17 December 2020

 

Colin works outside the shop

As Colin, in his Christmas outfit, is arranging the vegetables outside the shop, Kath walks disconsolately through the alley;  

Kath admires his costume

she admires his costume, and asks if he has seen Mark.   

She tries to convince him nothing is wrong

She insists that everything is all right, but he can see that something is troubled her;  “Kath, what’s going on?” he demands.

"We had a bust-up yesterday"

She confesses, “We had a bust-up yesterday – he stomped out and I don’t know where he’s gone.”   He advises she should phone him, but she maintains that he will not answer his phone;  “I thought perhaps he would have been in touch with you,” she goes on.   

"I'll get him to phone you, Kath"

If Colin sees Mark, he will get him to phone his mother, but Kath does not want him to do that;  “Just tell me if you see him.”

Gaynor is an unfamiliar sight at Penrhewl 

Gaynor pays a rare visit to Penrhewl, and hopes that she is not interrupting.   Eileen is pleased to see her;  

"It's great that people are calling in"

“It’s great that people are calling in for a chat – I’ve missed that.”  

"We all complained when we couldn't go anywhere"

Gaynor agrees that they all complained when they could not go anywhere during lockdown, so they should make the most of the fact they can now.

Eileen has a call from a customer

“Farming life goes on, lockdown or not,” says Eileen, and then her phone rings;  it is one of her Cae Glas customers, and she agrees to bring their order over tomorrow morning.   “There’s not much peace when you run a business from home,” she adds, “With the wages and bills to be paid.”

"I hope you don't think I'm being nosy"

This brings Gaynor to the real reason for her visit;  “I hope you don’t think I’m being nosy, but there are easier ways of making money.   Is there still planning permission on the land Eifion and Cadno intended to build on?”

Eileen wonders what is coming next . . .

Eileen is immediately suspicious as Gaynor continues, “I think it lasts for a few years, and it’s possible to make another application.   Would you consider selling that land to me and Hywel?”   

. . . and does not like it when she finds out

Eileen seems rather taken aback by this suggestion.

Iolo encounters Brenda

Iolo meets Brenda coming out of the alley, carrying a box;  “I’m so sorry about Iori,” he tells her, “You’re very brave to clear the house all by yourself – isn’t anyone helping you?”   She replies that she knows what to keep and what to throw away.

Looking down at a pair of shoes in the box, she groans, “To think he was wearing these in Vegas a few months ago – 

"I can still smell his feet!"

“and now, I can still smell his feet!”   

"Was he interested in magic?"

There is a book on magic in the box and she enlightens Iolo, “Probably he and his hero have brought the cards out up there – Paul Daniels – Iori loved Paul Daniels!”

"I'll go into Apêl Maenan and buy them"

Iolo says that he will go into Apêl Maenan and buy those, but Brenda offers to give them to him.   

"No, I insist – I'll go and get my wallet"

“No, it’s all right – I’ll just go and get my wallet,” Iolo insists.   

Her little scam is working

She smiles with satisfaction.

"Oh, you're back, then"

Kath returns home to Maes-y-Deri, and finds that Mark is there, selecting one of the mugs;  she recalls that she bought it for him at the Cardiff Urdd Eisteddfod.   

"I've just come to fetch a few things"

“I’m not staying, Mam – I’ve just come to fetch a few things,” he informs her. 

She asks where he stayed last night, 

"With someone who doesn't interfere in my life!"

and he bitterly answers, “With someone who doesn’t interfere in my life!”   

"I can watch the box without anyone snoring"

Kath pretends that she quite enjoys being there on her own, and now can watch whatever she likes on the box without anyone snoring.   

"And you'd better clean that room!"

“And do you know what?   You’d better clean that room before you go!” she shouts.

"We've got a rota, Colin"

Outside the shop, Colin tells Llio, “Iolo’s got you well-trained,” and she points out that they have a rota.   “That’s what it was like when I lived with the boys at number 7,” he remembers, 

"Curry was all he ever cooked"

“Curry was Iolo’s signature dish – that’s all he ever cooked.”

