1 January 2020 (2nd)

Next morning, Diane looks no better

Diane is sitting on the sofa when Dai, in his dressing gown, comes downstairs;  

"How long have you been down here?"

“How long have you been down here?” he asks, and she says that she wants him to phone Cassie to find out how Jaclyn’s operation went.   

"I haven't had any coffee yet"

He points out that he has not yet had his coffee, 

"Or you could ask Sara – I have to know!"

but she continues that he could ask Sara;  she insists she has to know.

Then Sara arrives . . .

Then there is a knock at the door, and it is in fact Sara;  

. . . and Diane jumps to an assumption before she can speak

Diane assumes that Jaclyn did not survive the operation.

Eileen has absentmindedly taken off her ring

At Penrhewl, Eileen, for some reason, takes off her eternity ring as she is looking at some recipés;  

"Quiet – I've just got Huwi off to sleep!"

when Jim comes in, she tells him to be quiet, as Huwi has just got off to sleep.   

"You should have told me about the accident!"

“Listen, I know you’re trying to protect me, but you should have told me about the accident in the village,” he complains, 

"What accident are you on about?"

but she knows nothing about any accident.

"Jaclyn got knocked over by Diane's car"

“Don’t pretend you don’t know!” he growls, “Jaclyn got knocked over by Diane’s car!   I just heard about it!   

"It brings back memories of Courtney"

It brings back memories about Courtney’s accident – but I need to know about these things.”

Eileen is concerned whether Jaclyn is all right, and he advises that she is in hospital.   “I lost Courtney in that accident,” she reminds him, “And I lost Gina in a car accident as well – I would never keep something like that from you – honestly, you know that I wouldn’t.” Huwi can be heard crying, and so she goes up to him.

"It's too soon to say if she'll ever be the same!"

Having heard about Jaclyn, Diane ponders, “It’s too soon to say if she’ll ever be the same!” but Sara urges her not to worry too much, as it is good news that she came through the operation.   Dai is very pleased to hear that, and asks Sara to convey their best wishes to the family.

"I do know how you feel, Diane"

“Listen, I know it’s none of my business, but I do know how you feel,” says Sara, 

"I hit Siôn's son, Huw"

“Do you remember?   It was years ago now, but I hit Huw, Siôn White’s son.   It’s important that you look after yourself – it’s not just Jaclyn who’s been in an accident, isn’t it?”

"Yes, but you did a 'hit and run'!"

Dai intervenes to emphasise that what Diane has been through is different to what she has;  “Diane waited after the accident – you did a hit and run!”

"I wish I hadn't come round now"

Sara now regrets coming round to tell them, instead of just phoning, but Diane thanks her for coming, and she leaves, 

"I can see I'm not welcome here!"

snarling at Dai that she is not welcome there.

"I know – I shouldn't have said what I said"

Dai demands, “Right, out with it – I shouldn’t have said what I said!” but Diane does not answer.

Garry is recording his blood pressure

In the Deri flat, Garry is using a blood pressure monitor on his arm and is making notes in a book;  

"The coffee machine's gone on strike again"

Cassie comes up and is sorry for interrupting his break, but reports that the coffee machine has gone on strike again.   

She takes careful note of what he is doing

“Everything is going wrong this week!” he groans, “I’ll be down in a couple of minutes.”

"You can't do that on your own, Jim!"

Eileen is trying to convince Jim that he cannot sort out a matter on his own, and when Sioned comes in, 

"It's heavy work – you should ask Eifion or DJ to help you"

she is told that a tree has fallen in the top field.   “It’s heavy work, Jim, all that sawing – you should ask Eifion or DJ to help you!”  

Sioned moves  the recipé book – hiding the ring

Sioned moves the recipé book as she makes a cup of tea, and Jim protests that he is being wrapped up in cotton wool again;  

"Just like with the accident this morning"

“Just like with the accident this morning!”   By this time Eileen’s patience is wearing thin, and she explains to Sioned 

"Jim thinks I hid the accident from him"

that Jim thinks she hid last night's accident from him because of Courtney, but she did not know about it.

“You have to believe me, Jim!” she rages, but he says that it feels as if she is hiding things from him.   

"That's no reason to be nasty to Mam!"

Sioned insists that it is no reason for him to be nasty to her mother, and instructs him to find someone to help him with the tree, before he hurts his back again.   He walks out of the house, and Sioned looks for some biscuits.

"You shouldn't have been so hard on him, Sioned!"

Eileen maintains that Sioned should not have been so hard on him, as he is under a lot of pressure with the tree and everything;  

"Oh – I haven't got my ring!"

then she suddenly realises she is not wearing her ring, and Sioned suspects she took it off because she was angry. 

Then the final straw is when Huwi starts crying again, and Eileen moans, “He’s only had half an hour!”   

"I'll go and settle him, Mam"

Sioned will go and settle him, as Eileen searches for her ring.

Dai makes Camomile tea for Diane . . .

Dai makes a cup of camomile tea for Diane 

 . . . and takes her some mince pies . . .  

