10 December 2019

At number 10, Jaclyn is soaking her bloodstained jumper in some water when Gerwyn comes in through the back door, and startles her;  

"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you"

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you – you left your scarf in the car,” he says, “Did you hear what Tesni told Guto?   She said, ‘Thanks for the cottage pie, but mind your own business’!”

Last night is preying on Jaclyn's mind

Jaclyn is taking no notice, having a lot on her mind, so Gerwyn turns to his mother;  

"Mam, can you have a word with Tesni?"

“Mam, can you have a word with Tesni?   She might listen to you.”   Brenda, who is texting on her phone, replies that she cannot, as she is busy, but he goes on, “I’m worried about how it’s affecting Jac – she didn’t sleep a wink last night.”

Jaclyn hides the bloodstains

Meanwhile, Jaclyn is doing her best to hide her bloodstained garments, and Gerwyn groans, “You know what – I’ve got three teenagers.”   

"Everything will be all right, Jac"

Then he goes over to Jaclyn and promises that everything will be all right – but she knows otherwise.

"I'll tidy up later, OK?"

At the shop flat, Sioned picks up something from the floor, and Mathew assures her that he will tidy up later, as he goes off to work.   

"You've finished the milk again!"

Sioned finds that Tesni has used the last of the milk, but is told that Math will get some more.   

“And who’s paying?” Sioned demands, “I’m still waiting for your rent – you have to get a job, Tesni!”   

"I don't have any experience"

She grumbles that it is hard, as she does not have any experience, 

"Well, you should have stayed at school"

so Sioned points out that she should have stayed at school;  “Or at least found a course before you left – instead of waiting for Mathew’s money to come through.”

"A drug dealer known as Bethan Price"

Tesni does not take in this last remark, as she has been studying her phone, and suddenly exclaims, “They’ve found the body of a woman near Swansea – a drug dealer who’s known as Bethan Price!”

Sioned grabs the phone to check

Sioned cannot believe this, and seizes the phone to have a look for herself;  

There is no doubt about it

the item on Western Post online describes how the body of the woman was found in woods.   

A weight is lifted from Sioned's mind

She breathes sigh of relief.

Jim is exceptionally taciturn this morning

At Penrhewl, Jim looks very sullen, and does not speak to Eileen;  putting away the butter in the fridge, she finds one of Huwi’s teddies in there.   “What on earth is this doing here?” she asks, 

"Well, don't look at me!"

but Jim tells her not to look at him.   “Well, one of us is losing their marbles,” she comments.

Eifion comes in, wanting Eileen to check an order before he takes it to the café, 

"Those trees should have been planted weeks ago"

then informs Jim that they need to finish planting the trees;  “We should have done it weeks ago.”   

"I'm in APD all day!"

Jim replies that Eifion will have to do it himself;  “I’m in APD all day!”    Eileen remarks that he did not tell her he would be there, 

"Too busy putting Huwi's toys in the fridge!"

but he insists that she was not listening;  “Too busy putting Huwi’s toys in the fridge!   I won’t be back till late.”

"Yes, I know – I need definite proof"

Eileen tells Eifion that she knows she needs definite proof, then her phone rings, and she finds that it is Sioned.   

"She's dead, Mam!"

“She’s dead, Mam!” she is told, and then Sioned elaborates, 

Eileen hears that Jessie is no longer a problem

“It’s Jessie – check out the news – “it’s all over, Mam!   

"I'll phone you back later"

“I’d better go – and I’ll phone you back later.”

"We should go out and celebrate tonight"

Mathew suggests they should go out celebrating tonight, but Tesni doubts that it is a good idea;  

"What about the rest of the gang?"

“Jessie’s dead, but what about the rest of the gang?”   Mathew thinks that she has probably been killed by a member of the gang, but Tesni continues, “Or by someone else, which means the gang will be angry.”

Mathew predicts that they will be looking for whoever did it, and so will not be interested in Sioned;  Tesni does not share this view, 

"Nobody's asking you, Tesni!"

and he growls, “Well, nobody’s asking you!”   He tells Sioned to go and get dressed, and then they can go out for a walk;  

"I'll walk you to work, if you want"

he will go with her to work if she wants.

"You always take her side!"

