeks!" |
“I thought you weren’t out for a few weeks,” Mark says,
 |
| "I was released early" |
but it appears that Colin was released early. “I’m sure that Britt and Aaron can’t wait to see you!” Mark tells him.
“They don’t know I’m out – it’s a surprise!” Colin replies, and will see Mark later for a pint. He walks to the flat door,
 |
| Colin searches for his key |
and searches in his plastic bag of belongings for the key.
 |
| Britt has not eaten anything |
Inside, Aaron, who has come home from school at lunchtime to check on his mother, finds that she has not eaten anything; “It’s your favourite – strawberry jam,” but she lies on the sofa and says nothing.
 |
| "He shouldn't be back for weeks" |
All of a sudden they are surprised by the arrival of Colin, who shouts, “Surprise!” and Britt mutters that he should not be back for weeks.
 |
| "Aren't you pleased to see me?" |
“The sentence was shortened – they proved that Craig was responsible for the fight – aren’t you pleased to see me?”
 |
| Britt does not seem to be taking it in |
Britt wears her usual vacant expression, and Aaron says that it is a bit of a shock;
 |
| "Why didn't you say you were coming home?" |
“Why didn’t you say you were coming home?” Colin replies that he only found out himself the other day, and he wanted to surprise them.
“What are you doing home from school, anyway?” Colin asks, and Aaron says that he came home at lunchtime to check on Mam; he alleges that she has a cold.
 |
| "I shall be able to look after you now!" |
Colin is so pleased to see them again, and will be able to look after them now.
 |
| "Going to the toilet without asking permission!" |
“Well, I’ve been looking forward to going to the toilet without having to ask permission for weeks!” he exclaims, and when he goes, Britt hopes that things will not have to change now, and that they do not have to be different.
 |
| "Everything will be fine, Mam" |
Aaron tries to assure her that everything will be fine, but she does not look confident of this.
 |
| "It's not too late to change your mind" |
At Maes-y-Deri, Debbie has another go at Ricky; “It’s not too late for you to change your mind again – I’m sure they’ll let you change back to Law.”
Ricky wonders how many more times he has to say it;
 |
| "I'm doing nursing!" |
“I’ve been accepted on the nursing course, and that’s what I’m doing!” She reminds him that she used to be a carer and it it knows how hard it is. “I know all this – do you think Law’s that easy?” he demands.
She points out that at least solicitors are paid good money,
 |
| "Money and status – is that what you want?" |
and he tells her, “You’re a snob! Money and status – is that what you want me to have? I’m not interested – I want to be a nurse, that’s what will make me happy.”
 |
| "He is passionate about this" |
Kath has come in and emphasises that Ricky is passionate about this, but Debbie describes it as being stubborn.
 |
| "Colin's home!" |
Mark arrives; “You’ll never guess who’s home – Colin! He got released early – I’m going to organise ‘Welcome Home’ drinks in the Deri later, and I’d like us to go as a family, to show our support.”
 |
| "You couldn't show the same support for your son!" |
“Yes – but it’s a shame you couldn’t show the same support for your son!” complains Ricky;
Kath thinks a drink in the Deri will do them all some good.
 |
| "Have you been starving this boy?" |
Aaron is hungrily eating his lunch, and Colin enquires, “Have you been starving this boy while I’ve been away?” Britt, who has by now got herself dressed, is rather flustered, so Aaron points out that Colin was only joking. She reports that she feels a bit better after having a shower, and Colin will make a cup of tea.
 |
| "Don't you know how dangerous this is?" |
However, he discovers an exposed electrical cable on the kettle; “Don’t you know how dangerous cables are?” he demands,
 |
| "It works fine with a bit of tape over it" |
and Aaron replies that it works fine with a piece of tape over it.
 |
| Colin is increasingly concerned |
Britt comes to the conclusion that he ought to go back to school, and Colin is becoming extremely concerned about Britt; “You tried to repair the kettle, did you? You could have asked Garry to have a look at it.”
 |
| "It must have slipped my mind" |
She replies that it probably slipped her mind, and Colin decides they can boil water on the stove for now;
 |
| "Just like Mam-gu Mwnt used to do" |
“Just like Mam-gu Mwnt used to do.”
 |
| Hywel finds it difficult to negotiate the stairs |
Hywel makes his ponderous way downstairs, assisted by a walking stick,
 |
| Rhys can see that his father is getting worse |
and Rhys can see that the knee is getting worse. “I don’t think that run last week helped,” his father complains.
 |
| "Something for your lunch, Hywel" |
Just then, Ffion arrives with something for Hywel’s lunch.
 |
| "How did you get in?" |
Rhys wonders, “How did you get in?” and is told that Hywel gave her a key in case of emergency;
 |
| "You're going to see a doctor!' |
she decides that he needs to see a doctor, and will take no notice of his protests. “I’m going to ring the surgery now!” she insists.
 |
| "You're fussing like you were married!" |
She and Rhys go into the kitchen, where he informs her, “I told you last week to stay away – the way you’re fussing is like you’re married!”
