16 December 2021

Hywel is not looking at his best

Hywel comes downstairs next morning, feeling the effects of the previous evening;  

"Head like a bucket this morning?"

“Head like a bucket this morning?” Gaynor enquires, unsympathetically, “Do you remember what you said?” 

"Sorry if I upset you"

He looks rather dubious, and says, “Sorry if I upset you.”   She points out that it is someone else who deserves an apology.   

"I said something about Rhys' mother, didn't I"

Then it comes back to him;  “I said something about Rhys’ mother, didn’t I?”   

"You said that she stalked you"

She reminds him that he said Nia stalked him as a schoolgirl, 

"Yes, that's quite true"

and he emphasises that was quite true.

"But you called her a slag!"

“But you called her a slag, who tried to tempt her teacher every chance she got!” Gaynor continues, as she puts on her coat, “See you later.”   

It all seems to be coming back to him

It appears that he had conveniently forgotten he had said that.

Aaron is watching Tyler . . . 

Near APD, with its Christmas tree, Aaron looks at Tyler, working outside, 

. . . and also Colin

then his gaze shifts to Colin at the shop.   

Brynmor comes out of the alley and wishes Colin good morning;  

"Poor Colin"

he meets Cassie on the other side of the road, and she comments about Colin, “Poor thing.”   

"What he did was too much"

Brynmor is aware of how teenagers misbehave, but what Aaron did he regards as a step too far.   

"He's a Monk"

“He’s a Monk,” she explains, “His uncle’s in prison and his mother’s head is all over the place most of the time.”

“Kath said his father was a murderer,” Brynmor goes on, and Cassie agrees that he has not had much luck.   “But there is no excuse for what he did,” says Brynmor, “Iolo was his stepbrother at one time, wasn’t he?”   

Aaron is eavesdropping

Cassie remarks that he is young, and meanwhile Aaron is listening to the conversation from behind the APD Christmas tree.

"No, I didn't, Dani"

In the Deri flat, Dani asks Gwern if he used the laptop last night and he says he did not.   “Do you want to tell the truth?” she adds, 

"I heard a noise late last night"

“The thing is, Gwern, I heard a noise late last night.”   He admits that he did get up for a glass of water, and Dani reminds him, “Then you were on your phone until 3:00am.”

"Are you spying on me?"

He looks angrily at her;  “Are you spying on me?” he demands, and she wonders if Aaron has said anything to him.   “I never see him,” Gwern replies, 

"I don't want you to talk to Aaron any more"

Dani instructs him not to talk to Aaron any more.

"And why not, Dani?"

At that moment Britt is coming into the flat and snarls, “Why don’t you want Gwern to talk to Aaron?”   Dani points out that everyone knows what he did.   

"It's not Gwern's fault Aaron's gone off the rails"

“Well, there’s no need to talk like that – it’s not Gwern’s fault that Aaron’s gone off the rails!”

“No, we all know whose fault that is, don’t we?” growls Dani, and Britt says that she has just come to see Gwern, as Dani will remember that he is still a Monk.   She has also brought Christmas presents for the kids, 

"Love you, Gwern!"

and she assures Gwern that she loves him before she leaves again.

Rhys is sitting outside

Outside the back of the gym, Rhys is sitting disconsolately on an upturned bucket, and is noticed by Tyler, 

"You were wrong about the graffiti"

who says, “You were wrong about the graffiti, by the way – it wasn’t someone reacting to the video I put online.   

Rhys seems totally disinterested

“But there’s no need to apologise – I’m much happier at APD, anyway.”   

"Leave me alone!"

Rhys still considers that he hurt the brand and tells Tyler to go away;  “Leave me alone!”

"I don't want to talk to Colin"

Aaron has gone to the Deri for a packet of crisps;  “They sell crisps in the shop as well, you know,” Cassie remarks, but he is not particularly keen to talk to Colin.   She can understand that, and he demands if she is going to ban him from the Deri.

"As long as you don't paint the wall"

“No, as long as you don’t paint the wall,” she replies, and he seems to be under the impression that they understand each other.   

"Cwm Delhi was stealing your customers"

He imagines that she must be glad that Cwm Delhi is now empty, as they stole her customers.

"There's no place for your prejudices here!"

