4 December 2019 (2nd)

Anita looks at photos of herself and Paul

Anita is looking at photographs of herself with the baby when there is a knock at the door, and it is, as expected, Amanda.   

"You've lowered yourself to ask for my help"

She is surprised to receive a welcome from Anita;  “Well, you’ve lowered yourself to ask for my help,” she sneers, but Anita urges not to be like that.   

"So what's the plan, then?"

“So, what’s the plan, then?” Amanda asks.

Tesni walks along the street

In the village, Tesni is walking along the High Street when she encounters Gaynor, 

"How's the personal statement coming along?"

who enquires how her personal statement is coming along.   “You do realise that the extension time you were given is over?” she points out, “So where is it?   Just finish it, Tesni, or it will be too late!”

"I really don't know what I want to do"

Tesni protests that she does not really know what she wants to do, 

"Well, just finish it first"

but is told by the head teacher that she should just finish it, and can decide afterwards whether she wants to go to university or not.

Eileen is unable to contact Jim

At Penrhewl, Eileen is trying to contact Jim by phone, and then Eifion comes in;  she apologises that she is late with making his lunch.   

"Oh, starving me now, are you?"

“Oh, starving me now, are you?” he jokes, and says that he has not seen Jim this morning, assuming that he is at APD, but Eileen reports that she has spoken to Diane, and they have not seen him.

"He hasn't been himself since he came back from New Zealand"

“I’m worried about him – he hasn’t been himself since he came back from New Zealand – you must have noticed,” she goes on, 

"I'm sure he's fine"

but Eifion is sure that he is fine.   She adds, “A couple of months ago he said he thought he was suffering from depression – I thought he was grieving for Courtney, and nothing more than that.   But what if I’m wrong?

"If you know anything, Eifion . . ."

Eifion looks uneasy, and she says that she is worried sick, so if he knows anything, he should tell her.   

"That sleeping bag – it wasn't my friend"

“Right – that sleeping bag you found – it wasn’t my friend who was sleeping there,” he begins.   She cannot believe it was Jim, but he continues, “He was the noise you heard during the night.”

"And you were happy to make me think it was Jessie!"

“And you were both happy to make me think it was Jessie!” she rages, “I was worried for my life – how could you?”   

"Jim insisted I kept it a secret"

Eifion replies that Jim insisted he kept it a secret;  “Don’t you have a backbone?” she demands, 

Eileen goes in search of Jim

and goes off in search of Jim.

"Look who's here – Grandma!"

At the café flat, Kelly is not exactly pleased to see her mother;  “Look who’s here – Grandma,” Amanda says to the baby.

“Go on, then – why are you here?” Kelly demands, and she says that she has come to see her daughter and her grandson;  “Except it’s more than that, isn’t it?” is Kelly’s response, 

"I know why you're here - and who contacted you!"

“Come off it, Mam – I know why you’re here – and who contacted you!”   

"I've been on a cruise with Ronnie – you'd like him"

She is told not to be so cynical;  “The truth is, I’ve been on a cruise with Ronnie until now,” Amanda alleges, “This is my first chance to come here.   You’d like Ronnie!”  

"I don't think so!"

Kelly is extremely doubtful of that, but her mother goes on, “I think I deserve a bit of time with Paul, seeing as I’ve come so far,” 

"Don't touch him – he's asleep!"

but Kelly warns her not to touch him, as he is asleep.

Tesni tells her woes to Mathew at lunchtime

As Mathew eats his chips at APD, he explains to Tesni that Gaynor has to do her job;  “It’s a waste of time filling in the form!” Tesni groans, “I might as well write anything.   

"I could take a year off"

“Look, I’ve been thinking perhaps I could take a year off – why not?   

"I enjoy living with you' — for the moment

“I enjoy living with you, and I could find a job, earning money, instead of committing to something I’m not sure I want to do.”

Mathew says that it is up to her, but perhaps it is not such a bad idea;   

"Sioned wants you to start paying rent"

“Sioned wants you to start paying rent for the flat.”   She complains bitterly that she does not have any money, but he continues, “If you take a year off, find a job and get a salary . . .”

