26 March 2020

Ffion has an insatiable thirst

Ffion is filling her water bottle once again as Rhys leaves for the gym;  

"You're like a fish!"

“You’re like a fish!” he laughs, but she says there is no quenching her thirst.

“I’ve drink a litre already, and I’ve only been up an hour,” she complains, and he says that he has read that it is common with the menopause, but at least drinking water is good for her.  

"I'm not sure about this much water"

“I’m not sure about this much water!” she exclaims.

Rhys wants to go out for a meal

He tells her that his father is going to pick up Arwen early, so he suggests he should book a table somewhere nice for them;  “A treat to celebrate that you’re home.”   

"I'll cook a steak for you – just how you like it!"

Ffion would rather stay in, and says that she will cook something instead;  “A steak, perhaps, just as you like it – I want to show my appreciation, because I’ve got such an amazing partner.”   

"There's no need for that, Ffi"

He assures her that there is no need, but she insists that she does appreciate him.   He maintains that she does not have to spend tonight slaving over the oven, 

"Sticky toffee pudding with custard"

but when she promises sticky toffee pudding with custard, 

He seems to have a weakness for that dessert

he is won over by the prospect.

“We don’t have to go out to have fun, do we?” she points out, “You’d better go, or you will be late.”   

"Make plenty of custard!"

He leaves, reminding her to make plenty of custard, and she takes another sip of water.

Iori's bungalow

The scene changes to Iori’s bungalow, 

"You'll be late for school, Tes"

where Brenda is telling Tesni that she will be late for school, but her answer is that she has a free lesson.   Brenda maintains that she has an O-level in skipping school.   

"Didn't your mother make you breakfast?"

“Didn’t your mother make you breakfast this morning?” she enquires, 

"She was still in bed"

and Tesni replies that she was still in bed, 

"That's not like Jac"

which surprises Brenda.

Iori has gone to get Danish pastries for the weekend, but Brenda is quick to point out that there is nothing going on between them;  

"Is there something wrong at home, Tes?"

there are simply friends, and can detect that there is something wrong at home, but before Tesni can reply, Iori returns..

"The Prince of Pastries has arrived!"

“Put the kettle on, Brend!” he shouts, “The prince of pastries has arrived!”   He greets Tesni and offers her a cinnamon swirl, 

Tesni takes one for her lunch

so she takes it to have with her lunch at school.

"Take your pick, Brenda!"

Iori invites Brenda to take her pick of the pastries, but she appears to have lost her appetite at the moment; 

"We've got a problem"

“We’ve got a problem,” she announces.

Gerwyn's lunchbox contains a doughnut

At number 10, Gerwyn will have to leave for work, and advises Jaclyn that he will have to work late, as the parts delivery will be delayed again.   She hands him his lunchbox, containing a ham sandwich – and a doughnut, 
so he comments that she is spoiling him.   

"Things are starting to feel normal again, aren't they?"

“I’m proud of you, you know – things are starting to feel normal again, aren’t they?” he says, 

"Do you have to?"

and they embrace, which Guto, who comes downstairs, finds distasteful.

"You two seem better"

“You two seem better,” he remarks, “You’ve been quiet, that’s all,” but his mother insists that they are fine.   

"No more snogging over the corn flakes, OK?"

“No more snogging over the cornflakes, OK?” he goes on, 

His mother hugs him

so she instead gives him a hug.

Brenda has an uneasy feeling about the family

Brenda is looking at a photo of the family, and says, “I can sense it, you know – the family needs me.”   

"Don't they need some space at the moment?"

Iori is more of the opinion that they need some space now, but she does not agree;  “Ger is his mother’s son,” she adds, and is already packing her bag.   

She is given her favourite mug . . .

Iori hands over her favourite mug, 

. . . and half a jar of piccalilly

and half a jar of piccalilli.