"We were like the Three Musketeers"

Tyler approaches and Colin remarks, “I was just telling Llio when I lived with you and Iolo, all he cooked was curry.   We were like the Three Musketeers.”   

"He cooked more than that by the end"

Tyler is quick to point out that Iolo cooked more than that by the end, and Llio leaves them.   Tyler mutters, “I don’t know what I’ve done to her,” and Colin says that she is lovely.   

"If I had a chance to get to know her . . ."

“If I had a chance to get to know, perhaps I would agree with you,” adds Tyler.

"She gets on very well with Iolo"

“She’s Aaron’s favourite teacher, and she gets on very well with Iolo,” Colin continues;  Tyler concludes that he must be the problem.

"I sold them to Iolo for a good price"

In the deserted Deri, Brenda is having a whispered phone conversation;  “I’m sorry, all right?   I sold them to Iolo for a good price.   What?   

"You stay where you are!"

“I’m not doing that!   See you later – and you stay where you are!”

Cassie gets ready for her shift at the Deri

Cassie is preparing for work at the Deri when the door opens and Mark comes in with his box of belongings.   

"I hope you like shepherd's pie"

“I hope you like shepherds pie,” he tells her, “I don’t know exactly how to cook it, but Colin said everything I need is in here.”

"You're trying to get in my good books"

“I know what you’re doing,” she replies, “Trying to get in my good books – I’ve said you can stay for a while, until you find somewhere permanent.   Have you been asking around?”   

"I haven't had the chance yet"

He says that he has not had the chance yet, and she volunteers, “I’ll make enquiries on your behalf during my shift.”

He warns her that if his mother is at the Deri, she must not reveal that he is staying at number 9, but she is sure that Kath will find out.   

"I need a break from Mam, Cassie"

He pleads, “I need a break from her – and I don’t want her to come over here!   Please, Cassie!”

She wonders if he has thought about what he is going to do with those letters, and he shakes his head.   “No-one can blame you for wanting to write to her – but you know it’s dangerous.   What if the police found out you were receiving letters?   

"You do what you think is best"

“But there we go – you do what you think is best,” and so saying, she leaves for the Deri.

"We've been talking about moving out of Cwmderi"

At Penrhewl, Gaynor goes on, “We’ve been talking about moving out of Cwmderi, but I don’t know – I think it’s a bit impulsive.   Hywel doesn’t know I’m here – and then I remembered about the planning permission on the land.   It struck me how nice it would be to build our own house – it would be a new start for us all.”

"It makes sense now – why you're here"

Eileen is unimpressed;  “It makes sense now, why you’ve landed here,” and Gaynor remarks that ‘fortune favours the brave’.   “Do you really think I’d sell an inch of land to Hywel Llywelyn?” Eileen snarls, “After he went behind Jim’s and my backs to buy Pwll Bach.”

"You'd have a significant sum of money"

Gaynor maintains that was nothing to do with her, and emphasises, “You’d have a significant sum of money – we’d give you more than a fair price for the land.”

"Sorry, Gaynor, no"

However, her argument is to no avail;  “Sorry, Gaynor, no.”   

Gaynor wastes no time in leaving

Her visitor leaves without another word.

There is an intruder at number 7 . . .

The back door of the number 7 slowly opens, and Iori cautiously comes in, 

. . . who does not get very far before . . .

but he has not taken many steps before Iolo comes downstairs, 

. . . being discovered by Iolo

and is astonished to see him, allegedly back from the dead.   

"Iolo White, is it?"

“Iolo White, is it?   Nice to meet you,” says Iori.

"Iori – what's going on?"

“Iori – is that you?   What’s going on?” gasps Iolo, and the intruder explains that he is not Iori, but Ianto, his identical twin brother, who came over from America yesterday.

He poses as identical twin, Ianto . . .

“I heard from Iori that you and he were such good friends, and I thought I’d come over and say hello,” he goes on. 