"Will she wait until I get a job?"

She wonders if Sioned is willing to wait until she finds a job before having to pay rent, but Mathew shatters this illusion;  

"You could get an after-school job"

“She wants you to start paying as soon as possible – but you could get an after-school job, you never know, if you take a year off, they might offer you a full-time post.”   

Tesni is losing interest already

Tesni does not look very thrilled about the prospect.

Eileen is keeping an eye on Jim . . .

Hiding round a corner, Eileen sees Jim getting into the car, 

. . . and finds some evidence . . .

and notices Brenda in the passenger seat;  

. . . which causes her concern

she looks very disturbed as he drives away.

"You're right – Anita phoned me"

Anita has made Amanda a cup of tea, while Kelly sits, rocking Paul’s cot.    Amanda concedes that her daughter is right;  “Anita phoned me.”

"Right – you, out!"

“Right,” says Kelly, pointing towards the door, “Out!   Do you know what, Auntie Neet?   “I think its a disgrace you blabbed to Sara yesterday!”   

"It's a disgrace you talked to Dani before your own family!"

Anita replies that she thinks it is a disgrace that Kelly talked to Dani before talking to her own family.

“I wanted her advice!” roars Kelly, and Anita points out that she ignored her advice.   Amanda calls upon them both to stop and take some time out, concluding that this is not going well.   “You don’t say!’ Kelly snarls, 

"Could you leave, please, Anita, so we can talk?"

and Amanda would like Anita to leave them, so they can talk, but Kelly protests, “There’s nothing to talk about!”   

Anita is not happy about this

Anita accedes to her request.

"Any chance of something stronger than tea?"

“There’s no rush, is there?” says Amanda, and wonders if there is any chance of something stronger than tea.   

"You don't intend going to school today, then?"

Tesni is in the shop flat, looking at the laptop;  Sioned can see that she is does not intend going to school today.   “I’m looking for a part-time job,” Tesni tells her, 

"I'm taking a year off"

“Why didn’t you tell me you wanted rent – instead of getting Mathew to do your dirty work?   I’ve got news for you, too – you’ll have to get used to having me around – I’m taking a year off.   I’m not going to college.”

"Your share of the rent is due on Tuesday"

The prospect of living with Tesni for a year is not very attractive to Sioned;  “Remember your share of the rent is due on Tuesday – don’t be late!” she declares, and when Tesni replies that she does not have a job, Sioned simply shrugs her shoulders.   

"Mathew will have to cover me"

Tesni assumes that Mathew will have to cover her.

"Fancy yourself as a 'kept woman', do you?"

“Fancy yourself as a kept woman, do you?” remarks Sioned, “Good luck with the job hunt – remember, next Tuesday.”

"Do they usually keep you waiting this long?"

At the clinic, Jim is very anxious;  “Do they usually make you wait this long?” he asks Brenda, but she replies that she does not come here every week.   Jim just wants to get it over with;  

"I'm too young to go through this!"

“I’m too young to go through this,” he moans, “I’m worried, Brenda – I know there’s no point, but I can’t help it, can I?   

"How will Eileen cope?"

“How will Eileen cope if I’ve got a brain tumour?”

"She's managed to cope with you up to now"

Brenda points out that Eileen has managed to cope with him up until now, 

"Thank you for coming, Brenda"

and he thanks her for coming;  

"Mr Probert?"

then a nurse calls his name, and he hesitantly goes with her.

"I know I haven't been a good mother"

As Kelly finds some alcohol for her mother, Amanda admits, “I know I haven’t been a good mother,” but Kelly makes it clear she does not want to hear the speech about one generation making up for the mistakes of the generation before.

"You've been rehearsing this speech since you left Merthyr!"

“You’ve been rehearsing this speech since you left Merthyr!” shouts Kelly, but her mother points out that Kelly may like to hear what she has to say.   

"Go on, then!"

“Go on, then!” growls Kelly.

