5 January 2022

Mathew has been kept awake again

Mathew is up early in the morning and hears some whispering voices;  Eifion comes in, remarking, “You’re up early.”

“It’s hard to sleep when you hear voices in the room next door,” Mathew replies, “Who was that with you, then?”   

"No-one you need to worry about"

He is told that it is no-one that he needs to worry about, and the sound of someone going down the stairs can be heard.   “Aren’t they staying for breakfast?” says Mathew,    

"I hope it's not cold out there"

adding, “I hope it’s not cold out there.”   He points out a coat, which has been left behind on a chair.

Eifion chases after . . .

Eifion grabs it and rushes out of the flat to catch up with his visitor, who is by now crossing the road towards number 7;  

. . . Iolo!

“Hey!” Eifion calls to Iolo – for it is he – “You forgot this.   Thanks for last night – it was fun!”

Iolo is quite determined that no-one should find out;  “And it can never happen again!”   

"Why would I want it to happen again?"

Eifion wonders why Iolo would think he wanted it to happen again, as it was simply a bit of fun.   

Iolo cannot get into the house fast enough

Iolo wastes no time in going into number 7.

However, from the flat window . . .

It sounds as if a thunderstorm is going on, and Mathew is looking out from the window of the flat above the shop.   

. . . Mathew has been watching

He now knows the identity of the visitor.

Some of the villagers are out and about

Later, Cassie is walking past the bookshop when she sees a taxi outside the Deri 

Garry is back from his incarceration

and a familiar figure alighting therefrom;  

"They must have taken down my 'Welcome Home' banner"

“They must have taken down the ‘Welcome Home’ banner I put up,” she remarks.   

"Or burned it!"

Garry suspects that they may have burned it, and we can see that, on the street corner, 

This has not gone unnoticed by Mark

his return has been noticed by Mark, who quickly retires out of sight.

"I feel like I've lost a month of my life"

When asked by Cassie how he feels, Garry answers, “I feel like I’ve lost a month of my life – but I’m glad to be out.”   

Mark is worried

As Mark watches from his concealment, Cassie assumes that Garry will not be staying at the Deri.   “No – I don’t think I’d get much of a welcome here,” he says “You haven’t got any room, have you?”

"I'm fed up with waifs and strays"

She is fed up with providing a roof over their heads of local waifs and strays, but at least invites him into the Deri for a coffee.   He has a few things he needs to do first, and is advised to keep out of trouble;  “Trouble – Me?” he comments.

Greta is enjoying her breakfast

At number 7, Iolo is guiltily looking at Greta, tucking into her breakfast;  he becomes increasingly anxious as Tyler comes downstairs, 

Iolo looks as if he has slept on the sofa

and tries to make it look as if he has spent the night on the sofa.

"I don't need to send out a search party, then"

“I don’t need to send out a search party, then,” says Tyler, 

"I didn't want to wake you up"

and is told that Iolo did not want to wake him when he came in.   “Were you that late?   Your old school friends are a bad influence,” jokes Tyler.

“I was hoping to have breakfast together as a family – 

"Did I hear my name mentioned?"

“but Greta couldn’t wait, says Iolo.   Then Tyler receives an alert on his phone;  

"Dani says not to let him in"

the text from Dani reads, “Don’t let him in!” and at that very moment a knock is heard at the door.

Tyler demands, “What do you want, Garry?   This is not your home!”   

"I was my home when I left"

Garry points out that it was when he left.   “A lot has changed – Dani says you’re not welcome here.”

“That’s the Dani who is still living in my flat?” Garry snarls, but Tyler remarks that it is not their problem.   

"We don't want you here – neither does Dani"

It is clearly explained to him that they do not want him there, and neither does Dani, so he is told to go and beg somewhere else.

“I don’t want to be in the middle of your happy families anyway!” Garry growls, 

"With Dani down the street ordering you"

“With Dani down the street ordering you!   Stuff you – I’ll find somewhere else!”   Tyler wishes him goodbye, 

"I quite enjoyed that!"

and quite enjoyed that experience.

