13 August 2019

Debbie appears very dejected

Debbie is looking rather dejected and asks her mother-in-law how long she should leave the get well cards on the sideboard.   

"Until he gets better, I suppose"

“Well, until he gets better, I suppose,” replies Kath.   Debbie seems to have doubts whether Ricky will get better.

"Why don't you take some time to yourself?"

“Listen, why don’t you take some time to yourself this morning?” Kath suggests, “You’re back and forth to that hospital nonstop – go for a cup of tea somewhere.   I’m going to Penrhewl to see whether Eileen will let me take more time off – but I don’t know if I can afford more time off.”

"I'm sorry, Kath!"

“I'm sorry, Kath!” Debbie tells her, but Kath points out that it is not her fault, 

"You just have to chill"

and advises that she should chill.   

Debbie has a lot on her mind

Something is obviously weighing heavily upon Debbie’s mind.

"Erin Medi is going to sell the salon!"

At number 9, as Cassie asks if Gwyneth wants cream with her scrambled egg, she exclaims, “Oh no!   Erin Medi is going to sell the salon!   

"What am I going to do now?"

“What am I going to do now?”   

"You could buy it"

Cassie answers that there is nothing she can do if Erin is going to sell, unless Gwyneth wants to buy it.

“With what?   I haven’t got a penny!” Gwyneth squeals, 

"A creative woman like you will find a way"

but Cassie maintains that a creative woman like her will find a way.

At Penrhewl, they are freezer-moving

In one of the barns at Penrhewl, Jim and Eifion are manhandling large freezer into place, but Eifion wonders if this is a suitable place to keep icecream.   Jim replies that the customers will not see it, 

"This place smells like . . ."

and Eifion disparagingly comments that the place smells like . . . but before he can finish his sentence, Jim interjects, “Bleach!   In a minute or two, at least.”

Then Eifion raises another problem;  “There’s no electricity!” 

"A real Job's comforter, you are!"

and Jim describes him as a real Job’s comforter, indicating an old electricity supply on the wall.   Eifion is not hopeful of getting any power from that.

"If the Egyptians had as much faith as you, there wouldn't be any pyramids!"

“If the Egyptians had as much faith as you, there wouldn’t be any pyramids!” Jim grumbles, “Fetch my tools!” as he inspects the double socket.

"Is Eileen around?"

Eifion meets Kath in the doorway, who asks if Eileen is around.   

"Get some soap and water, and a scrubbing brush!"

Jim instructs her to go and fetch some soap and water and a scrubbing brush;  “We’re doubling the icecream production because of the demand – come on, hurry up – I’ve got a lot to do today with Eileen out and Sioned away.” 

"I'm a lot better, Jim, thanks for asking!"

Kath is not impressed by his attitude;  “I’m a lot better, Jim, thanks for asking – it’s a shame I can’t say the same about Ricky, isn’t it?”

Gwyneth heads to the filing cabinet . . .

In the salon, Gwyneth goes to the filing cabinet and removes a few files;  

. . . and hears something fall to the floor

she picks up one and something falls out of it to the floor.   

It is a mobile phone . . .

She retrieves the mobile phone 

. . . which she finds somewhat puzzling

and looks puzzled.

"Coffee and a bacon sandwich, please Kelly"

In the café, Debbie asks Kelly for coffee and a bacon sandwich, 

"It's on the house, Debbie"

and Kelly refuses to accept any payment.   The annoying Brenda is next in the queue, and comments, “Young boys!   The drugs are a lot stronger than in my day.”

Debbie takes exception to Brenda's insinuation

Debbie hopes that she is not suggesting that Ricky takes drugs, emphasising that he was spiked.   

Mathew is quietly reading the Western Post 

Brenda calls to Mathew, who is reading the Western Post,

"It happened at your place, didn't it?"

 “It happened at your place, didn’t it?   Drugs at the party?”

Mathew does not answer, but receives a call on his phone;  

Mathew appears to have had a surprise

“Say that again!” he exclaims, and Brenda remarks that he looks as if he has seen a ghost.   He goes outside, still speaking on the phone, so Brenda gravitates towards Cassie, who is working on her laptop, and enquires if it is another best-seller.

Now Brenda goes to annoy Cassie

“It might be, if I had some peace,” is Cassie’s terse reply;  of course Brenda cannot take a hint, but ploughs on regardless.

“Where have you set this one?” she asks, and is told that it is in India;  

"I've got a few stories about the men I met in India!"

“I’ve got a few stories about the men I met in India!” Brenda boasts, and Cassie suggests that she should write them down.   

"Coffee for Barbara Cartland, and a pen and paper for me"

When Kelly brings over Brenda’s coffee, she asks for another one, “For Barbara Cartland here – and a pen and paper for me.”

"We can be 'writing partners'!"

She envisages that she and Cassie can be ‘writing partners’, something which Cassie does not relish.