She advises him to listen, and listen closely, “There’s no place for your narrow-minded prejudices in here.”   Aaron assumes that she does intend to ban him, but she insists that she is giving him advice.   

"I thought you would understand"

He thought that she would understand, picks up his bag and walks out.

"I'm truly sorry for what I said . . ."

Hywel is once again deep in thought when Rhys comes back to the house;  “Where have you been?” he asks, “Listen, I’m truly sorry for what I said about your mother last night – 

". . . it wasn't fair on her – or you"

“it wasn’t fair on her – or you.”

"So what are you going to do about it?"

“Truly sorry, are you?” Rhys answers, “So what are you going to do about it?   How are you going to make up for what you did to Mam?”   

"I didn't want to upset you"

Hywel insists that he did not want to upset his son, and begs him not to turn his back.

"You were supposed to be a responsible teacher"

“She was a schoolgirl – and you were supposed to be a responsible teacher,” Rhys continues.   Hywel does not know what he is expected to do, and Rhys adds, “You deserve to be punished!”

"It wasn't illegal then – it won't do any good"

“Do you want me to go to the police?   Is that what you want?   All right, it wasn’t illegal then – it won’t do any good,” Hywel stresses, but Rhys thinks that it is a good idea;  

"This is your chance to do the right thing"

it may not have been illegal, but it was wrong, and this is his father’s chance to do the right thing.

“Why not go this second?” Rhys wonders, 

"I can't believe you're serious"

and his father cannot believe he is serious.   

"I knew it!"

“I knew it!” says Rhys, and disappears upstairs.   

"I want to talk to you – it's important"

Hywel gets out his phone and makes a call, wanting to talk to someone;  he says that it is important.

Swaggering, like John Wayne

When Mark comes into the Deri, Cassie comments, “There’s no need to swagger like John Wayne.  

"You'll always be Mark Jones, badge or no badge"

“You’re Mark Jones, and you’ll always be Mark Jones, badge or no badge.   I had a shock earlier – 

"A barrel of beer arrived I hadn't ordered"

“a barrel of beer arrived that I hadn’t ordered – strange, isn’t it?”

"It was a bargain"

He admits that he ordered it, and it was a bargain;  he is there to save Garry money.   

"It tastes like cat pee!"

She informs him, “It tastes like cat pee – it’s about to turn – but there we are, it was cheap.”   He demands a pint so that he can taste it, and she will willingly comply;  “There are another 79 pints in that barrel, but don’t blame me if you’re ill.   The smell is enough to make me sick!”

Jaclyn is writing today's special

Jaclyn is just writing something on the specials board, but Mark objects to it;  

"What is 'Hunter's Chicken'?"

“What is ‘Hunter’s Chicken’?   £10?”   She describes it as a bargain, 

"Faggots and mushy peas would be half the price"

but he maintains that faggots and mushy peas would be half the price.   Jaclyn walks away in disgust.

“What’s wrong with you?” Cassie roars, “The specials are doing well!”   

"There's no need to be so fancy"

He says there is no need to be so fancy, 

"Mind your own business, Mark

and she instructs him to mind his own business.   

He finds Cassie was not exaggerating 

He picks up the pint of beer, takes one sip, and looks as if he is likely to throw up at any moment.

"You sounded very serious"

Hywel has gone to see Kath at Maes-y-Deri;  “You sounded very serious,” she says, “What do you want to tell me, then?”   He knows that it was a long time ago, but it feels like yesterday sometimes.   He has been going round the village, trying to get his thoughts in order.  

"Come on, then – out with it!"

 “Come on, then – out with it, Hywel!” she tells him.

"I want to discuss stacey and me with you"

“Stacey – I want to discuss Stacey and me with you,” he explains, and she looks very puzzled.

"I found a couple of your school books . . ."

In the Deri flat, the atmosphere seems rather tense;  “I was clearing up earlier and I found a couple of your school books,” she says, 

". . . they've been changed to Gwern Thomas"

“The name Gwern Monk has been changed to Gwern Thomas.”   

"I'd rather be a Thomas than a Monk"

He is adamant that he would rather be a Thomas than a Monk.

“Do the children pick on you because you’re a Monk?” she asks, but he replies that everyone is talking about Aaron.   

"I don't want you to think the Monks are bad people"

“I don’t want you to think that the Monks are bad people, Gwern,” she points out to him.

