24 August 2021

A socially distanced stroll in the High Street

As they walk along the High Street, conspicuously some distance apart, Ffion says that she cannot believe what Gaynor did;  

"Everyone makes mistakes, Ffion"

“Silly fool!”   Jinx points out that everyone makes mistakes, and she suggests, “Perhaps you can take her on as a client after you’ve trained.”

Jinx wants to do something more humanitarian

“If I train,” he answers, “I don’t know – I want to do something more humanitarian to help people.”   She has the idea that he could be a minister, if he wants to help people;  

"Bethania would welcome you with open arms"

she is sure that Bethania would welcome him with open arms.   

"That has actually crossed my mind"

“The thought has actually crossed my mind,” he says, as they stand in front of Bethania.

"I wouldn't be able to relax around you"

“A minister?   No, Jinx – I wouldn’t be able to relax around you, thinking you were judging me all the time,” she protests, 

"I don't believe in the punishments or judgments"

but he insists that he does not believe in the Bible’s punishments or judgments.   “That’s all that’s in it!” she snaps, and he enlightens her that there is love, forgiveness, the comfort of believing in an afterlife.

"Do you believe in God?"

Ffion asks him straight, “Do you believe in God?” and he replies that he believes in some kind of God.   “A minister has to believe in the God of the Bible,” she tells him, “You can’t just pick and choose.”

“I believe in love, and God is love,” he says, but she insists that he cannot preach something unless he believes it himself – otherwise he would be a fraud.   

"I hadn't thought of that"

Apparently he had not thought of that, and she apologises for bringing him down, although she is quite adamant that it would not work.

Kelly is going to tell Siôn a thing or two

Siôn is working in the bookshop when Kelly comes strutting in through the door;  “Well, you don’t look any different, but you’ve obviously changed!   

"What are you doing?  Come on – Tesni, like?" 

“What are you doing?   Come on – Tesni, like?”   

"I can't help whom I love"

He explains that he cannot help who he loves, and she disagrees strongly with this;  

"Have you thought how Jaclyn will feel?"

“Have you thought how Jaclyn will feel about you sleeping with her daughter?   And Auntie Anita doesn’t know you’ve gone public, mind!”

He emphasises that it is nothing to do with Anita, 

"I'm the one who has to tell Anita!"

but Kelly squeals, “It is, and I’m the one who has to tell her – thanks a bunch!”   

Jaclyn can be seen, heading for the shop

Siôn hopes that she has finished, then notices Jaclyn approaching, so he quickly hides in the cupboard under the stairs.

"I'm looking for Tes!"

“I’m looking for Tes!” she snarls, and Kelly replies that she has not seen her, 

"Siôn!"

but loudly calls Siôn’s name, which results in him banging his head in the limited space.   

He says he has not seen Tesni

He emerges and sheepishly says he has not seen Tesni;  

"I want to talk to my daughter first!"

Jaclyn shouts, “I want to talk to my daughter before I talk to you!” and immediately marches out of the shop.

"I got the feeling she really doesn't like you!"

Kelly comes to the conclusion, “I might be wrong, but I got the distinct feeling she really doesn’t like you!   I wonder why.”

Izzy is looking for something . . .

At APD, Izzy is looking for something 

. . . and finds some unfamiliar items under the counter

and searches under the counter, where she comes across some bags;  

"Why are you moving my stuff?"

at that moment Eifion walks in and strongly objects to her moving his belongings.   “You can’t go through my stuff,” he protests, but she did not know it was his.

Mathew comes in to investigate

Mathew comes in to investigate the noise, and Eifion again accuses Izzy;  

"I told him he could keep his stuff there"

“Yes, I told Eifion he could keep his stuff there,” Mathew explains, but she imagines there must be room at Deri Fawr – 

"Unless you're hiding something"

unless he he is hiding something.   He denies this and tells her to put them back.

"The solicitor is going to find out about the house"

“I didn’t see you this morning,” she tells Mathew, and he says he had to go out early on a job;  he advises that the solicitor is going to find out about the house.   