"Don't you think you were a but hard on him?"

Iolo considers that he was rather hard on Garry, but Tyler insists, “He deserves everything he gets – anyway, isn’t that what we should be aiming for, a happy family?   

"Just you, me and Greta – no-one else"

“Just you, me and Greta – and no-one else.”   Of course, Iolo’s conscience is troubling him, as it frequently is.

"Full of magnesium, to help the head . . ."

Rhys is filming another of his videos, this time about a healthy smoothie, which he describes as, “Full of magnesium, to help the head, 

". . . and protein, to help the body"

“and protein, to help the body.   Now for the taste test.”

"What's all this noise?"

At this point, his father comes downstairs in full view of the camera, and demands, “What’s all this noise?   

"I'm trying to sleep – what's going on?"

“I’m trying to sleep – what’s going on?   You’re not a chef, are you?”

"I share a lot of things on the channels"

Rhys points out that he shares a lot of things on the channels;  “Not just the training – the food, the drink, the lifestyle – I have to do what the fans want.”   

"You have to find a way to make a living"

Hywel appreciates that he is putting a lot of energy into it, but he has to find a way to make a living.   “I’ve worked in computers a lot longer than you, and I know you’re not going to make a penny out of sharing protein shakes,” he goes on.

"Its not bread-and-butter pudding, Tesni"

As they come into the Deri, Tesni and Siôn our arguing about bread-and-butter pudding.   

"My Mam used to make that"

Cassie recalls that her mother used to make that, and Tesni says, “You would have enjoyed what Siôn made me for breakfast, then.”

"It was Popara – from Yugoslavia"

He insists that it was not bread-and-butter pudding, but rather, “Popara – a traditional breakfast of bread, milk and honey from Yugoslavia.”   

"Where?   Never heard of it"

Cassie advises him that it has not been a country for years, and he adds, “Not since 1992, I think.”

Cassie points out that Tesni was not even born then;  “Don’t worry, Siôn – you and I are vintage – we never go out of fashion.   The usual coffee before work?”

Eifion is lazing as usual

Eifion is in his usual daytime position – asleep on the sofa – when Jason comes in and wishes him, 

"Eifion – you're supposed to be at work"

“Good morning – you’re supposed to be at work.   Mathew thought that I could persuade you to wake up and come to work – 

"You're not going to be any use today, are you?"

“good grief, look at the state of you!   I don’t think I’ve ever seen you looking so ill!   You’re not going to be any use to anyone today, are you?”

"That's why I'm not coming to work"

As Mathew comes in with the washing, Eifion explains that is the reason he will not be coming into work.   “Since when has a hangover stopped someone from coming into work?” Jason demands, 

"I got hardly any sleep last night"

but Eifion moans that he got hardly any sleep last night.

"Well, Eifion, you dirty little dog!"

“Oh, right – because someone kept you up all night, is it?   Well, Eifion, you dirty little dog!” jeers Jason, 

"Mathew, you didn't tell me he scored last night!"

“Mathew, you didn’t say that Eifion scored last night – who was she then?   Do I know her?   Is she in the same state?”   

"I don't remember"

Eifion maintains that he cannot remember.

“Well, you’re not going to be on site today, are you?   You’re answering the phone all day, while Mathew, Tyler and I do all the work – how does that sound?   

"You've got ten minutes – do you hear me?"

“You’ve got ten minutes – do you hear me?”

He has no intention of moving

Eifion informs Mathew that he will be with them shortly, but shows absolutely no sign of movement.

There are footsteps on the stairs

Colin is tidying up in the chip shop flat when he hears footsteps on the stairs;  

"Welcome home, Garry"

“Welcome home, Garry,” he says, “How are you?”   Garry replies that he is glad to be back, and it is presumed that he will be staying with Iolo and Tyler.

"I'm not sure where I'm staying yet"

“No, I’m not – I’m not sure where I’m staying yet,” says Garry, 

"You're welcome t stay here"

so Colin remarks that he is welcome to stay there if he wants.   

