18 February 2021

Mark finds Bethan on the Deri

Mark comes into the Deri to deliver the post, and is shocked to find Bethan sitting there;  

"Look, I've told you . . ."

“Look, I’ve told you . . .” he begins, but she assures him that she is not there to see him.   She needed to sort out the certificates for the Spanish lessons in Yr Antur.

He can see an injury on her hand

“Look, I wasn’t coming see you, honest,” she says, and shows him a document, also revealing an injury on her hand;  “I just wanted a coffee before going back home.”   

"What have you done to your hand?"

He demands what she has done to her hand, and also notices that her bag is damaged, 

Bethan does not explain

but is given no explanation.

"We've got nice coffee at hime"

“Right, come on,” Mark tells her, “We’ve got nice coffee at home, from Oswestry.”   She wastes no time in picking up her bag and following him out of the Deri.

"No – ballroom dancing!"

Ffion is limbering up outside the shop when Rhys approaches, asking if she is going for a run;  “No – ballroom dancing!” she sarcastically replies, and he remarks that he saw her and Guto running the other day.   “Not you as well – Kelly’s already told me to be careful with young men,” she groans, and he tells her not to take any notice of Kelly.

"Does it look dodgy?"

“It’s hard not to – does it look dodgy?” she wonders, but Rhys says that it does not matter – 

"You didn't care when you were with me"

she did not care when she was with him.   “But I’m more sensible now!” Ffion insists;  he hopes she is not too much more sensible and hopes she enjoys her dancing.

Their conversation is overheard

At the other end of the alley, Luned, suitably hidden from sight, is listening to this conversation;  Ffion departs on her run, and 

"I have a flare-up"

Luned emerges from her hiding place, only to meet Tesni, who explains that she is suffering from a flare up.   

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Luned wants to know if there is any way she can help.

"Just don't tell anyone!"

“Just don’t tell anyone – I don’t want Mam and Dad to find out.   Only you and Aled know,” Tesni replies.   She is advised to tell them, but protests that they would not leave her alone, and, in any case she is fine.

"It might be easier when you're in London"

“It might be easier to sort out when you’re in London,” suggests Luned, 

Tesni receives a phone message . . .

and as she receives a phone message, Tesni agrees that a lot of things might be easier;  

. . . and looks across to number 9

she looks across at number 9.

"I didn't think you worked here any longer"

In the Deri, Dylan comes in;  “I didn’t think you worked here any longer,” he remarks to Dani, and she says she is only doing Britt a favour until Cassie arrives.   “The money helps, doesn’t it?” he continues, 

"There's plenty in the till – I saw you!"

“I’m sure there’s plenty in the till – I saw you!”

"It's none of your business"

She snarls that it is none of his business, and he goes on, “I don’t like to see you needing to steal money.”   

"Britt gave me permission"

Dani replies that Britt gave her permission, 

"I'll give you a loan"

but he adds, “Let me help you – I’ll give you a loan.”

"You've been waiting for this opportunity"

“Yeah, you’ve been waiting for this opportunity, haven’t you?” says Dani, but he insists that he just wants to help someone he likes.   

Cassie glowers at Dylan

Cassie comes in at that moment, 

"Serve him, will you?"

and is asked, “Serve him, will you?”   Cassie looks at Dylan with disdain.

At Maes-y-Deri, Mark says that her timing is perfect;  

"We don't usually drink posh coffee like this"

“We don’t usually drink posh coffee like this – Mam brought it back from health spa.   I thought you’d be glad to see her, but she’s got a shift at the shop at the moment.”   

Bethan is worried that Kath knows

Bethan looks anxious, and Mark reassures her that he has said nothing about all the lies.

"The marks on your hand – what's going on?"

“Right, the marks on your hand – I’ve seen them – what’s going on?” he  demands.   She is reluctant to reply, and he is insistent that she tell him.

Bethan explains – but is it the truth?

“After what happened with Len, I had to tell him the truth – that I made it all up, and it wasn’t your fault.   Len’s daughter was at the bus stop this morning – she came to Brecon after she heard.   

"She said she'll make my life hell!"

“She was angry – she wanted a chat and she said . . . she wouldn’t let me on the bus, she said she’ll make my life hell – and I deserve it, Mark – what I did was awful!   Len is so lovely.”

"So you didn't make the marks on your hand?"