“I’ve enjoyed sharing a house with you,” he tells her, and she feels the same;  

"Why don't we go for a drink tomight?"

she has not laughed so much in ages.   He proposes that they go for a drink tonight, but Brenda says that she is not in the mood.   “To celebrate the good times – it will only be in the Deri,” he stresses, 

"Why not?   We could make a night of it"

so she agrees that they could make a night of it, and she will buy him dinner to say thank you.

"Large latté, please, Gwen"

In the café, Hywel orders a large latté from Gwen, then goes to sit with Cassie;  

"How are things with Em?"

he asks how things are going with Em, and the word she chooses is, “Difficult!   I’ve realised that I could have been a different mother – a better mother.   

"It's a pity we can't go back and correct things"

“It’s a pity we can’t go back and correct things, isn’t it?”

"I left Rhys with his grandmother for years"

Hywel recalls, “Well, I left Rhys with his grandmother for years,” and Cassie likens that situation to hers;  she wonders what they were thinking.   Hywel points out that it is not easy being a parent;  

"It doesn't get easier as they get older"

“And it doesn’t get easier as they get older.”

"Regret is a terrible feeling, isn't it?"

Cassie remarks, “Regret is a terrible feeling, isn’t it?”   Hywel knows that they cannot change the past, but all they can do is control what is to come – the parents they are now and in the future.   Cassie is convinced that she and Em are on the right path;  

"I miss 'them' a little bit"

“‘They’ have gone shopping in Cardiff – I miss ‘them’ a little bit – silly, isn’t it?” but Hywel regards it as perfectly natural.

A 'love text' to Jaclyn

From the garage, Gerwyn sends a text to Jaclyn which reads, “Love you xx,” and as he returns to working on the car, Iori comes in, with the bad news.

"Brenda's a little ray of sunshine"

“It’s Brenda – she’s a little ray of sunshine,” he begins, which does not concur with Gerwyn’s evaluation of his mother, “I’m organising a celebration for her tonight – I just wanted to thank her for being such good company.   

"Do you want to come for a drink in the Deri?"

“We’re going for a drink in the Deri – do you want to come?   Brenda’s family means everything to her – come on, Ger – your mother’s been good to you!   

"She doesn't want to move out"

“She doesn’t want to move out – she’s doing it for you and Jaclyn.”

"Move out?   What are you on about?"

Mention of ‘moving out’ immediately attracts Gerwyn’s attention, and Iori is surprised that she has not told him;  

"I've spoiled the surprise now!"

he feels that he has spoiled the surprise now.   “She’s moving back in with you,” he says, “She wants to help you and Jaclyn, and now you’re back together again.”

"That's the last thing I want!"

Gerwyn refuses to entertain that idea;  “Jac and I need some space, not Mam sharing the house again – that’s the last thing I want!”   

"Deri, tonight, 5.30pm – and don't tell your mother!"

Iori is surprised by this reaction, and quickly devises a plan;  “Deri, tonight, 5:30pm – and don’t tell your mother!” he orders, 

He hurries off to put his plan into action

as he marches out of the garage.

Brenda looks at the piccalilly . . .

Brenda is continuing her packing, and looks at the jar of piccalilli;  

. . . and replaces it in the kitchen

after some thought she replaces it in the kitchen, 

She seems reluctant to leave the house

and looks around with some regret.

Gerwyn speaks to a customer

Gerwyn is speaking to a customer on the phone when Tesni walks into the garage;  

"I can remember when school was from nine until three"

“I can remember the days when school was from nine until three,” he comments, and she scathingly replies that he can remember the days when shell suits were cool.   

Tesni is after a fiver from her Dad

She announces that she has free lessons all morning, and wonders if her father could give her a fiver, explaining that she works better with sweets – it is strictly for her education.   He tells her to ensure that she is around tonight;  

"Mam-gu is coming back to live with us"

“Mam-gu is coming back to live with us, and Iori wants to make a fuss in the Deri.   I don’t know what your mother will say!”