"I don't want to be in the way"

“I don’t want to be in the way, with Britt away and everything,” Garry continues.

Colin reminds him, “We’re family, Gar, and as you always say, we Monks stick together, don’t we?”   

"I'm not looking for charity, Col"

This offer is accepted, but only because Garry wants to, and not because he is looking for charity.

“Make yourself at home – I’ll make a cup of tea,” says Colin, “Then we can sort out the spare room together.   Aaron will be buzzing when he comes home – the Three Amigos back together again!   Watch out!”

Hywel is feeling his age

Hywel has been for a run and is sprawled inelegantly on the sofa, snoring, 

Rhys notices . . .

when Rhys comes downstairs 

. . . and records the scene

and thinks it amusing to take a photo of him.   

"What are you doing?"

He wakes up at that moment and demands, “What are you doing?   Did you take a photo?   Delete it now!”

Rhys pretends to delete it

Rhys goes through the motions of deleting it 

"You can't send that to anyone!"

and his father continues, “You can’t send that to anyone!” but when he walks out of the room, 

The photo is instantaneously on Instagram

that is exactly what Rhys is doing, posting the photo on Instagram.

"Have you seen this photo of Hywel?"

It does not take long to circulate;  in the Deri, Cassie asks if Tesni has seen the photo of Hywel.   

Tesni is looking under par

Tesni does not look well and thinks that she had better sit down, which makes Cassie concerned.

"What helps the colitis?"

“That breakfast you had with Siôn is to blame – what helps the colitis?”    she asks, but Tesni says that it is not that – 

"I just need to sit down for a while"

it feels different, and she just needs to sit for a while.

Garry is keeping an eye on things

Colin offers Garry another cup of tea, before he has finished the first one;  he is peering through the blinds, looking across at the Deri.   “Now, about these sheets – 

"101% Egyptian cotton"

“these flowery ones are 101% Egyptian cotton, if you want a bit of luxury, or we’ve got ones that are bit lighter – perfect if you sweat in the night,” says Colin.

"A stiff blanket and a thin pillow"

“Col, I’ve just got out of prison – I had a stiff blanket and a thin pillow – I don’t care what sheets I get!” Garry answers, 

"Right, the Egyptian cotton it is, then"

so Colin decides that it will be the Egyptian cotton.   “You haven’t seen Mark Jones lately, have you?” Garry enquires, 

"I've phoned Mark ten times"

“I’ve texted him and phoned him ten times, and he’s not answering.   He hasn’t gone away, has he?”

Mark is quaking in his boots . . .

At Maes-y-Deri, Mark’s phone rings again, but he is sitting at the foot of the stairs, looking very frightened.   

. . . and rejects this call as well

He hesitantly rejects the call.

Iolo is preparing Fajitas

At number 7, Iolo is preparing a meal, cutting up some peppers, when Tyler comes back from work;  “Something smells nice,” he says, and is told that Iolo is making Fajitas.   

"What have I done to deserve this?"

“What have I done to deserve this?” Tyler wonders.

"You've been working hard"

Iolo says that he has been working hard, and Tyler is not happy that he had to do the work Eifion should have done;  “Jason didn’t trust him to be on site and said he was in a terrible state.   

"He pulled a girl in Swansea last night"

“He pulled a girl in  Swansea last night – I don’t miss those days – the boozing and hooking up!”   Iolo is feeling increasingly guilty as Tyler goes on, “Do you remember the hangovers the next morning – and the guilt?   

"Have I got time for a shower?"

“Have I got time to have a shower?”   

"Sticky toffee pudding"

Iolo says that he has not yet started on pudding;  “Sticky toffee – it’s only a shop one.”

Cassie comes out of the Deri

Cassie comes out of the Deri and is conscious of someone trying to attract her attention;  

"'Psst' – Cassie!"

she turns to see Mark, peering round the corner by the chip shop flat, 

"Don't 'psst' me!"

and informs him, “Don’t ‘psst’ me!   What’s all this?”   