“So you didn’t make the marks on your hand?” he asks, suspiciously, and she says she would never do that.   “You can understand why I would ask, can’t you?” he demands, 

"Why should I believe you this time?"

“Lie after lie – why should I believe you this time?”

"I didn't come looking for you"

She insists, “Because I don’t want anything from you – I didn’t come looking for you.   There are consequences for what I did, and I have to live with that.”   

Mark does not know what to think

Mark is unsure what to think.

"Luned doesn't want you to go with her?"

Cassie serves Rhys in the Deri, and Guto asks him, “It’s true, is it?   What Tesni says – Luned doesn’t want you to go to Cardiff with her?”

"Is it true you're Ffion's new toy-boy?"

Rhys rather angrily replies, “Is it true that you’re Ffion’s new toy-boy?”  Guto denies this, and Rhys goes to sit down with DJ, 

"Was that necessary, Rhys"

who asks him whether that was necessary, pointing out that Guto is only a boy.

“You’re not going to Cardiff, then?” he adds, 

"I thought you were going to make a go of it there"

“I thought you were going to make a go of it there,” 

"I want to make a go of it here"

but Rhys is confident of making a go of it in Cwmderi.   “And it’s nothing to do with Ffion?” suggests DJ.

"I'm not ready to settle down"

“Luned changed her mind – and I’m glad.   I’m not ready to settle down,” declares Rhys.

"There's nothing wrong with settling down"

DJ is of the opinion that there is nothing wrong with settling down;  “You have to decide what you want and stick with it – exactly like me!”   Rhys is quite serious that this is where he wants to be, 

"Cardiff's not ready for someone like me!"

alleging that Cardiff is not ready for someone like him, anyway.

Tesni has been summoned to number 9

In answer to her phone message, Tesni has gone to number 9, 

"When are you leaving for London?"

where Lisa says, “I’ve been trying to get hold of you for days – when are you leaving for London?”   Tesni believed that she did not care, 

"I have to find someone to replace you"

but she goes on, “I care if I have to find someone to replace you – someone reliable – but then, reliable people don’t run away if they can’t get their own way!   Tesni, you didn’t mention London, until I turned you down.”

"Don't flatter yourself!"

“Don’t flatter yourself – you’re not that important!” Tesni growls.   

"Being rejected may not be part of 'Princess Tesni's' life"

It is pointed out to her that being rejected is part of the life, although suffering may not be part of Princess Tesni’s life.   

"You don't know anything about me!"

“You don’t know anything about me!” Tesni snivels, and walks out of the house.

Dani is working on the laptop

In the Deri flat, Dani is again in front of the laptop when Dylan comes in;  

"You're not supposed to be up here!"

“You’re not supposed to be up here!” she informs him, but he says he just wants an answer to his offer.

"We can call it an investment"

“If you’re not happy with a ‘loan’, we can call it an ‘investment’.   You’ll only have to pay it back if or when you’re successful.

She demands, “Why are you doing this, Dylan?” and he replies that it is just business. 

"Does Sara know?"

“Does Sara know?   Because I wouldn’t be very happy if I was her,” wonders Dani.   

"You can't drag personal matters into business"

Dylan tells her she might as well forget it then, explaining that he cannot work with people who drag personal matters into a business deal.

Dani accepts – with one condition

“All right, I’m happy to keep personal matters out of this,” says Dani, “I accept – on one condition – that Garry doesn’t find out you’re investing in the business.”   

"Drat – I've been rumbled!"

Dylan realises that she has seen though his plan, 

"You're trying to rub Garry's nose in it!"

so she continues, “Ah, so I was right – this is your chance to rub Garry’s nose in the fact that I’m borrowing money from you!”

"I just want to help, Dani"

He still insists that he wants to help, but Dani expresses her disappointment in him;  

Dylan makes his exit

“Dragging personal matters into a business deal!   So long, Dylan!”   He takes the hint and reluctantly leaves;  Dani is no less worried.

"Thanks for listening – and the coffee"

“Thanks for listening, and for the coffee,” Bethan tells Mark, 

Kath has had an exhausting shift

as his mother returns from her shift in the shop, complaining about how busy it was there;  She is not surprised that Colin collapsed.   

Then she sees Bethan, which she regards as a nice surprise;  “You’re not leaving, are you?” she asks, and Bethan says she has a bus to catch, but is told that there are later buses.   