When she goes to get dressed, Tesni protests, “You always take her side – I know how these gangs work!”   

"Watching films doesn't make you an expert"

He reminds her that watching films does not make her expert on the subject, and wants to know if she will come for a walk with them.   “No, I’m not taking the chance – I don’t want to be a gooseberry with you two!” she answers, and flounces out.

Lift the other end over the doorstep, you idiot!

Jason is making a very hamfisted job of taking a large sheet of plywood into Yr Antur;  

Jim does not intend to be of any help

he sees Jim along the street and shouts to him, but he is too busy collecting Brenda from number 10.   Jason wonders what is going on as they head towards the car.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Rhys is equally puzzled as to what Jason is doing;  “I’m working for you,” he replies, “Haven’t you talked to Ffion?”   Rhys rushes off to Cysgod y Glyn, warning Jason not to do anything else, 

Brenda and Jim get into the car

and we see that Brenda and Jim are getting into the car.

"I've changed the bed for you"

At Maes-y-Deri, Debbie announces to Mark that she has changed the bed for him, but he objects to her being in his bedroom;  

"I don't want you in there again!"

“I don’t want you in there again!” he informs her, “And I think we should have a few more rules too – not sharing food, separate cupboards.   

"A timetable for the bathroom"

“We’ll have a timetable for the washing machine, the telly and the bathroom.”

"I love you, Mark!"

Debbie maintains they do not have to live like this;  “I love you, Mark,” 

"Two weeks ago, you wanted a divorce!"

but he reminds her that two weeks ago she wanted a divorce.   “I didn’t have any choice – but I didn’t sign anything!” she stresses.   

"You were just saving your own skin"

He regards that as proof she applied for one in order to save her own skin, because his mother threatened to go to the police.

"The problem isn't just the police, is it?"

“I was saving Ricky’s skin – and yours – but the problem isn’t just the police, is it?” she goes on;  Mark leaves the house to continue his round.

"Have you found another builder, then?"

Ffion has been confronted by Rhys, but she demands, “Have you found another builder?”   He is adamant that this is not a discussion, 

"I want you to sack them again!"

and he requires her to sack them again.   “No, I’m on my way to meeting,” she answers.

"How do you think that makes me feel?"

“And how do you think that makes me feel?” she says;  

"Ahh – is your ego getting bruised?"

she realises that this is what it is about – his ego being bruised.   “If I say they’re sacked, then they are!” he states quite categorically, “And if you won’t do it, I’ll have to!”

"You're acting like a child now!"

“You’re acting like a child now!” she informs him, and he counters with the accusation 

"And you're like an annoying teacher who has to control everything!"

that she is acting like an annoying teacher who has to control everything.

"Mr Jim Probert?"

At the clinic, Jim’s name is called, and he is very apprehensive;  

"I'd rather not know, Brenda"

“I can’t do this – I’d rather not know,” he says, 

"Remember – you're doing this for Huwi"

but Brenda reminds him that he is doing this for Huwi, 

Jim follows the nurse

and he reluctantly goes with the nurse.

"Sorry, boys – you're sacked!"

Rhys marches into to APD and spells it out, “Sorry, boys – you’re sacked!  I want your tools out by the end of the day!”   Eifion arrives and wonders what is wrong with Rhys;  

"It's a power struggle"

Mathew describes it as a power struggle, and informs him that Jim is not working today, which Eifion finds strange.

"Jim was sneaking off with Brenda"

Jason enlightens him, “We saw Jim sneaking off with Brenda – what else do you call disappearing with her?”   Something’s going on.”   

"I want to remind Jim about the Christmas tree

At that moment Eileen comes in, wanting to remind Jim to bring home a Christmas tree.   

"I'll bring one, Eileen – I've got the pick-up"

Eifion volunteers that he will bring one, as has he has the pick-up.

Sioned is worried about Tesni 

Sioned comes into the shop and finds Jaclyn there;  “I’m glad I’ve bumped into you – I’m worried about Tesni.   

"Waiting for Mathew's money to come through"

“Waiting in the flat for Mathew’s money to come through isn’t an exciting life when you’re 18.”   

"What money are you on about?"

