14 May 2020

"People are saying the nicest things, Sioned"

At Penrhewl, Eileen is opening her birthday cards;  “People are saying the nicest things,” she tells Sioned, 

"Thank you for this, DJ"

and she is grateful to DJ for his gift.   He is ready to put the pork into the oven for dinner, but Eileen does not want him to go to too much trouble.

“I’m enjoying it – I don’t often get the chance to cook properly,” he replies, 

"We're going out for the day, Mam"

and Sioned assures him he will get plenty of peace and quiet today, as they are going out for the day.

This comes as a surprise to Eileen, who stresses that she said she did not want to go anywhere, 

"Huwi is going to help with the cooking"

but is told, “Only to the seaside.”   DJ says that Huwi is all sorted out, and is going to help with the cooking;  Sioned encourages her mother, “He’ll love being with DJ – come on.   It will do us good to leave the place for the day.”

"There's the sous chef crying now!"

Then they hear Huwi crying upstairs, and DJ remarks, There’s the sous chef crying now!”   Eileen will go up to say goodbye to him, and also wants to fetch something.

The nibbles at the business function

At the business function, 

Dylan seems rather uneasy

Garry is surprised that Dylan has actually turned up;  “This is where are all the deals take place, then?” he comments.   Apparently their host has made a penny or two with the new housing development, 

"He's got friends on the council and other places"

and Garry remarks that he has friends on the council and other places.   “It’s important to keep meeting new contacts,” says Dylan, who is looking rather uncomfortable.

"Garry was supposed to sign these papers"

In the Deri, Gerwyn comes in and complains to Jaclyn that Garry was supposed to sign some documents;  “I can’t do it – the man’s a control freak!” he tells her, “You know where he is, don’t you?   Enjoying himself with Dylan – they’ve gone to a business club meeting or something.   They’re very ‘pally’ these days!”

"Those two have a lot in common"

Cassie maintains that they have a lot in common, then Gwern comes in, asking if his father is upstairs, and is told that he is out for the day.   

"We're supposed to play football today!"

“What?   We’re supposed to play football today – he promised!” complains Gwern, 

"I'm sure you'll have a game when he comes back"

and Cassie is sure that they will be able to have a game when his father comes back.   Gwern answers that it will be too late then, 

"I'll have a game with you"

and Gerwyn offers to have a game with him, 

"It's supposed to be with Dad, not you!"

but he snarls, “It’s supposed to be with Dad, not you!” and rushes off.

Diane has another hangover

At Bryntirion, Diane is feeling the after-effects of last night’s gin;  she groans, “I don’t remember sending an e-mail!”   

"I'm surprised you remember anything about last night!"

Dai is surprised that she remembers anything about last night, with the state she was in.   “And now the Western Post thinks I want the column,” she continues.

"You'll have plenty of time to write as many letters as you like"

Dai cannot understand why she is so concerned;  “Before long, you’ll have plenty of time to write as many letters as you like and to whoever you want.”

"The two of us on the beach, drinking pĩna coladas"

By this time Diane is lounging on the sofa, as he goes on, “Retirement, Diane, remember?   The two of us on the beach, drinking piña coladas – I can’t wait – no need to worry about ungrateful customers!   

"It's time for you to go to work!"

“But talking of customers, come on – it’s time for you to go to work!   I have to see the financial adviser this morning to check our pension pots, so come on!”

She wants to know why she cannot come with him, 

"Come on, shiffta dy stwmps!"

and he points out that she is needed in the shop;  “Jason is out giving a quote, come on, shiffta dy stwmps, [something like ‘move your butt’], chop-chop!”   

Work is the last thing on Diane's mind

Diane does not look in any condition to work.

Izzy trudges up the track to Penrhewl 

Izzy is walking up the farm track to Penrhewl when she encounters DJ, who has been collecting the eggs;  

"The taxi wouldn't bring me up here"

“That track’s longer than I thought,” she moans, “The taxi wouldn’t bring me up here – he was worried about his tyres.

