14 January 2021

 

Aled is engrossed . . .

Aled is sitting in the Deri flat, 

. . . in the letter from his mother

staring at the letter, as Dani comes in;  a door slams, and she explains to Tyler that it was Gwern.   

"Tantrums already?"

“Tantrums already?   And he’s not even a teenager yet!” is his comment.

"You should be more concerned about him"

“He’s upset about Garry – if I were you, I’d be more concerned about him,” she says, pointing at Aled, “He hasn’t said a word all afternoon.”

"My father doesn't want to know me, either"

Aled tells Tyler, “Gwern and I have something in common – my father doesn’t want to know me, either.”   He tosses down the letter.

Britt is in need of refreshment

Dylan is in the Deri when Britt and Colin come in;  Britt shouts, “What does someone have to do to get a drink around here?   I’m parched!”   

"The children Garry has abandoned"

Danny apologises, but points out that running a bar and being a single mother to the children Garry has abandoned can be hard work.

"Is there any news, Dani?"

Colin asks for a white wine and a pint of cider;  he wonders if there is any news.   “No, not since the other day,” Dani replies, 

"He actually turned up?"

and Britt is surprised to hear that Garry actually turned up.

"Hasn't he been to see you?"

Dylan, at the other end of the bar, pipes up, “He’s been around for a while – hasn’t he been to see you?”   Britt demands why Dani did not tell her that he was back.   

'i don't know and I don't care, Britt!"

She replies that she does not know where he is at the moment, and makes it very clear that she does not care.

Off goes Britt in search of Garry

Britt walks straight out of the pub, and Colin asks Dani to cancel the drinks, before following her.

Eifion walks into Penrhewl 

Eifion comes into Penrhewl, 

"You can't just walk in here!"

and is reprimanded by Sioned, “You can’t just walk in here!”   He thinks that they will want to hear what he has to say, but she insists, “You still have to knock – you don’t live here any more.”

"What have you got to say, Eifion?"

Eileen wants to know what he has to say;  

"As long as I can stay in the caravan"

“I’m going to accept your offer, as long as I can stay in the caravan,” he says.  

Sioned is very much against this;  “We want the fields – but not with you as part of the deal!   You’ve got until the end of the day to pack up your stuff – it was part of the deal.”   

"I'm not going anywhere without my money!"

In return he maintains that he is not going anywhere without his money, so they had better have it by the end of the day.

"I told you this offer would work, Mam!"

Sioned jubilantly tells her mother, “I told you this offer would work – we’ve got the fields back!”

Tyler enquires how long Aled has known about his past; 

"Since I was 13"

“Since I was 13.   I heard Mam – Helen, I mean – and Chris arguing about it.   She told me everything – about how Bethan was a drug dealer and couldn’t look after me.   It was a shock – and it wasn’t.   

"I knew there was something weird going on"

“I knew there was something weird going on between Mam and her sister, but Chris never let us talk about her.   He let it slip a couple of times when he was angry that he wasn’t my father – everything made sense then.

"I went to her funeral"

“I lived with Bethan until I was three years old – not that I remember it.   I went to her funeral, but Helen couldn’t face it.   I always thought Bethan didn’t love me, but this letter changes everything.   She couldn’t get out of the gang – she had no choice.   

"Why didn't he try to help her?"

“But what I don’t understand is why he – my father – didn’t try to help her.   It says here he was a complicated man, and that he loves us, but can’t be with us.   What sort of man leaves a fragile woman like that on her own?   

"I'm going to see him!"

“I’m going to see him!”

Tyler insists that is not a good idea, 

"I can't stop thinking about it"

but Aled rages, “I can’t stop thinking about it, and I haven’t slept a wink!”   

"Another day or two won't make any difference"

Tyler recommends that he needs a good night’s sleep before doing anything;  he has waited 18 years, so  another day or two will make no difference.