Jaclyn has no idea about the money she is talking about, 

"Especially when she has to have a baby!"

but Sioned continues, “Especially when she has to have a baby!   Didn’t you know?   Auntie Nel has left him £250,000 – but he has to get married and have a baby before he gets it.   Sorry, I thought you knew.”   

"No – I had no idea!"

Jaclyn snaps that she had no idea.

Brenda's recipé for keeping young

Brenda is telling another waiting patient that a shot of whisky every morning makes her feel half her age, when Jim emerges, looking very troubled.   

"I want to go home"

He just wants to go home.

"Please tell me it's not true!"

Jaclyn goes up to the shop flat, where Tesni is on the laptop, looking at apprenticeships;  “Please tell me its not true!” her mother demands, “Don’t play games with me – I’ve talked to Sioned – 

"Mathew's getting £250,000 if he gets married and has a baby?"

“is it true, that Mathew is getting £250,000 if he gets married and has a baby?”

"What?   You're off your head!"

Tesni cannot believe what she is hearing;  “What?   You’re off your head!” is her response, but her mother points out that if she is pregnant, she should see a doctor.   

"Do you really think I'd have a baby for money?" 

“Do you really think I’d have a baby for money?” Tesni rages, but Jaclyn says that it would answer a lot of questions, and they need to sort it out.

"No money, no wedding – and definitely no baby!"

Tesni screams that there is no money, no wedding and definitely no baby;  she loudly orders her mother out of the flat, and cannot believe it. 

"How do you know when you're going to want to use the toilet?"

In the garage, Gerwyn and Mark are having another game of darts, as Gerwyn says, incredulously, “A timetable for the bathroom?   How do you know when you’re going to want to use the toilet?”

"I want to go back to how we were"

Mark acknowledges that perhaps he went a little too far;  “The thing is, I want to go back to how we were, but, I don’t know, I can’t, not yet.”    Gerwyn advises him to give it time;  “No-one expects you to jump into bed with her straightaway.”   

"We need to talk, Ger!"

Mark is about to take aim for the dartboard, just as Jaclyn comes in, insisting that they need to talk.   Mark takes that as his cue to get on with his delivery round.

Jaclyn informs him about the quarter-million

“Tesni has moved in with Mathew to get a quarter of a million pounds,” she informs Gerwyn, “Auntie Nel left him the money, provided he gets married and has a baby.”   

"She's not pregnant, is she?"

Gerwyn wonders if Tesni  is pregnant, but this is denied by Jaclyn.

"You weren't much older – and we didn't have any money"

He ponders that it would not be the end of the world if she was;  “You weren’t much older – and we didn’t have any money,” he recalls.   Jaclyn demands whether he wants his daughter to have a better life, but he points out that it could be a chance for Tes to be independent – she would not pester Dylan then.

"She could invest in one of Dylan's businesses"

“She could invest in one of his businesses,” he suggests, 

Jaclyn is implacably opposed to that idea

but Jaclyn snarls viciously that Tesni is not going anywhere near his businesses, and storms out of the garage, leaving Gerwyn looking, as usual, puzzled.

Mathew returns to the flat and sits on the sofa;  

"Are you using me to get Auntie Nel's money?"

“Please tell me it isn’t true?” Tesni pleads, “Are are you using me to get Auntie Nel’s money?”   

"Who told you about that?"

He wants to know who told her, but all that interests her is whether it is true, and he concedes that Auntie Nel has left him £250,000, 

"If you get married and have a baby!"

and she adds, “If you get married and have a baby – you didn’t think to tell me?”   

"I want you to be with me because of me – not the money"

He wants her to be with him for himself, and not for the money.

"You think I would use you for the cash?"

She goes on, “Is that what you think of me?   That I would use you for the cash?   How long have you known?”   

"A couple of months or so"

When he admits that it has been a couple of months, she groans, “And you chose to tell Sioned rather than me.”

"I don't want to be with someone who treats me like this!

He assures her that he has not told Sioned anything, but she regards that that as more lies, although he emphasises that he is telling the truth.   She complains that he did not tell her at the time, and that he is only sorry that she has now found out.   “I don’t want to be with someone who treats me like this.”

"So you're dumping me?"

Mathew realises that he is being dumped, and she says that he has not given her much choice;  he wants a chance to explain, but she is not interested, even when he professes his love for her.   