DJ wonders what she is doing at the farm, and she announces that she is staying in Eifion’s room.   DJ is puzzled that Eileen did not say anything about it, 

"Mathew kicked you out, has he?"

and presumes that Mathew has kicked her out;  she maintains that she wanted to give him some space, 

"I won't be in the way"

and stresses that she will not be in the way.

Eileen and Sioned are at Porthcawl

The scene shifts to the seaside, more precisely Porthcawl seafront, where Eileen and Sioned are strolling along the promenade;  “There’s nothing like a sea breeze, is there?” says Sioned.

"Little John, Denzil and now Jim"

However, her mother is questioning what she has done wrong;  “Little John, Denzil and now Jim.”   She is assured that she has not done anything, but these are things that happen in life;  

"You've still got Huwi"

Sioned reminds her that she still has Huwi.   “I still don’t understand why Jim didn’t leave you anything,” her mother says.

“That’s not important now – what is important is that we protect Penrhewl,” Sioned emphasises.

"You loved making sandcastles when you were little"

Eileen recalls that Sioned loved making sandcastles when she was little;  “You dug the moat and waited for the tide to come in.”   

"With little flags on the top"

Sioned remembers the little flags that could be put on the top of the sandcastles, and Eileen describes them as good days.   Her daughter is sure that there are more good days to come, 

St Llangwynawr Lighthouse on the left

but Eileen does not look confident about that.

Diane must be feeling considerably better

Outside the back entrance of APD, by the garden furniture, Diane enthuses to Dai, “Listen to this – enjoy the tranquility of a luxury cabin set among tropical trees, overlooking a beautiful, clear turquoise sea.   And it’s not that expensive.”

Dai shatters her illusion

Dai has something more pressing on his mind;  “We can’t retire, Diane – our pension pots – they’re too low.   Do you know what?   

"What does he have in the end?   Absolutely nothing!"

“A man saves and pays in throughout his life – and what does he have in the end?   Absolutely nothing!”

Diane cannot believe it and suspects that they have made a mistake, 

"I saw it in black and white, Diane"

but he replies that he saw it in black and white.   “She did suggest one way we could retire. 

"Sell the whole lot!"

“We sell the business, Diane – sell the whole lot!”   

Diane is shocked by this

Diane is dumbfounded, and sinks down into one of the garden chairs.

The speaker ends his oration

At the business meeting, the eminent speaker has just finished, and Dylan comments that he spoke well, 

"It's easy with all his money"

but Garry points out that it is easy with all the money he has behind him.   Dylan is looking distractedly at his phone, 

"You're a self-made man like me"

as Garry continues, “I was under the impression that you were a self-made man like me,” and Dylan agrees that you do not need to rely on anyone else then.

“You’ve done well – fair play to you,” says Garry, “Some of it is luck, but a lot is hard work.

"You rent out houses as well?"

“So you rent out houses as well as owning Tapas?   You must have bought at the right time – are things going well at Tapas?”

"People like to think they're in Spain"

Dylan is not happy about the way the conversation is going, but jokes that people like to think they are in Spain.   Garry is glad that the Deri and Tapas offer different things, and are not competing against each other;    “Mind you, are you sure you don’t want Jaclyn back?”   

"I don't want to step on your toes, Garry"

Dylan maintains that he does not want to step on Garry’s toes, and in order to escape from the questions, will do some ‘networking’.   

Garry's suspicion of Dylan continues

Garry looks suspicious.

"Putting his children and family first"

“A man spends his life putting his children and family first,” says Dai, who is now back at home, 

"It's time we started thinking of ourselves"

“It’s time that we both started to think of ourselves.”   Diane agrees that it is a pity about the boys, but they have years ahead of them to make a go of things.

"Diane, do you have any serviettes?"

“So, are we agreed?” he enquires, and at that moment DJ comes in the back door, wondering if Diane has any serviettes he can have for Eileen’s party.   He expected that they would be at work, 

"Started slowing down already, have you?"

but presumes they have started to slow down already.

Dai confesses that he did mention to DJ that they were thinking of retiring;  “No-one needs to know that APD is changing hands,” says DJ, but he is told to sit down as his father has something to tell him.