"As long as we're together"

Her attitude seems to have changed;  “It doesn’t matter, does it?   As long as we’re together.”   

He maintains that he would live with her in a greenhouse, and she is sorry for being so dramatic.   

"Everything will be fine"

Mathew is confident that everything will be fine – as long as she stays out of Eifion’s stuff, and she suspiciously remarks that he was very touchy about that.

Before long Izzy is doing some more prying

As expected, as soon as the coast is clear, she returns to investigating Eifion’s possessions.

"Are you alone?"

Ryan is back at number 7, and Iolo complains that he did not answer his message;  “I didn’t want you to tell me not to come over – are you alone?” Ryan asks, 

At last Iolo has lost that ridiculous baseball cap

and is told that Tyler has taken Greta to the beach, but they could have been there.   “I enjoy an element of risk!” laughs Ryan

"I felt embarrassed about taking my clothes off"

“I’m sorry about the other day – perhaps I overreacted,” confesses Iolo , “I felt embarrassed about taking my clothes off.”   He is told that he has a gorgeous body, 

"I had surgery for breast cancer"

and explains that he had surgery for breast cancer not long ago.   

For once, Ryan is silences

At least Ryan cannot think of anything sarcastic to say about that.

"Cancer can be serious and scary"

“Cancer can be serious and scary – dull, depressing, ugly,” Iolo continues, and Ryan quips that Iolo has just been talking about his Auntie Beryl.

Mathew watches Izzy working

Izzy is sweeping up outside APD, with Mathew watching her;  then Rhys approaches, 

"I'm OK"

maintaining unenthusiastically that he is OK.   “I just wanted to check that you’re all right,” says Mathew, “After all that Twitter nonsense.”

"I thought Gaynor and I were closer than that"

Rhys concedes, “It’s not nice to hear what a person you trust really thinks – I thought Gaynor and I were closer than that.”   

"She wasn't aiming at you personally"

Mathew points out that she was not aiming at him personally, but it is stressed that they both live in the same house;  

"She must have known how it would affect me"

“She must have known how those tweets would affect me.   I’ve got stuff to sort out in the gym.”   Mathew goes back into APD.

Tesni sits alone in the Deri

Tesni is sitting alone in the Deri when Aled comes in and comments that he has not seen her recently;  

"I take it Mam's furious?"

“I’m avoiding Mam,” she explains, “I take it she’s furious?”   

Aled describes Jaclyn’s mood as, “Worried – she can’t understand why you’re with Siôn – and neither can I.”   She calls him ageist, 

"He'll teach you to play bowls?"

and he goes on, “How will it work, Tes?   You’re going to take him out clubbing – and he’ll teach you to play bowls?   I can’t see myself going out for cocktails and watching YouTube videos with you and Santa Claus!”

"You're insulting my boyfriend!"

She objects to him insulting her boyfriend;  “You’re just worried about how it will affect you – you should be happy for me.” 

"I hope Auntie Jacs will talk some sense into you!"

He hopes that Auntie Jacs can talk some sense into her;  “You can’t avoid her for ever – and she really, really isn’t happy!”   He goes to the bar and asks for a pint.

"I've got a scar"

Iolo continues his explanation, “I still need regular checkups, but they’re confident that I’m going to be OK, but I’ve got a scar – that’s why I didn’t want to be naked in front of you.”   

"That won't worry me"

Ryan makes it quite clear that will not worry him, but it quite clearly worries Iolo, who begins to unbutton his shirt 

"There – it's ugly!"

and displays his scar to Ryan, but not to us, describing it as ‘ugly’.

"Looks like the snake from Jungle Book!"

“I was just thinking,” says Ryan, “If you stuck two eyes on it, it would look just like the snake from Jungle Book,” 

That amuses Iolo

which makes Iolo smile.

Anita comes in through the back door

Then there is a knock at the back door, which makes Iolo panic;  Ryan hides on the stairs.   It is Anita, who hopes she is not disturbing him;  

She would like to take Greta to the park

“I was wondering whether I could take Greta to the park some time?   I’ve missed her so much since leaving Y Felin.”