. . . but she is not interested

he sits by her on the sofa and encourages her, but she refuses to eat or drink.

There is no sign of the missing ring

The search continues at Penrhewl, and Sioned wonders whether Jim might have picked it up;  

"I don't want Jim to see I'm not wearing it!"

“I hope not – because I don’t want him to see I’m not wearing it,” her mother sobs.   She is told not to upset herself, as it is only a ring.

"What's going on, Mam – or I'll have to ask Jim!"

Then Sioned realises that something is wrong;  “There’s something going on with you, Mam – I know there is – come on – tell me, or I’ll have to ask Jim.”   

"No, don't do that, Sioned!"

Eileen begs her not to do that, and she suspects that he has done something to hurt her mother.   

"Hes got dementia!"

“No, of course he hasn’t,” Eileen begins, and after some hesitation, continues, “He’s got dementia!”   

"No – he must just be tired"

Sioned cannot take this in, maintaining that he is just tired because of Huwi, 

"He's had the tests, and the diagnosis"

but her mother reveals that he has had all the tests and the diagnosis.   Sioned is stunned.

"There's nothing they can do"

Eileen tells her that no-one else knows;  “There’s no use saying it – there’s nothing they can do,” 

"There must be some tablets"

but Sioned protests that there must be some treatment, or tablets.

"But he'll still have dementia"

Eileen explains that there are tablets which can ease the symptoms, but Jim will still have dementia, and Sioned describes it as very unfair after everything they have already gone through;  

"Courtney, and Angela – this isn't fair!"

“Courtney, Angela – this isn’t fair!  How can you be so strong?”   

"I felt that hopelessness!"

Eileen replies that she is not strong at all;  “And last night, when the clock struck midnight, I felt it like a stone in my stomach – that hopelessness!”   

Sioned grasps her mother's hands

Sioned holds her mother's hands, as she laments, “I don’t want to watch him getting worse and worse – and I’ve got Huwi!   I don’t think I can do it.   What sort of wife says things like that – 

Sioned is upset by the news

“thinks things like that?

Sara walks along the street

Sara is walking past the shop when Cassie comes out and asks about Jaclyn;  

"She lost a lot of blood, but she's stable"

“She lost a lot of blood during the operation, but she’s stable,” is Sara’s reply, “I’m worried about Diane as well – I called in to see them earlier – she wasn’t herself.   I had a car accident – it was years ago now, but I know how much it can affect someone – it changes your life, but at least no-one died.”   

Cassie definitely has something on her mind

Cassie is still looking very troubled, and as Sara walks along the street, 

The police want further information

she sees the police notice appealing for information about the accident.

This chap is forever in the Deri lately

In the Deri, as Garry is serving one of their recent regular customers, Cassie comes in;  

"You noticed me, messing about with the machine"

“I noticed that you noticed me earlier, messing about with my machines,” he says, “My blood pressure is a touch high – although I’m not surprised, 

Cassie says he is worrying about nothing

“with all the stress I’ve had in my life recently.   Do you think I should go and see the doctor again?”   Cassie does not know what to say, except that she thinks he is worrying about nothing;  she points out he has already been to see the doctor, 

"But the blood pressure coulod be a problem"

but he reiterates that his blood pressure could be a problem.

"Don't blame me for being more concerned about other people"

“You’re not in the intensive care unit yet, are you?” she remarks, “Do go and see the doctor if you think your blood pressure is little high.   But don’t blame me for being more concerned about other people!”

Kath brings her recycled box of chocolates

Kath has called to see Diane, and brings her a box of chocolates, but Diane does not say a word.   

"A few days and you'll be as right as rain"

“A few days now, and you’ll be as right as rain,” says Kath, 

"Why don't I come round tomorrow"

“Why don’t I come round again tomorrow at the same time – to see how you are?”

"She's had quite a shock, hasn't she?"

There is still no response and Kath goes to talk to Dai;  “She’s had quite a shock, hasn’t she?”   Dai suggests that with a bit of fresh air she will be OK;  “I think she needs more than that!” replies Kath, “Perhaps she should talk to someone professional.”

"If she needs to talk, she can talk to me"

Dai dismisses this;  “If she needs to talk to someone, she can talk to me.   What are you doing this afternoon?   You can come with us – did you hear that, Diane?   

"A New Year's Day walk with me and Kathleen Pearl"

“Come on – how do you fancy a little New Year’s Day walk with Kathleen Pearl and me?”   

Diane tells them to go, but he insists, “Either we all go or nobody goes!”   

"After all I've had over Christmas, it will do me good"

Kath maintains that after all she has eaten over Christmas, it will do her good.

Diane grudgingly agrees

Diane reluctantly agrees, and Dai regards this as, “A bit of positivity at last!   Come on, let’s get this charabanc on the road, as they say.”

"Sorry if I upset you, Cassie"

Behind the bar in the Deri, Cassie is looking very serious, and Garry is sorry if he has upset her;  she assures him that he has not, and he wonders if she is worried about something else.   

"Dani said you weren't yourself last night"

“Dani said earlier that you weren’t quite yourself last night, either,” he goes on.