 |
| "Friends help each other, Rhys" |
She tells him not to be silly, pointing out that friends help each other, adding that Rhys knows perfectly well who she wants.
 |
| "Just seeing you makes me feel guilty" |
“Just seeing you makes me feel guilty,” he admits, “It’s rubbing salt into the wound for Dad. He was shaken last week, so for everyone’s sake, just stay away!
 |
| Ffion does not appreciate his instructions |
“I’ll phone the doctor.”
 |
| "Everybody's at each other's throats" |
Kath goes into the café, where Ricky is looking dejected; “I just wanted to check you’re all right – everybody’s at each other’s throats at home,” she says,
 |
| "Thats why I'm glad to come to work" |
and he welcomes the chance to come to work in the café. “Just remember, they only want what’s best for you,” Kath reminds him,
 |
| "You Mam sees you as a high-flying solicitor" |
“Your mother sees you as some high-flying solicitor with a posh car and briefcase.”
“Well, that’s her problem – the more stubborn she gets, the more I know I’m right!” Ricky replies, “But it still hurts, you know – it’s like they’re not accepting me.”
 |
| "Are they coming to Cwmderi?" |
Kath picks up a card from the counter; “Isn’t this is the group you enjoyed watching in Cardiff?” she asks, “Are they coming to Cwmderi? If they’re that good, I’d like to see them.” Ricky is quite willing to get some tickets, but then she adds, “And Mark and Debbie? Come on, they’d love it!”
 |
| "No chance, Gran!" |
Ricky is dead against this idea.
 |
| "How have you coped on your own?" |
Colin brings a Britt a cup of tea; “Tell me, how have things been since I’ve been away? You and Aaron, have you coped on your own?” Britt says nothing in reply,
 |
| "Aaron's been helping round the house" |
so he goes on, “Aaron seems to have been helping around the house, cooking, doing the washing.”
 |
| "We've been great" |
She finally simpers that they have been great, and he confesses that he has been very worried about her;
 |
| "How are you getting on with the new tablets?" |
“How are you getting on with the new tablets?” She says that they are also great,
 |
| Aaron is back from school |
and then Aaron returns from school.
“Now then, I’m going to treat us all to a takeaway – anything you want!”
Aaron looks concerned about this,
 |
| Colin looks in the drawer . . . |
and Colin goes to find the takeaway menus, but finds in the same drawer a pile of unpaid bills.
 |
| . . . and finds unpaid bills |
“Good grief!” he exclaims, “What are all these? This was sent weeks ago!”
 |
| "I didn't want Mam to worry about them" |
Aaron admits that he put them there, as he did not want his mother to worry about them. Britt says that he was doing what he thought was the right thing.
 |
| "You have to face your problems" |
“You have to face your problems, not stuff them in the back of a drawer,” Colin warns them, and Britt jumps up and runs to her bedroom.
 |
| "How long has she been like this?" |
“How long has she been like this?” Colin demands, and Aaron replies that it is only since he came home.
 |
| "Now you're home, you've spoiled everything" |
He continues, “Everything was fine with just her and me – now you’re home, you’ve spoilt everything. Thanks, Col!”
 |
| "Colin – welcome back!" |
As Garry is getting out champagne bottles from the fridge in the Deri flat, Colin walks in; Garry gives him a hug to welcome him home, and asks if it is nice to be back.
 |
| "Has everything been all right, Garry?" |
“Can I have a word with you about Britt and Aaron?” Colin says, “Has everything been all right, Garry? I get the impression that Britt has found things hard in the flat.”
 |
| "They haven't said anything" |
Garry replies that they have not said anything;
 |
| "You have been keeping an eye on them, haven't you?" |
“You have been keeping an eye on them, haven’t you?” Colin goes on,
 |
| "I didn't want to interfere too much" |
and is told that Garry did not want to interfere too much.
“You told me you would look after them – you gave your word!”
 |
| "We invited them for dinner once a week" |
Garry protests that he has done that, helping Britt to see the doctor, making sure they had money, and inviting them for dinner once a week.
 |
| Colin is incredulous |
“Dinner once a week? Aaron was home when I arrived, to help his mother in his lunchbreak – there are a pile of unpaid bills – Sellotape holding cables together!
 |
| "It's chaos over there!" |
“It’s chaos over there!”
|
| "Well, I didn't know about it" |
Garry confesses that he did not know about it,
 |
| "You couldn't sense it from across the road!" |
and Colin rages, “I could sense from jail that things were not right – but you couldn’t sense it from across the road!”
 |
| "What's going on here?" |
Dani comes upstairs and wants to know what is going on.
 |
| "Aaron knew I was here for them" |
“I made it perfectly clear to Aaron that I was here for them,” Garry insists,
 |
| "Stuff your champagne and your pathetic excuses" |
but Colin tells him he can stuff his champagne and his pathetic excuses.