Tesni has mixed feelings about that

Tesni is of the opinion that her grandmother is a laugh, and they like the same programmes, but does agree that she takes too long in the bathroom.   “And she uses my make-up – even the really expensive stuff!”

"Can you have a word with Mam-gu?"

Gerwyn asks her to go and speak to Brenda, explaining that there is no need for her to come back, and warns her not to spend all the money on sweets.

Hywel is chatting in the street

Ffion is walking along the street when Hywel catches up with her and advises that he will be over to pick up Arwen shortly;  

"We're going to take Esther and Arwen for a burger"

“We’re going to take her and Esther for a burger, and then watch ‘Deian a Loli’ again.  [An S4C series about mischievous twins who have secret super powers]

"Come to the Deri tonight"

Iori comes across and invites them both to the Deri tonight;  Hywel has the perfect excuse that he is babysitting Arwen tonight, 

"Romantic evening for two – say no more!"

and Iori imagines Ffion and Rhys will be enjoying a romantic evening for two.   

They have nothing to say to each other

After looking at each other, Ffion and Hywel go their separate ways without a further word.

"Why are we going out with Mam-gu and Iori?"

Guto demands, “Why are we going out with Iori and Mam-gu?” and his father tries to think of an excuse without alerting Jaclyn to the truth;  

"They think the world of each other"

he says they think the world of each other, 

"Birds of a feather – peacocks!"

and Jaclyn describes them as birds of a feather – peacocks.

"I'm not feeling too well"

Then she decides that she is not feeling very well, and will stay at home, 

Tesni is adamant that her mother is coming

but Tesni insists, “We’re not going through this again – you’re coming!”   Gerwyn emphasises that Iori has gone to a lot of trouble;  

"No-one in this house wants to have fun any more!"

Tesni groans that no-one in the house wants to have fun any more, and that is why she misses her grandmother.

"You go now – and we will follow"

Gerwyn decides that the twins should go now;  he and their mother will follow.   “Mam, if you’re not there, I’ll come back and drag you to the Deri!” Tesni threatens.

"You've got to come, Jacs"

Gerwyn pleads with Jaclyn to come, as he will not be able to cope without her;  

She still has this fixation on Gwern

“I know it sounds silly, but Gwern will be upstairs in the Deri,” she explains, and he wonders if this means she will never be going to the Deri again.

"You have to get over this!"

“I’m fed up with talking about this, Jacs – you have to get over it,” Gerwyn continues, “There’s one thing I haven’t told you – Mam’s thinking of moving back here.   

"Mam thinks we need help"

She’s happy with Iori, but she thinks that we need help – we’ve done well to keep this business from the children, but they’re not stupid, they are worried about us.   You heard what Tesni said – things aren’t the same at home.   

"The kids need us to be OK"

“We have to try – they need us to be OK.   Right, come on, we’re going out to the Deri as a family.”   

Gerwyn helps Jaclyn with her coat

He helps her on with her coat.

Cassie sends a text to Em . . .

Cassie sends a text to Em;  “Hope you’ve had a nice day – Mam.”   

. . . and then gazes out of the window

She puts down her phone and gazes out of the window;  very soon there is a reply, 

She is pleased with the brief reply

bearing the single word, “Em 👍x,” and Cassie smiles.

Jaclyn is preoccupied

Jaclyn is standing at the bar of the Deri, looking very solemn when Brenda and Iori come in, laughing.   

"Why are the family here?"

Brenda wonders why the rest of the family are there, and is told that Iori has organised everything.   “I wanted to thank you for your company – you’re special,” he tells her, “This is only one part of the surprise.”   

Geraint acknowledges the order for champagne

He calls for champagne, and Geraint acknowledges his request.

Ffion is lying on the sofa

Ffion is dozing on the sofa when the buzzer sounds;  

"Come in, Hywel"

she gets to her feet and finds that it is Hywel.   “Arwen has forgotten Ted,” he says, 

"Are you cooking something special?"