"You don't have to stay if you want to be with Ricky"

Eifion is searching in the kitchen drawers at Penrhewl, and tells Kath, “You don’t have to stay – I understand if you want to be with Ricky.” 

"Apart from being around Jim"

She replies that it is nice to have a break;  “Apart from being around Jim, that is!” 

"Auntie Nel died a couple of days ago"

Mathew arrives with some news for Eifion;  “I had a phone call – bad news, as it happens – Auntie Nel died a couple of days ago.”   

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that"

Kath is sorry to hear that, 

"Yes!   At last!"

but Eifion’s reaction is rather different;  “Yes!   At last!   Come on, Mathew, all the family parties and Christmases she spoiled!   Honestly, Kath, she was the original control freak!”

"The funeral is next week"

Mathew continues that the family wanted them to know that the funeral is next week.   Eifion hopes that Mathew will enjoy himself;  

"Make sure the old witch has really left us!"

“And make sure the old witch has really left us!”   

"I can see that you were really close!"

Kath can see that Eifion and his auntie were really very close.

"I wasn't expecting to see you today"

Gwyneth is sitting in the salon when Debbie comes in;  “I wasn’t expecting to see you today,” she says, 

"I forgot something out the back"

but Debbie maintains she forgot something out the back.   

"Are you looking for this?"

“Are you looking for this?” Gwyneth wonders, holding up the phone, “Well, well, who’s been a naughty girl then?   You’ve only just got married, and you’re having an affair already – Mark deserves better, Debs!”

"Who is he, then?"

Debbie is asked about the identity of the man, and where she met him, 

"Just give to back, Gwyneth!"

but she just wants to get the phone back.   “Have you got a photo of him?” Gwyneth goes on, “You must send photos to each other . . . 

"Unless they're that kind of photos!"

“unless they’re that kind of photos!”

“You’ve had your fun – I want it back now!” Debbie snarls, and Gwyneth wonders what is wrong with the man, 

"An affair is supposed to be about enjoying yourself"

as an affair is supposed to be about enjoying herself, or there is no point.   Debbie replies that it is complicated, because of Ricky.   

"I must have that phone back!"

Again she insists she must have the phone back, but Gwyneth will not relinquish it until she hears the full story.

“What is going on, Debs?” she demands, but then the phone sounds, 

An incriminating message appears

and she sees a message;  ‘Need a drop – 10 tabs before 5’, and realises the truth.   

"You?"

“You?” she gasps, incredulously.

"Like the back end of a bus!"

As they return to the barn, Eifion is regaling Kath with a tale about Auntie Nel;  “As they were standing at the altar, she shouts, ‘There’s a bottom like the back end of a bus!’”

"I wonder why I pay you, Eifion!"

Jim wonders why he pays Eifion, who has taken ages to bring him the pair of wire cutters;  he maintains that has now fixed the socket, but Eifion does not think that it looks right.   

Jim is definitely in a filthy temper

“Shut it!   You’ve got more than enough to do now!” Jim rants.

"He's been under a lot of strain lately"

As Kath mutters that Jim has been under a lot of strain lately, 

That socket does not look in very good condition

he plugs in the freezer and is (rather predictably) 

Jim is sent flying by an electric shock

sent flying backwards by an electric shock.

"How did you come across these people?"

In the back room of the salon, Gwyneth has made Debbie a cup of tea, and asks how she came across these people.   

"Money was short before Christmas"

“Money was short before Christmas, so I knocked on a loan shark’s door,” Debbie begins, “I regretted it immediately and refused the loan, but a couple of days later, this Jessie woman called over.   

"It was 30% of everything I shifted!"

“She offered me big money to shift some retail stuff – I knew the stuff might be dodgy, but it was big money, Gwyn – 30% of everything I shifted, 

All that money seems to have attracted Gwyneth's attention

“and we’re talking about £1,000 a week at least.   

“Even then I refused, but the car failed the MOT and we had more bills than expected – and I was stupid enough to believe I could do it for a couple of weeks to pay for Christmas   

"I never imagined I'd put Ricky in hospital!"

“But once you start earning money like that – I never imagined that I’d put Ricky in hospital.”   

Gwyneth is disgusted that she used the salon as a base;  

"Please, Gwyn, don't tell anyone!"

“Please, Gwyn – I feel guilty enough as it is!” Debbie whines, “You’re not going to tell anyone, are you?   We’re friends , aren’t we?”

Jim is recovering from his ordeal

Jim is holding a cold compress to his head and Kath brings him a cup of tea, while Eifion puts right the wiring of the socket, 

"You ought to go to the surgery"

also recommending that Jim go to the surgery to be checked.

"The only thing wrong is the headache you're giving me!"

“The only thing wrong with my head is the headache you’re giving me!” shouts Jim, “It’s your fault – if you’d brought the wire cutters when I asked you!”   

He also blames Kath

He also blames Kath for using far too much water to clean the freezer;  “It’s no wonder I almost died!”   