Iolo will text her

Iolo replies that she is out for the day, but that it is a good idea and he will text her;  she wants to leave via the front door, 

"You have to come and go through the same door"

but he invents a superstition that she has to come in and go out through the same door, to take her good luck with her.   

"Yes, I have hidden a few times"

Ryan admits that he has hidden a few times before.

"I hope you're not too uncomfortable, Siôn"

In the bookshop, Tesni is glad that they opened up this afternoon and hopes that Siôn is not too uncomfortable.   

"I'm glad people know about us"

“I am, but I’m glad that people know about us,” he answers.   She assures him everything will be OK – or perhaps not, as her mother is approaching.

"Don't pretend you haven't been hiding from me?"

“I’ve been worried about you – don’t pretend you haven’t been hiding from me!” she addresses her daughter, 

"Hang on, Jaclyn"

and ignores Siôn when he tries to interrupt.   

"Is he paying you to sleep with him?"

“Are you doing this for attention?   Is he paying you to sleep with him?”

Tesni is very angry with her mother, but Jaclyn continues, “There’s no other reason to be with him!”   

"We're in love, Mam!"

When Tesni protests that they are in love, she is told, 

"Things like this happen in India – not Cwmderi!"

“Things like this happen in India – not Cwmderi!   

"You're old enough to keep it in your pants . . ."

“Mr White, you’re old enough to keep it in your pants!   You’re a pig!”   

". . . and you're a slut!"

She looks at Tesni;  “And you’re a slut!”   

She storms out of the bookshop

With that tirade, she walks out of the shop, leaving Siôn and Tesni looking at each other.

Kelly sits outside the Deri

Outside the Deri, Kelly cannot believe that Jinx is considering becoming a minister;  

"Ffion says I have to believe in the Bible"

“The problem is, Ffion says I have to believe in the Bible or I shall deceive people – and I don’t want to do that.”   

"That book is really old, like"

Kelly points out, “That book is really old, like – and not everything is it is true, anyway.”   He maintains that it is time for Christianity to change, 

"If you ran the Chapel, I'd come"

and she agrees, “Yeah, modernise it from within, like – if you ran the Chapel, I’d come.”   

"I'm having a meal with Ffion"

Anita is coming towards them, and Jinx explains that he is having a meal with Ffion;  

"He's considering becoming a preacher"

Kelly tells Anita that Jinx is considering becoming a preacher, and she recalls, “Siôn turned to religion as well, but it didn’t last!”

"Siôn's dumped you for a younger model?"

Eifion happens to be passing, and remarks, “Anita, I heard that Siôn had  dumped you for a younger model,” and Kelly tells him to get lost.   

"Siôn's made a fool of me"

Anita realises that everyone knows now, and Siôn has made a fool of her.

"Earlier I thought he was going to wet himself!"

Kelly contests this, insisting, “Siôn has made a fool of himself.   Jaclyn was in the bookshop earlier, all guns blazing – I actually thought Siôn was going to wet himself!”   

This cheers up Anita

The very thought makes Anita laugh.

Inside the Deri, Rhys tells Jinx, “It’s nice to have time to myself to think and relax,” and is asked how things are at home in Y Felin.   “I’m trying not to spend too much time there, is the reply.   

Ffion arrives for the meal

Ffion arrives and asks how Rhys is.   

"Two orange juices, please, Geraint"

Jinx orders two orange juices from Geraint, who is behind the bar.

"You sound like a preacher already"

“You sound like a preacher already,” Ffion comments, 

"Don't tease me, Ffion"

but he does not like being teased;  she realises, “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”

"My phone battery's flat"

Mathew finds Rhys by the bar, who says his phone battery is flat;  “You didn’t want to talk earlier – 

"I was afraid you were hiding something"

“I was afraid you were hiding something,” Mathew tells him.   

"I'm seeing a professional now"

Rhys explains that he does not need to talk, as he is seeing a professional, which is really helping.

"I can't remember being this happy since . . ."