"Sorry if I created trouble for you the other night"

Dylan is chatting up Dani;  “Are you the only one working here now?   I saw a familiar face here the other day – listen, I’m sorry if I created trouble for you the other night.”   

"I don't care what Garry thinks"

She assures him that she does not care what Garry thinks, and she did not get any more hassle than usual from him.

"If you ever want any . . . help, Dani"

Good – if you ever want . . . help, you know where I am,” he continues, 

"I can handle Garry"

but she is confident that she can handle Garry, and in any case, she has not seen him since.

She adds, “Neither have the children – and Gwern’s really upset about it.”  He offers to pop over later if she wants some company;  

"And what would Sara say about that?"

“And what would Sara say about that?” Dani asks.

“I don’t care what Sara says,” he sneers, and when Dani points out that he is engaged, he adds, “I was engaged the other night!”   She explains that the other night was a mistake;  

"If you're sharing a bed with her, you're not welcome in mine"

as long as he is sharing a bed with Sara, he is not welcome in hers.

Eifion is in a tearing hurry

Eifion hurries across the road when he sees Cassie coming out of number 9;  

"You offer shelter to destitute men, don't you?"

“Cassie, you offer shelter to destitute men, don’t you?   Have you got room for another one?”   

Cassie is not impressed

She regards this has a joke, informing him that she has Mark, Lisa and Garry staying with her.   The only place to sleep would be in the bath.

"Worried I'll disturb your sexting business?"

“Worried that I’ll disturb your sexting business, are you?” he demands;   she replies that is nothing to do with her, but is Lisa’s business, and then walks away.

Garry seems to be trying to avoid Britt . . . 

Garry emerges from the alley, only to see Britt on her phone outside the shop;  

. . . but is not successful this time

he attempts to retreat into the alley, but she sees him and shouts to him to stop.

“Britt, I was just on my way to see you,” he lies, 

"I hear you've been back for a while"

but she understands that he has been back for a while.   

"I've been a bit busy, Britt"

Colin has also appeared, as Garry says that he has been rather busy recently.

"Too busy to come and see your own sister?"

“Too busy to come and see your own sister?” she moans, but he says that things have been complicated.   He suggests that he could to come and stay in Catrin’s room, and then they could catch up properly, remarking that Cassie’s sofa is rather uncomfortable.   She is furious that he is staying with her, and he maintains that it was a bit more convenient at the time, and Cassie has been a good friend.

"Ask her to give you another haircut!"

“Right, if she’s that brilliant, you can stay with her – and ask her to give you another haircut!”   

"She's been running all your businesses, good boy!"

When she storms off, Colin reminds him, “She’s been running all of your businesses, good boy, while you’ve been AWOL!   Do you have any idea how much strain she’s been under?   

"The least you could have done was call in!"

“The least you could have done was call in to see your sister!”   

Garry escapes across the road

Garry has had enough and hurries away, just as we see Dylan emerging from the Deri and about to go into the house next door.   

Aled is ready for his confrontation

Aled is approaching, and they look at each other.   

Dylan invites him in

Dylan looks puzzled, and invites him in.

“We’re not looking for staff at the moment, if that’s what you’re after,” Dylan says, 

"I'm not here for a job"

but he announces that he is not here for a job.

“What do I want?   It’s a bit late to ask that!” Aled begins, 

"Have I done something to upset you?"

and Dylan presumes that he has done something to upset the boy.   

"You could say that"

“Yes, you could say that – you haven’t got any time for me – that’s nothing new!”

"Look, just go home to Mami and Dadi"

Dylan can see that he is obviously upset about something, and advises him to go home to Mami and Dadi;  

"My Mami is dead – Bethan Price . . ."

“My Mam is dead!   Her name was Bethan, Bethan Price – 

". . . you knew her pretty well – Dad!"

”you knew her pretty well, didn’t you – Dad?”

"I didn't know anything about that"

Dylan alleges that he did not know, 

Aled shows him the evidence

so Aled produces the photo;  “I didn’t know that I was the father,” is Dylan’s excuse.