"I was driving the car when Gina was killed"

Taking a deep breath, Cassie reveals to him, “I was driving the car when Gina, Eileen Penrhewl’s sister, was killed.”   

"And I was going on about blood pressure"

He regrets going on and on about blood pressure, but she says he was not to know.

"Why don't we have our lunch hour now?"

“Why don’t we have our lunch hour now, before the punters come in?” he suggests, 

"No 'deep and meaningfuls', mind!"

but she protests that she does not want a ‘deep and meaningful’.   

"I just fancy a coffee – if the machine's still working"

He just fancies a coffee – if the machine is still working.   Cassie would like a cheese and tomato sandwich;  Garry will go and make it now.

Eileen does not want anything to eat

At the kitchen table in Penrhewl, Sioned tells her mother she should try to eat something, but she replies that she is not hungry.   “Look, I know this is between you and Jim, 

"You're not on your own, Mam"

“but you’re not on your own – I know now, don’t I?   So I can support you.”

"This is my responsibility"

Eileen tells that she has her own life;  “I am Huwi’s Mam, and Jim’s wife – this is my responsibility.”   Sioned insists that they are family, and that she wants to help;  

"Other people will want to help, if you will let them"

other people will want to help, too, if Eileen will let them – but that is up to her.

"Sorry, Cas, no tomatoes"

Garry brings in their lunch and is sorry that there are no tomatoes.   

"So every accident takes you back there?"

“So every car accident you hear about takes you back there?” he says, and she reminds him of what she said about ‘deep and meaningful’.

"The events of last night took pace on the same street"

She explains, “The events of last night happened on the same street – guilt is a strange thing – it’s never equivalent to what you’ve done, 

"Every birthday, every Christmas, I think about Gina"

so every birthday, every Christmas, I just think about Gina.”   

"I feel a lot of guilt about Brandon"

Garry feels the same about Brandon;  “A lot of guilt – mind you, there was nothing I could have done.   

"I'm sorry you're going through this, Cas"

“I’m sorry you’re going through this, Cas.”   She tells him to stop or he will have to get her a pudding as well.

"The walk will do her the world of good"

As they slowly proceed through the alley, Dai tells Kath that the walk will do Diane the world of good;  and Kath maintains that she just needs a bit of time.   

"How's Jaclyn?"

They pass the shop, and Sara approaches, and informs Diane,   

"In the Intensive Care Unit?"

“She’s in the intensive care unit – that’s what happens after a big operation like that.”

Diane walks on . . .

Diane walks on, looking even more downhearted, 

. . . but then sees the police notice

then looks across the road where the police notice is displayed;  she cannot face being out any longer 

"Give me the keys, Dai – I'm going home!"

and demands that Dai give her the house keys, as she is going home.   He protests that they are going to the Deri for a hot toddy, but she heads home without a further word.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with her, Kath!” Dai groans, 

"The accident only happened yesterday"

but she reminds him that the accident only happened yesterday.   They will go for a hot toddy now, then he can go back home to Diane.   Kath predicts that she might feel better after having some time alone.

"Sorry I didn't take your concerns seriously"

Cassie apologises for not taking Garry’s health concerns seriously, but he tells her to forget about it.   She describes it as a mid life crisis, 

"Perhaps there's something in the genes"

and he reminds her that he said a lot of his family died young;  “Perhaps there’s something in the genes.”

"You can be strong for your family"

“Like beer bellies?’ she jokes, “Perhaps you should look at things in a different way.   Look what you’ve got here – Dani, the children, this business, Britt.   You can’t control your health, but you can be strong for your family.   

"Have you made a New Year's resolution?"

“Have you made a New Year’s resolution?”

"To make the most of the time I have on this earth"

“To move on,” he replies, “And to make the most of the time I have on this earth.”

Cassie comments, “Exactly – and drink a lot of gin, as Jean would say!”   

"Two large hot toddies, please, Garry"

Dai and Kath come in and ask for two hot toddies.

"It must have helped talking to someone"

Sioned remarks that her mother seems to be in a better mood now, and is sure that it helped to talk to someone;  

"I agree about sharing the burden"

Eileen replies, “I agree with you about sharing the burden – having faith in people we trust not to tell anyone else – but not yet!   

Unfamiliar bags of British Sugar Granulated

“And I don’t want Jim to know that we’ve been talking today.”

The ring is located in the recipé book

Sioned moves the recipé book and discovers the missing ring, much to Eileen’s relief;  

Eileen is overjoyed

she is so pleased that she hugs Sioned, and at that moment Jim walks in, 

"That's the tree sorted out . . ."

confirming that he has dealt with the tree, and that Mark came to help him.   

" . . . and he got a load of free firewood for his trouble"

“He got a load of free firewood for his trouble,” Jim announces, then turns  to Sioned;  “You’re still here, then?   

"You've probably wasted the whole afternoon chatting"

“You’ve probably wasted the whole afternoon chatting, knowing you two.”   

"There's nothing wrong with chatting all afternoon"

Sioned answers that sometimes there is nothing wrong with chatting all afternoon.