"I didn't want to keep you when you were a baby"

“I agree with your decision – I didn’t want to keep you when you were a baby.”   This comes as a shock to Kelly, as her mother goes on, “I wanted to give you away.”

"Just when I thought you couldn't surprise me any more!"

“Just when I thought you couldn’t surprise me any more!” Kelly gasps, “Why didn’t you give me away?   

"But I was persuaded not to"

Amanda replies that she was persuaded not to;  

"As if anyone can persuade you to do anything!"

“As if anyone can persuade you to do anything!” Kelly snorts, 

"I used to listen to one person, back then"

but Amanda recalls that there was one person she used to listen to, back then.

"So it was because of Auntie Anita"

“So it was because of Auntie Anita that you didn’t give me away,” realises Kelly, “Why, then, do you want me to give Paul away?”   

She is told that her Amanda does not want her daughter to make the same mistake she made;  

"Perhaps your life would have been a bit easier"

“If I’d been just strong enough to give you away, perhaps your life would have been a bit easier – it’s true.”

Jim's tests are over

Jim returns to Brenda in the waiting room and she hands him his coat;  she asks how it went, and as far as he knows, it was fine.   

"I won't get the results until next week"

“I won’t get the scan results until next week,” he says, 

"Are you going to tell Eileen?"

and Brenda wonders if he is going to tell Eileen.   He is quite clear that she is not to know;  

"There's no need to tell her anything"

“There’s no need to tell Eileen anything – perhaps there is nothing wrong with me, and there’s no need to worry if it isn’t a tumour.   

"Not knowing for another week won't do any harm"

“Not knowing for another week won’t do her any harm, will it?”

"Fancy watching a film with us tonight?"

Eifion visits Sioned at the shop flat;  “I just called in to see how you are,” he says, “And if you fancy watching a film with us tonight?”   

"I can't stand watching Mathew and Tesni being 'lovey-dovey'"

Sioned is not really in the mood, as she cannot stand spending another night watching Mathew and Tesni being ‘lovey-dovey’ on the sofa.

"She's going to be underfoot for another year!"

“I’ve just heard that Tesni’s going to take a year out – she’ll be underfoot here for another year!   We would get on if she started paying her way, and stopped being so needy with Mathew.”

Eifion reminds her that Tesni is still young;  “You wouldn’t think that, the way she and Mathew act – you’d think they were already married!” Sioned complains, 

"What do you want to do tonight, Math?"

giving as examples, “What do you want to do tonight, Math?   What do you want for dinner, Math?  “Do you want a cup of tea, Math?   She just gets on my nerves!”

"Perhaps she knows something you don't"

Eifion suggests that she may know something which Sioned does not;  

"And what's that, then?"

“Hasn’t Mathew told you?   About Auntie Nel’s will and the conditions tied to it?   Get married – baby – £250,000!   Mathew understands it.”

"How much?"

This immediately attracts Sioned’s interest, so he explains that once Mathew is married and has a baby, he inherits £250,000.   “Perhaps Tesni’s already pregnant, and that’s why she’s taking a year out,” he supposes, 

"Fast track to the dosh!"

“Fast track to the dosh!”

"Even I would marry him for a quarter of a million!"

Sioned confesses that even she would marry Mathew for a quarter of a  million.

Kelly and her mother are actually laughing . . .

Kelly and her mother seem to be getting on better now;  “What about the time you left me in the photo booth?” laughs Kelly, and Amanda says it was her fault for hiding there in the first place.

. . . but then Anita comes back

They are interrupted by the arrival of Anita, who regards it as a good sign that they are talking;  

"You look as if you understand each other"

“You look as if you understand each other,” she says, and looks pleased with herself.   Kelly and her mother debate which of them will tell Anita.

"You don't agree with her?"

“Amanda, I dont believe this,” Anita groans, “Please – you don’t agree with her?” 

"Just let me explain"

but Amanda just wants a chance to explain.   Anita completely ‘loses her cool’ and screams, “I don’t want you to explain – I want both of you to see sense!”.