Aled points out, “You’re holding me.   What did you do?   Forget that you had slept with her?”    

"She had several men on the go"

Dylan admits that he had been in a relationship with her, but it was off and on – she had several men on the go.   

"Oh, very convenient!"

Aled regards that as very convenient.

"Bethan was a complicated woman"

“Your mother – Bethan – was a complicated woman,” and he is told that is what Bethan said about him.   

"Were you a part of this gang?"

Aled refers to the letter which he was given, and wants to know what was the talk about a gang – was Dylan a part of that as well?

“The drugs gang, Dylan – what do you know about the drugs?”   

"Nothing she said was true"

Dylan replies that she was a liar, and nothing she said it was true – the drugs, the money, the baby – him.

"I wanted to make a go of things" — (Like with Sara?)

He is becoming increasingly flustered as he insists, “I wanted to make a go of things – to run away and leave that life behind her, but she refused.   She said the baby’s father was part of this gang and that he would come after her.”

"You've changed your story already"

Aled points out that he has changed his story already – he did know about the gang, but Dylan says that he promised not to tell Aled, and wants him to sit down.

He continues with his concocted tale

After taking a deep breath, Dylan maintains that he tried to take the child away from her;  “I had to do something – I couldn’t leave you in the middle of it.   But she refused – she went crazy – she threatened all kinds of things – threatened to kill herself.   She said you were the only thing that was keeping her going – I was frightened what she was going to do, so I promised to leave you alone.   I promised not to say a word to you about the drugs – and that’s the truth, Aled.”   

He thinks that Aled believes him

Aled looks as if he might have been taken in by this tale.

"I'm not getting cash, then?"

Eifion turns up again at Penrhewl, and is told by Eileen that his cheque is over there by the chutneys;  “Oh, I’m not getting it in cash?” he grumbles, 

"You expect me to get £25,000 in cash?"

and she says she cannot be expected to get £25,000 in cash from the bank.   

He has something else to say;  “Listen, will you let me stay in the caravan for a little while longer?   

"I'll give you £20 a week"

“I’m willing to pay – I’ll give you £20 a week.”

"A deal is a deal, Eifion!"

Sioned refuses to entertain this;  “No – a deal is a deal, Eifion!   If you have nowhere else to go, that’s your problem.   And don’t bother to come back – we’re towing the caravan away!”

“Is that all the thanks I get, for all the years of hard work?” he rants, 

"With two witches like you!"

“I wouldn’t want to stay a second longer with two witches like you!” which causes them some amusement.

"She said you knew you were the father"

“She said you knew that you were the father,” insists Aled, as Dylan pours them a couple of drinks, “But you didn’t want me in your life.”   

"Spouting lies even from beyond the grave"

Dylan dismisses this as, “Typical Bethan – spouting lies even from beyond the grave.   Of course I knew she had died – it was on the news.   I couldn’t believe it when I heard.”   Aled wonders why he was not at the funeral, 

"She turned her back on me"

and is told, “I thought about it several times, but no – she turned her back on me and sent me away.   If she didn’t want me in her life, I had no place being at her funeral.”

"All those years I wasn't there for you!"

Dylan turns on the crocodile tears;  “All those years, every birthday, every Christmas, I wasn’t there for you – things could have been so different!   I’d always wanted to be a father.”   

"I couldn't put myself through that again"

He picks up the photo and looks at it;  “After I had to let you go, I couldn’t trust or put myself through that again.”   

Dylan turns on the tears

As he wipes his eyes, 

Has he convinced Aled?

Aled looks as if he might believe it.

"I don't blame you for being angry with me"

Dylan continues, “I don’t blame you for being angry with me – because you’re right!   I shouldn’t have given up – I shouldn’t have just accepted that I wasn’t the father – your father!”

By now he has turned up the emotion to maximum, and Aled appears rather upset.  