. . . but Iolo is unconvinced

Iolo is not taken in by this for a moment, but tells him, “Shut up, Iori – I know it’s you!   

"Why are you pretending to be dead?"

“Now, two things – why are you pretending to be dead – and why have you broken into my house?”

Iori cannot think a suitable rejoinder

At this point, Iori appears to be lost for words.

Llio is in the Deri

Llio is sitting quietly in the Deri when Tyler enters;  he asks if she is all right and she ignores him.   

"Why are you so offish with me?"

“Why are you so offish with me?” he demands, “Earlier with Colin and now?” She tells him that he is imagining things, and she has to go and pick up Greta from the nursery.   This angers Tyler, and she explains that Iolo is off, attending to a job.   

"I'll fetch her"

When he says that he will fetch the child, Llio makes it clear, “Iolo’s asked me to do it – don’t complicate things.”   Tyler wonders what is her problem, 

"I don't like men who treat lovely people badly"

and she replies, “I don’t like men who treat lovely people badly.”   

"Don't you point the finger at me!"

He takes offence that she is pointing the finger at him, and she declares, “I know plenty of men like you, who hurt people to get what you want.”

He demands what Iolo has been saying, 

"Iolo's too much of a good person to do that"

and she tells him, “Nothing – he’s too much of a good person to do that,” and walks out of the Deri.

Iori recites his tale of woe

Iori is spinning his sob story, “I’m too old to live on the street – and then there’s Brenda with her dodgy leg.   We’re completely skint – but then I remembered my life insurance – it’s a nice tidy sum.   

"I might as well use it before I kick the bucket"

“I might as well use it now before I kick the bucket for good.”

"They won't pay out without a death certificate"

Iolo reminds him that the insurance will not pay out without a death certificate;  “I admit it wasn’t planned perfectly, but then I read on the Internet about a man who fakes them.”   Iolo presumes that he must be in jail, but Iori continues, “If we’re caught, we’ll say we’re old, we’ve lost our marbles – that we made a mistake.”

"A lot of people are upset"

Iolo angrily reminds him, “You’ve deceived family and friends – a lot of people are upset.”   

"Are they?   I am glad!"

Iori is quite cheered to hear that, and begs Iolo not to say anything to anyone, for now.   He is told that he can keep the magic books.

Mark looks again at the letters . . .

At number 9, Mark is looking again at the letters, 

. . . tears one of them up . . .

then appears to make a decision and tears one of them into pieces.   He walks into the kitchen and, 

. . . and disposes of them all in the bin

after a moment’s hesitation, throws all of them into the bin.

"I don't know what all the fuss is about"

Cassie is on duty behind the bar and asks Kath if she is looking forward to Christmas;  the answer is, “I don’t know what all the fuss is about – it’s only one day.   Have you seen Mark around?”   

"No, I haven't seen him"

Cassie lies that she has not and Kath confesses that she has made a mess of things;  “I hid letters that Debbie has sent Mark and then we argued – he’s left and I don’t know where he is – he won’t answer his phone.   

"I don't know what kind of Christmas I'll have"

“So I don’t know what kind of Christmas I’ll have on my own.   And do you know what?   

"It's all thanks to Debbie Collins!"

“It’s all thanks to Debbie Collins – so happy Christmas, Debs!”

"He's in my house"

With her usual inability to keep secrets, Cassie discloses, “He’s in my house.”   Kath immediately puts down her drink and rushes out of the pub, with Cassie in hot pursuit.

Just as Mark emerges from number 9 . . .

Mark happens to be coming out of the door of number nine, 

. . . his mother hurtles towards him

as his mother shouts to him, asking that they should talk;  he has nothing to say to her, but she expresses her regret for hiding those letters, and does not want to fall out over her again.

"This isn't just about the letters"

“You don’t understand, do you?” he demands, “This isn’t just about the letters – you always control my life – you hide things from me – thinking you know better.   She was my wife, all right?”

Kath entices him with a takeaway

Again Kath says how sorry she is and encourages him to come home, with the promise of a takeaway tonight;  “Whatever you want, Mark – I’ll pay!”   