"You're really not used to not having your own way, are you?"

Kelly calmly comments, “You’re really not used to not having your own way, are you?” and Anita demands to know what they have been talking about.

Eileen is carrying out surveillance

In the Deri, Eileen is keeping a careful and suspicious eye on Brenda;   Gaynor comes in, and on her way to the Ladies’ toilet meets Tesni;  

"I hear you were not in school this afternoon"

“I hear that you were not in school this afternoon – were you at home, finishing your personal statement?”

"I don't intend to do it"

Tesni replies that she was not, and that she does not intend to do it;  “I’ve decided to take a year out to decide exactly what I want to do,” she explains.   

"It would be wise to finish your statement first`"

Gaynor considers it wise to finish her statement, to see which university would accept her, then she could postpone the course for a year.   

"I don't want to hear the word 'university' ever again!"

Tesni protests, “That’s the point – what course?   I really don’t know what I want to do – I’m sorry, Mrs Llywelyn, I’m serious – I don’t want to hear the word ‘university’ ever again!   I might as well tell you now – I’m leaving school!”

"But you're such an intelligent girl, Tesni"

Gaynor stresses that she is such an intelligent girl, and her grades are a credit to the school;  she urges, “At least, finish your A-levels!”   

"I'm leaving – today!"

Tesni considers that would be a waste of time, and there is no point anyone trying to change her mind – she is leaving – today.

"I'm going to find a job"

Her Gran is standing by the bar, and Tesni announces that she is leaving school;  “I’m going to find a job,” 

"Your mother's not going to be happy about that"

but Brenda does not consider her mother will be happy about that.   “She’ll have to be!” Tesni snarls, but does not want to tell her parents just yet;  first she has to go and tell Math.

"Did you find Jim?"

Eifion comes in and goes to sit down by Eileen;  he asks if she found Jim, and can see that something is wrong.   

"He's having an affair!"

“He’s having an affair!’ she says, 

"You're serious, aren't you?"

and he can see that she is serious;  

"I saw them – him and Brenda!"

“I saw them – him and Brenda.”

"Brenda?   She's old enough to be his mother!"

“She’s old enough to be his mother,” Eifion scoffs, 

"Well, Angela was young enough to be his daughter"

and Eileen distastefully compares it with Angela, who was young enough to be his daughter.   Eifion cannot believe it, and wonders what she is going to do.

"I'm going to make sure that he – and her – regret it!"

“I don’t have any proof,” she replies, “But I’m going to find it – and once I find that, I’m going to make sure that he – and her – regret it!”

"I persuaded you – and you don't regret it!"

Anita reminds Amanda that they both promised that they would never tell Kelly;  “I persuaded you to keep her – and you don’t regret it!”   

"This situation is not the same"

Amanda says the situation is not the same, but Anita considers that it is exactly the same;  “A young, new mother, worried that she can’t . . .”

"Stop sticking your nose in!"

At this point Kelly shouts at her to stop sticking her nose in;  “I just want Auntie Anita to stop thinking she always knows best!”

"Kelly knows what she is doing – she's not a fool"

Amanda stresses that Kelly knows what she is doing – she is not a fool;  

"So I'm the fool, am I?"

“So I’m the fool, am I?” Anita shrieks.   Amanda points out they are happy to listen to her advice – only sometimes it is wrong.

"Don't tell me I didn't try to make you see sense"

Anita emphasises, “Don’t you ever tell me that I didn’t try to make you see sense!”

"No chance of that!"

Kelly replies that there is no chance of that, and Anita rants on, “You’re making the biggest mistake of your life!   

"And you – thanks for nothing – again!"

“And you, Amanda, thanks for nothing!   Again!”   

Anita storms out – again

She leaves the flat, and her sister breathes a sigh of relief.

“Don’t listen to her – you’ll be all right,” says Amanda, and Kelly remains silent;  

"Take your time – don't rush into it"

“Just promise me one thing – take your time with this – don’t rush into it, OK?”   

"Thanks, Mam!"

Kelly turns and thanks her mother.