“You’ve let me down, Garry, you both have! You’ve neglected Britt and Aaron for weeks!
 |
| "You should be ashamed of yourself!" |
“You should be ashamed of yourself!” Garry looks extremely shamefaced.
 |
| Ricky arrives at the Deri |
Downstairs at the bar, Ricky joins his parents, but emphasises that he is only there to see Colin, not them.
 |
| Kath is more interested in the free champagne |
Kath demands, “Where’s the ex-con – and more important, where’s the champagne Dani promised?”
 |
| "I just want to put it behind me, Mark" |
Colin comes downstairs, looking angry, and acknowledges the applause; he tells Mark that he just wants to put the whole experience behind him, and is sure that Mark will understand that.
 |
| "Thank you for coming" |
He thanks them all for turning up, then immediately walks out, which everyone finds strange.
 |
| Another mystery phone call |
Debbie receives a phone call at the bar, but says she cannot talk at the moment, and will phone back later.
 |
| "What's all this food?" |
When Colin gets back to the chippy flat,
 |
| Britt has obviously gone overboard |
he finds that Britt has already got an enormous amount of takeaway food; “You’ve got a lot of food here,” he says.
 |
| "You haven't eaten properly for months" |
She maintains that she wanted to give him a proper welcome; “You haven’t eaten properly for months!” she tells him, “Don’t just look at it – dig in!” Colin can see that there is too much, but as Britt is exhibiting signs of panicking again, he assures her that it is lovely.
 |
| "Things are bound to improve" |
In the Deri, Kath tells Ricky not to worry, as things are bound to improve;
 |
| "Well, they can't get much worse!" |
he remarks, “They can’t get much worse!” His Gran advises him that if he is going to be a nurse, he will come across people who are much more stubborn than his parents, day and night. He looks sceptical of this.
 |
| Kath explains her plan |
She goes on, “Why don’t you practise being more patient? Start by asking them – persuading them – to come to this gig. No shouting – just ask them nicely.”
 |
| "Did you see the doctor?" |
Ffion comes in, and finds that Hywel has managed to hobble as far as the Deri; she asks him, “Did you see the doctor?”
 |
| "I'm waiting for the specialist" |
and is told that he is waiting to hear what the specialist has to say tomorrow. In the meantime, Rhys has offered to be his personal physio,
 |
| "It could be weeks before a referral" |
as he could be waiting for weeks for a referral.
“This knee business has been painful, but I have had a lot of support, and it has brought Rhys and me closer together,” declares Hywel.
 |
| "You weren't to know things were that bad" |
Dani tries to console Garry; “You weren’t to know things were as bad as they were,” but he realises he should have called there more often, to make sure they were all right.
 |
| "They looked as if they were coping" |
“They looked as if they were coping, Garry, as if everything was fine,” she continues,
 |
| "Things are far from being fine" |
but he knows that things are far from being fine.
 |
| "My job was to make sure they were all right" |
“They couldn’t afford to pay the bills – Aaron had to come home from school to check on his mother!” Garry growls, “My job was to make sure they were all right – it was my responsibility – and what did I do? I stayed away – gave them some space.
 |
| "I can't believe that Britt and I have grown apart" |
“I can’t believe Britt and I have grown apart.”
 |
| "Perhaps she didn't want you to know" |
Dani suggests that perhaps Britt did not want him to know how things were,
 |
| "Things are going to change now!" |
and Garry is determined, “From now on, I’m going to make sure I’m there for her! I’ll go and see her tomorrow – she won’t have any choice!”
It is late, but Britt is working on the laptop;
 |
| "You should go to bed, Britt" |
Colin tells her that she should go to bed, but, after initially ignoring him,
 |
| "I need to finish this order" |
she announces, “I need to finish this order – the chip shop needs more stock!”
He tells her she can do that in the morning,
 |
| "I've got loads to do in the morning" |
but she maintains that she has had loads to do in the morning; “Get Aaron ready for school, clean, sort the bins out!” Colin will help her with that, but she tells him to be quiet;
 |
| "I'm trying to concentrate here!" |
“I’m trying to concentrate here!” she snarls.
 |
| "I can't sleep" |
Aaron comes in, unable to sleep, and Colin takes him into the kitchen;
 |
| "She'll fall asleep in the end" |
“This is what she’s like sometimes,” Aaron sighs, “Just leave her alone – she’ll fall asleep in the end.”
 |
| "She can't sleep on the sofa" |
Colin will not allow Britt to sleep on the sofa, but Aaron wonders, “Why not? This sometimes happens – I always check she’s OK, and put a blanket over her.
 |
| "I am trying my best, you know" |
“I am trying my best, you know – I do everything I can.”
 |
| "You've had to cope with far more than you should" |
Colin makes it quite clear, “You’ve had to cope with more than any child your age should. I suspected things weren’t right here – that’s why I turned up without telling you –
 |
| "I had no idea things were this bad!" |
“but I had no idea that things were this bad!”
Aaron thinks that it is his fault, but Colin assures him he is not to blame;
 |
| "Mam hasn't been taking her tablets for weeks" |
“You don’t understand – Mam hasn’t been taking her tablets for weeks, Col, and no-one knows. That’s why Mam’s like this – because of me!”
 |
| "This is not your fault, Aaron" |
Colin sternly emphasises, “This is not your fault – understand?”
 |
| Colin hugs him |
and gives him a supportive hug.