Mathew admits to feeling very happy;  “I can’t remember being this happy since . . . I don’t know when,” 

"You'll be having a baby next"

and Rhys diagnoses that he is lovesick – and will be having a baby next.   “How do you feel about Tesni and Siôn?” is Rhys’ next question, and they both laugh.

"You haven't told Tyler that we're friends?"

“Why were you scared when that woman walked in?” enquires Ryan, and Iolo just did not want to have to explain.   “You haven’t told Tyler that we’re friends, have you?”

"I feel guilty although we haven't done anything"

Iolo feels guilty even though they have not done anything;  

"Yet!"

Ryan is quick to add the word, “Yet!   I’d like to – we could have a lot of fun!   It’s no big deal – just enjoy ourselves.”   

It is obvious what is coming

They have been moving closer together, and inevitably kiss.

"Cheating is a big deal!"

Then Iolo has second thoughts;  “Cheating is a big deal!”   He is reminded that someone cheated on him – Tyler;  

"We're back together – and he's good with Greta"

“But now we’re back together – he’s good with Greta.   

"Tyler will never be unfaithful again" — pull the other one, Iolo!

“Tyler will never be unfaithful again, I’m sure of that.   Everything is as it should be – please – they’ll be back before long.”

"This is your last chance, Iolo"

Ryan warns him that it is the last chance;  “I’ll count to three, and then I’m gone.   You’re kicking me out again!”   

"I'm sorry"

Iolo says that he is sorry, and Ryan does not want to cause problems for him.

“Thanks for making me feel attractive again,” says Iolo, 

"I'm desperate for something I can't have"

and Ryan groans that he is desperate for something he cannot have.   He turns and leaves the house.

"How could you talk to us like that?"

Aled arrives back at number 10 and is followed by Tesni, who demands, “How could you talk to Siôn and me like that?” 

"It wasn't hard"

Her mother answers that it was not hard.   “He’s really embarrassed, Mam!   

"You treated me like a child!"

“You treated me like a child!”

“You are a child, compared to that perv!” Jaclyn replies, and is emphatically informed that Siôn is not a perv, but loves her.

“You’re an expert on love after sleeping with Garry Monk, are you?” Tesni exclaims,

"At least Garry was not old enough to be my grandfather!"

 and is told that at least Garry was not old enough to be her grandfather.   

"I love Siôn – I'm happy when I'm with him"

“I love Siôn – I’m happy when I’m with him – I can rely on him and I’m safe.   With him, I come first!”   She flounces off upstairs, 

Aled can breathe again after all that tension

and Aled sighs.

"Have you been playing detective?"

After his shower, Mathew is surprised to see Izzy there;  “Everything all right in work?   Have you been playing detective?”   

"Perhaps"

She admits that perhaps she has been.   He receives a text from Rhys;  “Thanking me for worrying about him – 

"I can't wait to move in with you"

“I’ve spoken to the solicitor, and he’s happy for things to continue with the house.   I can’t wait to move in with you – and to see what happens – you know, a future.   

"That's what happens when Mamis and Dadis love each other"

“A family, perhaps – that’s what happens when Mamis and Dadis love each other.   Imagine little ones running around the place.”

Izzy looks as if she has something on her mind

Then he asks what she wanted to talk to him about earlier, and she prevaricates that Eifion had failed to wash the mugs again.   Mathew will get changed and then they will have a takeaway and a bottle.

Tesni arrives, with her luggage, at Y Felin 

Tesni is in a very upset state when she arrives back at Y Felin;  

"Can I stay with you, please?"

“Mam and I have argued – she was so nasty – can I stay with you, please?   I can’t live with Mam.”   

"Does your mother know where you are?"

Siôn looks rather shocked by this, and wonders if her mother knows where she is, but is told, “It’s nothing to do with her!”

"Please, Siôn, can I stay?"

“Please – can I stay?” she begs, and he agrees that of course she can;  it is just unexpected but it is lovely to see her.   She will go and cook some dinner;  

He cannot believe this is real

meanwhile Siôn appears bemused.