"I don't want to be part of their family!"

“Dad’s in prison, you don’t want me to talk to Aaron and you hate Britt – I don’t want to be part of their family!” he snarls.   

Dani is lost for words

Dani does not know what to say about this, 

"Are you doing something about the adoption?"

and he goes on, “Are you doing something about the adoption?”   

She just does not know what to say

Again, Dani is speechless.

"Dyff wanted to kill you!"

“I don’t know what to tell you,” says Kath, “You know best if things are getting to you – but it was a long time ago, wasn’t it?   I know Dyff and I weren’t happy – Dyff wanted to kill you – you were a teacher, you were much older than her, 

"But you two were so happy"

“but Stacey was head over heels, and you two were so happy – you went on to get married, that must count for something.”

"Are you still sure you want to go tp the pigs?"

This seems to have helped Hywel, and she asks, “Are you still sure you want to go to the pigs?”   He nods, rather reluctantly, and Kath continues, “I don’t think you’ve done anything wrong.”   

"Not everyone sees it that way"

Hywel replies that not everyone sees it that way.

“Well, if getting it off your chest will make you feel better, do what you think is best,” is her advice, “But be careful, all right?   

"You know how the police can twist things"

“You know how the police can twist things, don’t you?”

"I'm having dinner with Dani upstairs"

Iolo comes into the Deri, and tells Cassie that he is having dinner with Dani upstairs;  

"I'd give him ten out of ten"

she comments to Tesni that she would give him ten out of ten for looks.   

"I'd give this one eight and a half"

When DI Wilkinson also arrives, she whispers, “I’d give this one eight and a half.”   Tesni will get him a lime and soda.

"Mark?   About one and a half!"

Mark is checking with customers that everything is all right, and when asked by Tesni, Cassie replies that she would give Mark about one and a half.   

"What did you say?"

She suggests she could get Mark a half pint;  

"Have you been sick in the toilet?"

“Of your cheap beer,” and he decides that he fancies a change.   “Have you been sick in the toilet?” she smiles.

"Can't get the staff these days, can you?"

Mark comments to the DI that you cannot get the staff these days, and after checking with the customers says that he is happy to keep the specials for now;  

"The customers are always right!"

“It’s important to ask – the customers are always right!” he tells her.   

He puts peanuts into dishes . . .

He starts doling out peanuts into dishes, advising the customers that there are free nuts available, 

. . . which `Tesni considers very unhygienic

but Tesni protests that is the most dangerous way to spread germs – everyone’s fingers!   

He concludes that they are talking rubbish, pointing out that all the best places do this;  

"The salt makes people drink like fish as well!"

“The salt makes people drink like fish as well!”

"I heard about Aaron"

In the chip shop flat, Britt is looking very worried when Siôn arrives, apologising for calling so late;  “I just wanted to see how you are – I heard about Aaron.”   Britt is very sorry for what he did and calls it disgusting; she will get him to apologise.

"You're being dealt a blow as well"

“You’ve being dealt a blow as well, after doing so much for him,” he adds, but Britt is convinced that they must have done something wrong, 

"It's a difficult age"

and Colin says that it is a difficult age, not that he is excusing what Aaron did.

“I’m so ashamed, Siôn – I just can’t look at people in the street,” moans Britt, 

"If Colin hadn't opened his big mouth . . ."

“If Colin hadn’t opened his big mouth to Iolo, no-one would know.”   Colin insists that Iolo had a right to know, 

"It's better that these things are out in the open"

and Siôn says that it is better that these things are out in the open.   “Is it?   Better for who?” Britt demands. 

Cassie rings for bell for closing time and the few remaining customers prepare to leave the Deri. 

"How about a lock-in tonight?"

Mark suggests they could have a lock-in tonight, so she warns him, “You had one last night – you don’t want to push your luck.   

"A police officer lives next door, remember"

“A police officer lives next door, and it will be your fault as you’re the boss!”   He regards this as sound advice, and leaves to go home;  they are quite pleased to see the back of him.

"What do you fancy, Jaclyn?"

“What do you fancy, Jaclyn?” says Cassie, “He’s gone now – and he gets on my nerves!”   

"I'll invite Hywel over as well"

Jaclyn will have a gin and tonic, and thinks that she will invite Hywel over as well, if Cassie does not mind.