"I'll never forgive her"

 “I’ll never forgive her,” Dylan vows, 

"So she lied to both of us"

and Aled says that she lied to both of them;  Dylan thinks that he has been persuaded.

Britt wants a large gin

In the Deri Britt orders a large gin, and Colin would like a big vat of vodka and tonic;  

"Why does he insist on going to Cassie?"

“Why does he always insist on going to Cassie instead of his sister?” Britt rages.   Dani says that she knows what Garry is like – selfish.   “He’s had too much of his own way!” Britt concludes.

"Like a spoilt child who won't grow up!"

“Like a spoilt child who won’t grow up!” snarls Dani, “These are on the house.   

"He's already been with everyone else in the village!"

“You never know – he may have a soft spot for Cassie – he’s already been with everyone else in the village!”

"Talk of the Devil!"

As Britt laughs at this suggestion, Garry himself comes in;  “Talk of the Devil!” says Colin.

He wants a word with Britt 

Garry wants a word with Britt, 

"Go and have one with Cassie!"

but she advises him, “Go and have one with Cassie.”   He says that there are things that Britt does not understand, but she does know, “There’s always some kind of trouble – always a mess to get you out of, because us Monks stick together!   Yeah, Gar – when it suits you!   

"I'm not a Monk any more – I'm Britt Evans!"

“But just so you understand, I’m not a Monk any more – no, I’m Britt Evans now!   So you’re on your own.”   

Garry acquiesces

He nods his head and walks out of the Deri.

Poor, destitute Eifion –with  £25,000 cheque in his pocket

In the darkness, we see the pathetic figure of Eifion in the alley;  he sits on the ground, 

He is definitely not happy

with a miserable look on his face, 

He 'kips down' in the alley

then lies down, with his head on his rucksack.

"He started using his fists then"

Aled explains, “When I ‘came out’, things went from bad to worse – he started using his fists then – on me and Mam – Helen, I mean.   Perhaps you don’t know her – Bethan’s sister.”

"Someone should teach him a lesson"

Dylan decides, “It sounds like someone should teach this Chris a lesson,” but Aled does not consider he is worth it;  he would prefer to look to the future, and get to know his real father.   

Dylan plies Aled with whisky

Dylan is still pretty nervous, but says they have a lot of catching up to do;  “Mind you, I’m starting to doubt that I am your father,” he adds, pouring out another drink, “That whisky hasn’t gone down too well, has it?”   

"Just lemonade next time"

Aled would prefer just lemonade next time.

"Tesni will have a surprise!"

As he picks up his coat to go, he realises that Dylan is Tesni’s uncle;  “She’ll have a surprise now!”   

Dylan wants it kept quiet

Dylan does not think it is a good idea to tell everyone, not yet, anyway, as they do not want the whole village talking about them.

“We’ll keep it between us, then – our little secret,” he suggests, and definitely wants to meet up with Aled again next week, but does not know exactly what his timetable will be.   

"Can I keep this?"

He asks if he can keep the photograph, and Aled agrees, as there are more of them, 

He looks rather distressed by that

at which news Dylan looks rather discouraged.

"Right, then, until next time"

“Right, until next time, then,” says Dylan, and Aled walks out of the door;   Dylan takes a swig of whisky.

Garry is also on the whisky

In the garage, Garry is also pouring himself a whisky;  

He take a swig . . .

he sits down on the sofa, drinks some, then, in a fit of temper, 

. . . then flings the glass away

throws the glass across the office, where it shatters.   He has a wild look on his face.

Aled's Facebook page

Dylan is looking at Aled’s Facebook page on the laptop, 

Dylan is giving it close attention

scrutinising it carefully.   He closes the laptop, 

He looks at the photo before destroying it

looks at the photograph, then tears it into tiny pieces, 

. . . and tries to drown his sorrows

and swigs down some more whisky.   He finds himself embroiled in another considerable dilemma.