"No, thanks, Mam!"

He refuses her kind offer, 

"Your mother feels terrible"

and then Cassie interrupts to say that his mother feels terrible, and was breaking her heart in the Deri.

“And I told you not to tell her where I was,” Mark furiously points out;  Cassie insists that it is Christmas and he should be with his mother.   

"We'll have faggots – you love faggots!"

In desperation, Kath proposes, “If you don’t want a takeaway, we’ll have faggots – you love faggots – we always have faggots at Christmas!”   

"Mark – please!"

Mark will not listen to any more of this and storms off along the street.

"Look after him for me, Cassie"

“Look after him for me, Cassie, please,” says Kath.

Iori checks that the coast is clear

On the bench at the end of the back street, opposite Cysgod y Glyn, Brenda is sitting when Iori pokes his head round the corner;  

"You could have spoiled everything!"

she demands where he has been, and warns that he could have spoiled everything, going back for those books.   “They’re sentimental – my father gave them to me,” he replies 

"He'll keep his mouth shut – for now"

and confirms that Iolo is going to keep his mouth shut – for now.

"Wy did you ask Llio to fetch Greta?"

Iolo returns from his plumbing job and is confronted by Tyler;  “Why did you ask Llio to fetch Greta instead of me?” he wants to know, “Llio isn’t used to looking after Greta.   Her parents should look after her.”

"It's all right for Kath to look after her"

“It’s all right for Kath to look after her when you’re working, isn’t it?” is Iolo’s retort, and Tyler maintains that they can trust Kath.   

"My friends are my business – OK?"

“And now Llio is part of Greta’s life – my friends are my business,” exclaims Iolo.

"You went off the rails with Angharad"

Tyler maintains that he does not have good judgment, giving Angharad as an example;  “You went off the rails with her, trying to kiss Mathew!”

"I can't talk to you when you're like this"

“Do you know what?   I can’t talk to you when you’re like this,” snarls Iolo, goes into the house and slams the door.   

"Just ignore Tyler"

Inside Llio has been watching this confrontation, and is told to ignore Tyler, who is interfering.

"I'll look for somewhere else to stay"

“I’m sorry if I’ve made things difficult between you,” she says, “I’ll look for somewhere else to stay,” 

"We both love having you here!"

but Iolo will not countenance that, assuring her that both he and Greta love having her there.   

"Right, time for dinner"

He thinks that it is time for dinner, and she advises that it is in the oven, so he will get a glass of wine to go with it.

Kath is all alone in the house

All alone at Maes-y-Deri, Kath wonders what to do;  

She wonders what to do . . .

she sits down at the table, then takes her phone and dials a number.   

. . . then makes a phone call

“Hiya, how are you?   I’m good – listen, I just want to ask – 

"What are your plans over Christmas?"

“what are your plans for Christmas?”

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Hywel is preparing the meal at Llwyncelyn, and asks Gaynor, “Why didn’t you tell me what you intended to do?”   

"I thought any bad blood would have long gone"

She thought that any bad blood between him and Eileen would have long gone, especially with everything she has been through.

“I can tell you now that some rural families hold a grudge for ever,” he tells her, but again she argues that it is not her fault.   

"She won't change her mind, you know"

He confidently predicts, “She won’t change her mind, you know.   If you want to build a house, you’ll have to find another plot.”

"We could move away from here"

“Or move away from here, as we discussed,” Gaynor adds, “Especially if a lot of people feel the same way about us.   Would you really consider moving away from Cwmderi?”   

Hy is not eager to leave Cwmderi

He points out that he has a lot of friends here, and the rugby club is almost his second family.   Then they have to think about their jobs.

"I've got a very good feeling about 2021"

She mentions the possibility of commuting, and suggests, “A New Year, a new start.   I’ve got a very good feeling about 2021.”   

"Our last Christmas in Cwmderi?"

He is of the opinion that they had better make the most of this Christmas in that case – their last one in Cwmderi.