“Something smells nice – are you cooking something special?”   She checks the oven and is fearful that this evening is going to be hard, 

"Rhys is going to get bad news"

as Rhys is expecting a romantic evening, but he is going to get bad news.

Hywel is adamant that she does not have a choice; 

"I don't want to be a burden – he's too young"

 “I know that,” she admits, “But things have been so good between us recently – I don’t want to be a burden, he’s too young.”   

"He's young, but he's sensible, too"

Hywel agrees that Rhys is young, but he is sensible, too, “And I don’t think he’d be happy that I know and he doesn’t!”

"Having her stay has been an honour"

In the Deri, Iori is praising Brenda;  “There are no words to describe her – she’s a real lady.   Having her stay with me has been an honour.”   Brenda encourages him to continue in this vein.   

Jaclyn's mind is elsewhere

Jaclyn is looking anxiously towards the stairs leading to the flat, and tells Gerwyn that she thinks she will go home.

She will not be dissuaded by Tesni 

Tesni forbids her to do this, but she will not listen, and Tesni is determined to go and follow her mother home to sort this out.   

"Well, actually it's a big surprise!"

Iori says that he has one more small surprise;  “Well, it’s actually a big surprise – come outside, Brenda!”

Outside the Deri . . .

They go to see what this is all about, 

. . . is a totally OTT American car . . .

and discover that outside the Deri is an enormous pink American car, 

. . . complete with 'Elvis'

with an Elvis Presley impersonator sitting on the bonnet.   

"For Brenda, the Queen of Diamonds!"

Iori announces that this is for Brenda, the Queen of Diamonds.   “I wanted to treat you properly – we’re going away, on holiday!”   

"Don't worry, Mam, we'll be all right"

Gerwyn assures her that they will be perfectly all right in her absence, and she asks where they are going.

"Vegas, baby!"

“Vegas, baby!’ Iori replies enthusiastically, 

This tickles Guto 

and as Guto is highly amused by this whole charade, 

Iori is taking her to Sin City

Iori goes on, “I’ve never met anyone I wanted to take to Sin City more than you, Brenda.   It will be fantastic!   Elvis!” he shouts, and the car door is opened for Brenda.   “You didn’t know I was a magician in my spare time, did you?” Iori boasts, “We could be a double act!”

"Do you think they'll get married?"

Guto remarks, “Nice one, Mam-gu – do you think they’ll get married?   Everybody does it in Vegas – the place where Elvis got married – Little White Chapel.”

"Will Dolly Parton be there?"

As they drive away, Brenda wonders if Dolly Parton will be there, 

That car will probably have problems with the turn by Bethania 

and the car proceeds slowly down Cwmderi High Street.

Ffion is still consuming quantities of water

Ffion is laying the table for dinner, and taking sips from her water bottle, which Hywel is eyeing with suspicion;  

"Ffion, are you telling me everything?"

“Ffion, are you telling me everything” he demands, and she realises he thinks that she is drinking again – after everything.

"I'm trying to cope – and it's really hard!"

“I’m trying my best to cope – and this cirrhosis, on top of everything else, is hard – it’s really hard!” she exclaims.   He says that she is under so much pressure, so she makes him aware of the fact that being thirsty is a symptom of cirrhosis.

"Go on, then, if you don't believe me!"

He laughs at this, so she offers him the bottle;  “Go on, if you don’t believe me!”   

He is disappointed to find that it is water

He tests it, and is disappointed to find that it is, in fact, water, then apologises, maintaining he does not know what came over him.

"Get out, Hywel!"

“Get out, Hywel!” she rages, and will not listen to anything else he has to say.   

He complies with her instruction

He walks out of the flat, 

She opens the top drawer of the filing cabinet

and Ffion heads straight towards the filing cabinet in the corner, taking from the top drawer something which resembles a bottle of vodka.

Hywel realises what he came for in the first place . . .

At that moment he comes back into the room 

. . . and catches Ffion with the bottle in her hand

and surprises her.