"Do you want him to see it in Tomos ac Ellis's window?"

Dai initially hesitates, so Diane demands, “Do you want him to see it in Tomos ac Ellis’s window?”   

"It looks like we'll have to sell the business"

Dai admits that he might have been a bit hasty last week when he said they were going to give DJ and Jason shares in APD;  “It now looks like if Diane and I want to retire, we’ll have to sell the business – do you understand?   

"We hoped there would be enough in our pension pots"

“We hoped that there would be enough in our pension pots to allow . . .”

"I'm glad you told me before I bought a Porsche!"

DJ stops him there, telling him not to worry about it;  “I’m just glad that you told me before I bought a Porsche!” he jokes, “Right, I’d better go, or Sioned will be waiting for me.”   

Dai and Diane console each other

Diane embraces Dai.

"You were right about coming here, Sioned"

On the beach at Porthcawl, Eileen agrees that Sioned was right about coming there;  “Jim wouldn’t want you to be sad all time, Mam,” Sioned tells her.   

"I remember that time when he fell asleep in the sun"

Eileen can remember the last time they came to the beach;  “He fell asleep in the sun, when he woke up he looked like a tomato!   

"I want to scatter his ashes by the sea"

“I want to scatter his ashes near the sea – this is the right place.   She produces the box, and asks her daughter to help her;  

They walk together towards the sea

they walk together towards the sea.

Diane troes to decide which bottle to buy

In the Deri, Diane cannot make up her mind which bottle of wine to have, saying, “I need to save every penny I can,” so Cassie recommends the Cava.  

"Have you given any more thought to the Western Post offer?"

Cassie wonders if she has given any more thought to the Western Post offer, and remarks to Jaclyn, “Remember I told you that Diane had been offered an advice column?”   

"You'll hear some juicy gossip there!"

Jaclyn imagines that Diane will hear some juicy gossip there.

"Do you remember me sending an e-mail?"

Diane says that she had intended to refuse;  “But do you remember me sending an e-mail at the Gin Club?   It appears that I answered them and accepted!”   

Jaclyn cannot disguise her amusement

Jaclyn is unable to stop herself laughing, as Diane goes on, “I remember going to the toilet, then home and straight to bed.   I never take the phone to the toilet with me – 

"Perhaps someone picked it up"

“perhaps someone picked it up off the table.

Cassie admits what she did

As Jaclyn is now sniggering very noticeably, Cassie has to confess that she sent the e-mail, 

"You had no right, Cassie!"

which Diane finds quite shocking, pointing out that she had no right.   

"It was only lack of confidence holding you back"

Cassie maintains that it was only a lack of confidence that was holding Diane back.   

“Now everybody will see me making a fool of myself,” Diane grumbles, “I can’t believe you did that.   Touch my phone again, and I’ll report you to the police!   

"We'll see who wants advice then!"

“We’ll see who wants advice then!”   She angrily walks out of the Deri, taking care not to forget her bottle.  

Dylan has not clinched any deals . . .

Garry and Dylan arrive back;  “It’s a shame nobody wanted to do a deal with you,” says Garry, “But at least you have some new connections.   Do you think you’ll do something other than letting houses?”   Dylan does not know the answer to that, but will wait and see what comes.

. . . and this threatening message does not help

Then his phone sounds, and he finds a cryptic message from Daf;  “Tick tock.   Tick, tock.”

"It's Sara, telling me dinner's ready"

He tries to convince Garry that it is from Sara, informing him that dinner is almost ready.

"Don't forget the meal next week"

Garry reminds him to tell her about the meal next week, 

Something about Dylan still puzzles Garry

and looks rather puzzled as he leaves.

Eileen and Sioned return to a birthday party . . .

Dai and Diane are already at Penrhewl when Sioned and her mother return from the seaside;  DJ hands them a glass of wine, and they are about to drink a toast to Eileen 

. . . and then Izzy walks in . . .

when Izzy walks in through the door.   “I forgot to tell you,” says DJ, “Izzy’s staying in Eifion’s room.”