He cautiously ventures across the road, revealing that he saw her talking to Garry.

"Garry's checking up on me!"

“He’s been phoning me, Cas – more than ten missed calls!” he exclaims, “He’s checking up on me, to see what’s happened with the garage!”   

"You haven't told him about the bikes, have you?"

She realises that he has not told Garry about the bikes.   “Listen, you know him well – 

"Perhaps you could have a word with him"

“perhaps you could have a word with him,” he pleads, 

"I'm not going to be part of this mess!"

but Cassie is quite adamant that she does not want to be part of this mess.

“You’ll have to think of a way to pay him back,” she suggests, “You’ll think of something – 

"Or you'll be wearing concrete shoes . . ."

“or you’ll be wearing concrete shoes at the bottom of Swansea Bay before you know it.”   

Mark scuttles out of the way

This of course does nothing to allay his fears, and he hurries back out of sight.

Even Hywel has found the photo

Hywel is looking at the comments under Rhys’ photo, including, “2km and sleeping like a baby!”   

He yells up the stairs for Rhys to come down, and demands, “Take that down!”   

"Chill, Dad – it's just a bit of fun"

Rhys replies that he should chill, as it is just a bit of fun.   

"Do you see me laughing?"

“Do you see me laughing?” his father snarls, but it is pointed out that it has had a lot of ‘likes’.   

“Who cares how many ‘likes’ it has had?” Hywel moans, 

"A smoothie company is going to sponsor me"

and Rhys announces that a smoothie company is going to sponsor him because his channel is so popular.   “With people on the other side of a computer screen!” Hywel snarls, 

"You should be attracting real customers"

“You should be attracting real customers to your business, or it won’t have a future!”

Rhys advises him, “This is the future, Dad – 

"When you leave the Stone Age . . ."

“and when you leave the Stone Age, you will  see how effective creating a strong brand is.”   

"And what's that got to do with this?"

Hywel cannot see how that equates with photos of his father sleeping.

"You know you're old when you have to take a nap"

In the shop flat, Eifion is also looking at that photo;  “You know you’re old when you have to take a nap during the day.”   

Mathew replies that he is a fine one to talk;  

"All you've done today is nap on the job"

“All you’ve done today is nap on the job!”   

"Not my fault if girls find me irresistible"

Eifion maintains that it is not his fault if girls find him irresistible and keep him up all night.

"Drop the act – I know who was in your bed – Iolo!"

“Drop the act, Eifion – I know exactly who was in that bed last night – Iolo!” Mathew tells him, “I saw you in the street giving his coat back!   I can’t believe this – Iolo?   How long has this been going on?”

"It was just a one-off, right?"

“It was just a one-off, right?   We bumped into each other in Swansea and shared a lift home.”   

"Are we going to pretend it didn't happen?"

Mathew demands what they are going to do – simply pretend that it did not happen – but Eifion does not want to talk about it.

"This could affect work!"

“This could affect work!” Mathew shouts, and Eifion once more decides he is going to bed;  “On your own, I hope!” yells Mathew.

Tesni brings a tray of empty glasses to the bar, and Cassie wonders if she should be carrying them.   Tesni maintains that she feels a lot better than she did, but is told that she does not look 100%;  

"Have you been 'safe' recently?"

“Don’t think that I’m interfering, but you and Siôn – have you been ‘safe’ recently?” enquires Cassie.

"Of course – I'm on the pill"

“Of course we have,” is the reply, “I’m on the pill.”   

"And thousands of other girls pushing a pram"

Cassie points out that so are thousands of other girls who find themselves pushing a pram.   

“I don’t want to frighten you, but those things are not 100% – especially if you’re a little lax in remembering to take them.   Do you want me to go to the chemist, just in case?”

"It was the bread-and-butter pudding"

Tesni is trying to convince herself that it was just the bread-and-butter pudding, but the seeds of doubt have been planted in her mind. 

She delves in her handbag to look at her contraceptive pills, 

"Oh"

and seems to be very troubled by what she sees there.