"Sit down – I haven't seen you for ages"

“Sit down – I haven’t seen you for ages,” and she will accept no arguments.

"You're not going to tell her, are you?"

Bethan is desperate that Kath should not know the truth, 

"It's a big thing to hide"

but Mark reminds her that it is a big thing to hide;  “Please, Mark, I beg you!” she says.

Luned ignores Rhys

In the Deri, Luned comes in, looking rather distracted, and ignores Guto;  she goes straight to Rhys.   

"Have you checked your e-mails?"

“Have you checked your e-mails?” she enquires, “About our new flat in Cardiff?”   

"I'm not coming, am I?"

He announces that he is not coming, but apparently now she has changed her mind.   “You want to come, don’t you?” she wails,    “Well, that’s what you wanted.”   

DJ is expecting some dissension

Nearby DJ is waiting for the fireworks.

He lists what is keeping him in Cwmderi

Rhys says that he has accepted the fact now, and that family, Esther and his business is keeping him in Cwmderi.   

"And Ffion, is it?   Don't deny it!"

“And Ffion, is it?” Luned snarls, “Don’t deny it!”   He wonders where this has come from.

"I heard you talking"

“I heard you talking – you said there’s still something between you and Ffion,” she continues.   

"You choose what you want to hear"

Rhys assumes that she also heard him say that a relationship between them would never work again, pointing out that she chooses what she wants to hear.

"I'm not sure this relationship will work"

“So it doesn’t matter whether we’re in Cardiff, Cwmderi or anywhere else – if you don’t trust me, I’m not sure this relationship will work.”   This comes as a blow to Luned.

The tale of the two-hour mud bath

Kath relates her experiences at Oswestry, having to sit in a mud bath for about two hours, before having a full body massage from a woman in full PPE.   “Honestly – she had a visor and everything.   

Kath appears to have purloined some hand cream

“I brought back a bag full of this handcream with me – it’s lovely – my hands are dry as a bone after all the sanitising.”

Bethan is keen to keep her hands out of sight

Bethan does not want to sample the cream as she is eager keep her injury hidden, and Mark tells his mother not to insist;  “Oh, someone else could do with a mud bath, I’d say!” Kath remarks.

Kath notices the damaged handbag

Bethan is now in a hurry to go, and Kath notices the damage to her bag.   “The strap’s broken – what’s going on?”   

Mark quickly thinks up an excuse

Mark improvises that he saw Bethan in the village and said that she could borrow one of his mother’s bags.   

"Come and choose one of mine"

Kath is only too pleased to help, inviting her upstairs to choose one.   Mark is relieved that he could defuse the situation.

"It's too early to move in together"

In the Deri, Rhys tells Luned that she was right, it is too early for them to move in together;  

"Things will be easier in Cardiff"

she insists that things will be a lot easier in Cardiff.   

"But you don't trust me"

Rhys concludes, “You only want me to come because you don’t trust me – and I’m not sure I can be with someone who doesn’t trust me.   You don’t want someone you can’t trust, either.”

"It's just that I cant help but worry about Ffion"

She pleads that she wants to be with him and is sorry;  “I do trust you – it’s just that I can’t help but worry.  Ffion’s back out there, she’s doing well, you’re getting on.”   

"She's bad news for everyone"

He maintains that he is not interested in someone who tricked him;  “She’s bad news for everyone who comes into contact with her – but for now, Cwmderi is my home.   This jealousy has to stop for a long-distance relationship to work.”   

"I'm really going to miss you, Rhys"

Luned is going to really miss him when she goes, but he comments, “Think about the weekends we’re going to have – 

"Spending the whole weekend in bed?"

“I’ve never spent the whole weekend in bed, but I’d like to try!”   

She smiles at the thought

Luned smiles.

"Are you on your own, Mark?"

Dani visits Maes-y-Deri and asks Mark if he is on his own;  he says that his mother and Non are upstairs, picking bags.   

"The father has offered me money"

She closes the door and informs him, “The father of the baby has offered me money,” 

"He knows about the baby, then?"

and Mark assumes that he now knows about the baby.   

"No, it's a business investment"

“No, it’s a business investment,” she continues, and he wonders if it matters why he is offering money – she needs it, and she deserves it

“I don’t want Garry to think I can’t cope without him,” she stresses, 

"You won't be able to cope if you don't get help"

but Mark reminds her that she will not be able to cope if she does not get help, urging her to think about the baby.   She will need every penny – and what Garry thinks is not important.