"If you loved me, we wouldn't be in this situation"

“If you loved me, we wouldn’t be in this situation!” she summarises.

"I'm fine – my wife's left me, and I've been sacked twice before Christmas!" 

In the Deri, Rhys approaches the bar, where Jason assures him, “Yes, I’m fine, thank you, Rhys!   My wife’s left me, and I’ve been sacked twice just before Christmas!”   Rhys maintains that it was nothing personal, just a business decision, and offers Jason a pint.   

"No thanks – I'd rather choke!"

The response is, “No thanks – I’d rather choke!”

Ffion is seeking Rhys

Then Ffion comes in, looking for Rhys;  

"Home, now – we're decorating the Christmas tree"

“Home, now,” she instructs, “We’re decorating the Christmas tree!”   

"Enjoy yourself!"

Sioned hopes he enjoys himself, 

"Well, stop acting like one!"

but he asks Ffion why she had to treat him like a child, and she advises him to stop acting like one;  “Just finish your pint, and then come home – don’t let Arwen down!”

"Who told you about the money?"

Mathew comes to the bar, accusing Sioned of telling Tesni about Auntie Nel’s money, and demanding who told her.   

"Your cousin – and I thought Tesni already knew"

She replies that his cousin told her, and she thought that Tesni already knew.

"Now she's dumped me!"

“I didn’t want her to know – and now she’s dumped me!” Mathew rages, “Getting this money is worse than being haunted by Auntie Nel!   I know I should have told Tesni – but I can’t lose her because of this – 

"I'd rather flush the money down the toilet!"

“I’d rather flush the money down the toilet!”

Sioned appears to regard that as a rather extreme reaction;  

"Women – they always think they know better"

Rhys moans, “Women – they always think they know better.” 

"And they never listen to your side of the story"

Mathew adds, “And they never listen to your side of the story – it’s a pity we can’t live without them!”

"No, I'm not hungry, Ger"

Jaclyn has gone off her food, which concerns Gerwyn   They are surprised when Tesni comes back into the house, admitting that her mother was right;  

"I really loved him, Mam!"

“I really loved him, Mam!” she cries, and Jaclyn gives her a hug, 

Jaclyn prescribes chocolate

suggesting that they have a pyjama day – with plenty of chocolate.

"Did you hear about some drug dealer's body in the woods?"

“Did you hear about that woman’s body in the woods?” Tesni asks, “Some drug dealer apparently.”   Gerwyn has not heard about that, 

"I'll make you a sandwich"

and Jaclyn  tries to give the impression she has not, either, but will go and make Tesni a sandwich.   

Tesni seeks solace from her father

As Tesni embraces her father, Jaclyn looks extremely guilty.

Ffion has the Christmas decorations

Ffion has found the box of Christmas decorations, and tells Arwen, “We’ll do the tree when Rhys gets back.”   

Whilst delving into a box . . .

She finds a box, and while looking for something, 

. . . she comes across this . . .

comes across an engagement ring in its case;  

. . . and as usual in Cwmderi, jumps to a conclusion

she smiles with anticipation.

Eileen is packing a box with jars

At Penrhewl, Eileen is packing jars into a cardboard box when Eifion brings in the post, which includes a Christmas card from New Zealand;  

"Another healthy year in 2020"

“Here’s hoping for another healthy year in 2020,” she reads, 

"Jim said he was at death's door"

and remarks, “He doesn’t sound very ill, does he?   Jim said his cousin was at death’s door!”

"You ought to have a word with him, Eileen"

Eifion considers that it is time for her to have a word with Jim, as he was not working at APD today;  “Jason said that he saw Jim and Brenda going off in the car.”   

"What have I done to deserve this?"

She wonders what she has done to deserve this.

Jim comes back to the farm

Jim is just coming into the farmhouse, and Eifion will leave them;  

"How long have you been sleeping with Brenda!"

“How long have you been sleeping with Brenda?” she asks.   

"I'm not sleeping with her!"

Jim turns round, with a confused look on his face, and insists that he is not sleeping with Brenda.   “Don’t lie to me!” she snaps at him.

"I've got . . . dementia . . ."

He hesitantly tells her, “I’ve got dementia!” 

". . . I've got dementia!"

clutching his head in anguish, and Eileen is astounded.