Eifion makes it quite clear that Jim wrongly wired the socket, but Jim is not finished yet;  “It’s what I should expect from one of the Joneses – 

"The only one with a brain cell has turned into a druggie!"

“and now the only one of them with any kind of brain cell has turned into a druggie!”

"Just you watch it, good boy!"

This infuriates Kath, who is in a combative mood, but is restrained by Eifion;  

"He would get a knock from me!"

“If he hadn’t taken a knock already, he’d get one from me!” she growls, “That clown’s losing the plot!   

"I won't forget what you just said!"

“I won’t forget what you just said!” as she is escorted from the barn.

Cassie is not at the Deri . . .

Cassie has adjourned to the Deri in order to escape from Brenda;  

. . . and Kelly returns her phone

Kelly brings her phone, which she left in the café, apologising for disturbing her flow.   

"That woman is enough to make a saint swear!"

“That woman is enough to make a saint swear!” Cassie tells her, “I’m behind as it is!”

"You get all the riff-raff in the café!"

Then Brenda manages to find her, asking if this is a Writers’ Corner;  “I don’t blame you – you get all sorts in that café – all the riff-raff, and it’s hard to concentrate, isn’t it, Cassie?   I’ve written eight pages already – how many have you done?”

"Only two and a half pages?"

She has a look at the laptop and is not impressed by Cassie’s two and a half pages;  

"A man in pink lycra pants?"

studying the text, she asks, “Are we supposed to like a man in pink lycra pants?”

In a desperate attempt to get rid of Brenda, Cassie suggests she could give some helpful hints about childbirth to Kelly, 

"Thanks a bunch, Cassie!"

something which is not at all appreciated by Kelly.

"I'm looking for Eileen"

As Eifion comes out of the shop, having been looking for Eileen, he meets Mathew, 

"She's in a foul mood, now Sioned's gone away"

who says, “I’d advise to wait before speaking to her, as she’s in a foul mood now Sioned’s gone away, wanting some time to herself.”

Eifion describes Sioned as selfish, but Mathew is still worried about her; 

"There's no point in worrying about Sioned"

“There’s no point in worrying about Sioned, believe me!” Eifion replies, but is then informed that the family had hoped Eifion would be at the reading of Auntie Nel’s will.   

"Don't tell me the old witch has left something to me?"

“Don’t tell me the old witch has left something to me?” exclaims Eifion, then changes his attitude, “Oh poor Auntie Nel – I thought the world of her!” he laughs.

Debbie now has a quantity of money

Debbie comes into the salon once more, this time with an envelope containing a wad of money;  

"How much do you want to keep quiet?"

“How much do you want, Gwyneth, to keep quiet?” she asks, “I can’t go to jail – my life would be over!”   

The cash has a strange attraction for Gwyneth 

Gwyneth, who finds it difficult to take her eyes off the money, assures Debbie that she is not going to tell anyone, which comes as very welcome relief for Debbie.   

"I don't want to do this any more"

Then the phone sounds again, and she says she does not want to do it any more, but Gwyneth doubts that they will just let her walk away.

"You'll have to find someone else"

Debbie answers;  “Jessie, listen, I can’t do this any more, so you’ll have to find someone else.   Please don’t contact me again!”

Jim seems to have calmed down a bit

Jim is in the barn, and Eifion wants to know if it safe to come in;  

"You were right about that wiring"

Jim is in a more conciliatory mood, admitting, “You were right, about that wiring – I got it mixed up.”   

Eifion points out that it is easy to make mistakes when he has a lot on his plate, 

"I should be able to do that in my sleep"

but Jim is adamant, “I should be able to do that in my sleep.   It was my mistake – you and I both know that.   Do me a favour, will you?   

"I don't want anyone at APD finding out"

“Keep this quiet – I don’t want Dai or anyone at APD finding out – you know what they’re like.”

Cassie has retreated to number 9

Cassie’s continuing search for an absence of Brenda has brought her back to number 9, but she reports to Gwyneth, “Inspiration and I are not getting along today.”

Gwyneth has a favour to ask Erin

Gwyneth makes a phone call;  “Erin, I got the letter – and I understand.   I want to ask a favour – I’m going to put in an offer for the salon, but would you give me an opportunity before it goes on the market?   

"Great – thank you, Erin!"

“Great, thank you, Erin!   I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

"I knew you'd find a way"

Cassie knew that Gwyneth would find a way, 

"I hope it will be worth it"

but she hopes that it will be worth it.   “You have to take risks sometimes,” she is told.

Debbie is making a cup of tea

In the salon, Debbie is making a cup of tea when a stranger enters;  she says that Gwyneth is not there, and asks if she can help.   

"No!"

The man replies, “No!” and throws down an envelope on the counter before leaving again.  

A message from Jessie . . . 

Debbie looks in the envelope, where she finds a note, reading, “I’ll say when this stops,” 

. . . and three bags of tablets

together with three small plastic bags containing tablets;  she looks very upset about this.