"I almost went for a smoke"

Ffion has a visit from Guto;  “You’d be really proud of me – I almost went for a smoke,” he tells her, “But I thought of you, and wondered if we could go for a run instead.”   

"I can't leave Arwen on her own"

She replies that she cannot leave Arwen on her own, and will also be busy tomorrow.   

"A cup of tea and a chat, then?"

Then Guto suggests a cup of tea and chat, but Ffion says that she has to take Arwen to a piano lesson.

"So you're probably busy next week, as well?"

He realises that he is being put off;  “So, you’re probably busy next week as well?   

"When you said you were there for me . . ."

“So, when you said you were there for me . . .”   

Ffion wonders what she should have done

He walks out of the flat, leaving Ffion feeling very concerned.

Lisa visits Tesni at home

Now Lisa has gone across to number 10 to see Tesni;  “I’m being kind in coming to see you – when someone walks out on me, that’s usually the end of it.”   

"Why are you here, then?"

In that case, Tesni wonders why she is there, 

"I was young once – a long time ago"

and Lisa goes on, “I was young once – yes, a long time ago – I’ve lived in London.   It’s one of the loneliest places I’ve ever been.   

"Life is hard enough without being on your own"

“Whether you’re gay, straight, bi or curious, life is hard enough without being on your own in a big city.”

Tesni just wants to disappear – she feels so stupid after what happened between them.   

"There's no point longing for something that won't happen"

“There’s no point longing for something that will never happen,” says Lisa, and Tesni tells her to stop going on about it.   “I’m interested in you as a colleague, a friend.   

"I'm not important enough for you to run away"

“I’m not important enough for you to run away to London because of me.   Think about it carefully, please.”

Guto exhales . . .

In the back street, within sight of Cysgod y Glyn, Guto is having another smoke 

. . . out in the back street

when he hears DJ approaching 

He hides from DJ

and hides round a corner.   

. . . who detects the smell of drugs . . .

DJ can detect the smell of what he was smoking when he comes through the alley, 

. . . and finds the evidence

then notices the discarded cigarette on the ground.   He looks more closely at it, but can see no-one around, and continues on his way.   

"Is the coast clear?"

Guto peers out to make sure that he has gone, and is very relieved that he was not discovered.

"Why don't we take her back to Brecon, Mark?"

Bethan has selected a handbag, and Mark says that it took them long enough.   Kath volunteers that they will take her back to Brecon, as it will soon be dark;  

"I haven't seen your lovely neighbour since Christmas"

“I haven’t seen your lovely neighbour since Christmas – Les, is it?”

"No!   I'm catching the bus!"

Bethan is quite emphatic that she is going on the bus, then apologises for her bad temper, blaming the fact she has had a lot of coffee today.

"Why don't you stay the night, then?"

“Listen, if you don’t want us to take you back, why don’t you stay the night?” Mark suggests, which his mother finds surprising.   

"That would be lovely"

Bethan says that would be lovely, and Kath will make some hot chocolate.

"Don't let me down this time, OK?"

Mark whispers, “Don’t let me down this time, OK?” and Bethan is grateful to him.

"I'd be really foolish to turn down an offer like that"

Dani is pacing up and down in the Deri flat when Dylan returns;  “Thank you for coming,” she tells him, “I’d be really foolish to turn down an offer like yours, so, if it’s still on the table?”

"We'll keep it all confidential"

He agrees that it is, and assures her, “We’ll keep all of our decisions and discussions confidential, as they should be.”   

"You can shout it from the roof of Bethania, if you like"

Dani now tells him that he can shout it from the roof of Bethania, if he wants – she does not care, as it is about her and the business now.

"You know I'm good at keeping secrets"

“You know that I’m a good one for keeping secrets,” Dylan promises her, and thinks that they need a bottle now.   “A little something to celebrate – what do you say?”

Dani wants to keep things on a business level

Dani informs him, “I’d like to keep things on a business level, so there’s no confusion – I’m sure you agree.”   

"I look forward to doing business with you"

He does indeed agree that they must take one thing at a time, but he does look forward to doing business with her, then leaves the flat.   

Dani apprehensively clasps the baby

Dani places her hand where the baby is developing and sighs.