. . . much to Sioned's displeasure

Sioned immediately decides, “You can’t do that!” and Diane thinks it is advisable to take Dai aside for a moment, while they argue about it.   Eileen suggests that Izzy could stay with her mother, but she protests there is no room, 

"Eifion's paid for the room anyway"

and that Eifion has paid for the room at the farm anyway.   Eileen does not want this altercation to spoil her birthday, 

"She can stay, just for tonight"

but agrees that Izzy can stay there tonight, much to Sioned’s displeasure;  they will discuss it tomorrow.

"This is a family celebration!"

“You’d better go to Eifion’s room – this is a family celebration,” Sioned snarls at her.   

They sing 'Happy Birthday' to Eileen 

They all sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Eileen.

"Oh, I forgot all about that!"

In the Deri, Cassie informs Garry that Gwern was there earlier and said that his father had promised to play football with him;  “I know it’s none of my business, but I have to tell you – he misses his mother.   

"He has written his Mam a letter, and I posted it"

“He’s written her a letter and I posted it.”

He growls that she had no right to do that, but she is of the opinion that he should visit his mother, 

Garry will not entertain the idea

a suggestion which meets with downright refusal from Garry.   “You can’t keep a son from his mother,” she argues, 

"He's better off without a mother like that!"

Garry insists that Gwern is better off without a mother like that.

"Gwern is the one who's suffering"

“You’re punishing Gwyneth, and Gwern is the one who’s suffering,” she continues, but he objects to her telling him how to bring up his son.   “You’ll only cause problems for yourself,” she says.

"Should I take advice from a mother like you?"

“Should I take advice from a mother like you?” he demands, and she maintains that he should, unless he wants to make the same mistakes that she did.

Dylan bursts in, looking for Jaclyn

Gerwyn is just taking off his coat at number 10 when Dylan marches in, looking for Jaclyn.  “Have you told Garry anything about me and the drugs?” he says, “Because you don’t like me.”   

"I haven't said anything to anyone"

Gerwyn makes it clear that he has not said anything, but Dylan insists, “Someone must have – why is he so friendly all of a sudden?”

"Enjoy yourself with your new friend?"

Then Jaclyn comes in, enquiring, “Did you enjoy yourself with your new friend?”   Dylan wants to know if Garry has been asking questions about him.   

"That's what happens when you dabble with drugs!"

Gerwyn describes her brother as paranoid, which is what happens when people dabble in drugs, then he goes up for a shower.

"Are you sure you haven't said anything to make Garry suspect?"

“Are you sure you haven’t said anything to make Garry suspect me and the drugs?” Dylan asks, “Why is he being so odd?   Inviting me for a meal?   A drink?”

“Ger’s right – you are paranoid,” Jaclyn tells him, 

"Gerwyn's the cause of all this trouble!"

and he rages about Gerwyn being the cause of all his trouble.

"I'm in so much debt, Jacs!"

“I’m in so much debt, Jacs!” he shouts, 

"Well, sell one of your houses, then"

but she explains he can sort that out easily enough, by selling one of his houses.   “Don’t you think I’ve consider that?   I’ve got nothing left!”

She thinks he is being stupid, 

"They're all gone – I'm completely broke!"

but he admits, “The houses, the money, the flat – they’re all gone!   The only thing I’ve got in my name is Tapas – I’m completely broke!”

"Where has it all gone?"

She points out that he had several houses and that flat, and wonders where it has all gone;  

"I had to find an extra £50,000!"

he explains that he had to find and extra £50,000, because the amount he has paid is not enough – they want more.   He does not know how on earth he is going to find that sort of money, except by selling Tapas.

"Do what you like!"

She seems remarkably unconcerned;  “You know what, Dyl?   Do what you like!” 

She wields a tin in a menacing fashion

as she threateningly brandishes what appears to be a tin of tomatoes.

Realising that he is not going to get any sympathy from her, he declares, “You’re right – I’m going to sort this out!” but she warns him not to do anything stupid.   

"Nobody does this to me!"

“Nobody does this to me!” he snarls, ominously pointing at her, then leaves the house.

He appears to be in a bit of bother

From the door of APD, we see him pause for a moment outside, then walk along the street.