"Not jealous of our friendship, are you?"

“You’re not jealous of our friendship, are you?” 

"He doesn't know the meaning of the word"

but Cassie is quite sure that Hywel does not know the meaning of the word ‘friendship’.   She warns Jaclyn to be careful, as she does not want 

"Out of the frying pan into the fire"

to jump out of the frying pan into the fire.

Iolo is doing the washing-up

In the Deri flat, Dani pours out some wine for Iolo, who is doing the washing-up;  he says that the meal was very good.    

"Gwern has asked me to adopt him"

Dani informs him, “Gwern has asked me to adopt him,” which comes as rather a surprise.

"Don't tell me you agreed to it?"

“Please don’t say that you agreed to it?” Iolo demands, and the lack of any answer from Dani causes him some anger.   

"What was I supposed to tell him?"

“What was I supposed to tell him?” wails Dani, and Iolo reminds her that he already has a mother and father, and does not even think that it is possible.   She admits, “I wasn’t thinking straight – but I don’t want to let him down.   Do you understand that?”   

"It's better to be honest, Dan"

However, Iolo is of the opinion that it is better to be honest than to raise Gwern’s hopes.

She realises that she needs to speak to the boy again;  “I wouldn’t want to see Garry’s reaction anyway, 

"I don't want Garry living with you"

“because I don’t want to see him living with you when  he leaves prison.”

"This comes under the heading of 'moving on'?"

“And this comes under the heading of ‘moving on’, does it?” asks Iolo.   She makes it quite clear that she does not want Garry living there, 

"It's my house – and I don't want him there!"

stressing that number 7 is her house, and she does not want him there.   

"He won't be happy when he gets out"

They both realise that Garry will not be happy when he gets out, and Dani will now go and sit down, while Iolo insists that he will finish the rest of the bottle.

There is a spay camera in the flat

The view of the flat suddenly changes to black and white, as seen on closed-circuit television;  it is marked, ‘Cam 1’, and Dani can be seen sitting down on the sofa.

Rhys is thinking

At Llwyncelyn, Rhys is idly watching the television, but then turns it off and flings down the remote control.   

He sends a message to his father

He picks up his phone and composes a text message to his father, ‘Have you gone to the police?’

"It's from Rhys"

In the Deri, Hywel receives this message and explains its contents to Jaclyn, but she remarks that there is no rush;  “The law has changed, 

"No point opening an old wound"

“but there’s no point opening an old wound.   You will have to decide what’s right for you – 

"Why don't you come over to the house?"

“why don’t you come over to the house and we can talk about it?   Tesni is going to Y Felin with Siôn.”   

"Thanks for the late pint, Cassie"

Hywel thanks Cassie for the late pint, and they leave together.

"Looks like Mam has gone for the fire, then"

“Well, it looks like Mam has gone for the ‘fire’, then,” comments Tesni.

"Do you think I'm selfish, Iol?"

“Thanks for understanding about Garry – do you think I’m selfish?” asks Dani, 

"It's like 'kicking a man when he's down'!"

and Iolo does think it rather a case of ‘kicking a man when he’s down’, but he does understand that it is Garry.   “I just don’t want to spend time with him – 

"I just want a clean slate"

“clean slate!” she exclaims.

"A lot of men would love to spend time with you"

Iolo is sure that a lot of men would love to spend time with her, but she considers that her current state, with a ‘baby brain’, would make her ‘a real catch’.

“No-one’s too complicated for Cupid when he strikes,” says Iolo, and she does not think she would trust anyone who wanted to spend time with her.   

"What about the guy next door?"

“What about the guy next door?” Iolo suggests, “Come on – you must have seen the way he looks at you – a nice guy – a police officer.”   She cannot see what would be the point.

“You’ve tried plenty of bad guys in your time, Dan – you might as well try a good one,” and, so saying, he thanks her for the meal and leaves the flat.

This is all being watched . . .

This is again being watched on the CCTV monitor 

. . . by a shadowy figure, wearing boxing gloves . . .

and in the background we see the shadow of a hooded figure.   

. . . none other than our friend, Wilko . . .

Finally we see his face, that of the DI, who is getting rid of his frustrations 

. . . giving the punchbag a good beating

by pounding the living daylights out of his punchbag.