1 February 2022

Ffion reads Kelly's article . . .

Ffion is looking at her iPad at breakfast time;  when Jinx wishes her good morning, she asks abruptly, “Is it?   Have you read this article Kelly’s written?”   

. . . on the Western Post website

It is entitled, ‘Local school scraps bus service for children with special needs.’

"I thought it was good"

Jinx says he considers the article to be good, but she continues, “Good?   It’s not good for the school, is it?”   He points out that she can understand why Kelly has written it.   

"It's to get some sympathy – it's manipulative!"

Ffion snarls, “She’s written it to get some sympathy – that’s why – why else would she name Ifan and describe what kind of boy he is?   It’s manipulative!”

"How would you feel in the same situation?"

Jinx disagrees, which she finds quite offensive;  he wonders how she would feel if she was in the same situation with Arwen.   

"I didn't give Arwen up for adoption!"

“Well, I didn’t give Arwen up for adoption, did I?” she growls, “It’s a shame she didn’t show as much interest in her own child!   It’s the truth – she makes me angry!”

Jinx comments that he can see that, and now she has a meeting with them today as well;  

"I don't know how I'm going to bite my tongue"

she does not know how she is going to bite her tongue after reading the article which she describes as ‘rubbish’.   

"Hurry, Arwen, or we shall be late!"

She shouts to Arwen to hurry, or they will be late for school, and Jinx will pack her PE bag.   Ffion is feeling so stressed with everything, 

"Leggings or shorts?"

and he wonders whether Arwen will need leggings or shorts.   “Are you listening to what I’m saying?” Ffion demands, “I feel invisible sometimes!”   He concludes, as they are forecasting rain, that he will pack the leggings, and shouts to Arwen to ask where he can find her trainers.   

Ffion feels as if she is ignored

Ffion feels even more ignored, and closes the iPad, with a disgusted look on her face.

"This article's very good, Kelly"

At Bryntirion, Jason is reading the newspaper version of Kelly’s article, which he describes as, “Very good – mind you, I don’t think Ffion will be a very happy with it.”

“Surprise, surprise – you’re not supporting me,” she grumbles, but he emphasises that Ifan has only just started at that school, and will be there for years.   

"We don't want to make enemies of everyone"

They do not want to make enemies of everyone.   

"We're going to find a solution"

“And that’s why we are going to meet Ffion face to face – to discuss it and find a solution,” Kelly explains, “You do remember that we have a meeting today?”

"I've got an important job to price"

Unfortunately, Jason has an important job to price, and he confesses that it is his fault, but he has already rearranged it twice.   

"I have to face Ffion on my own?"

“Jason!” she exclaims, “So I have to go and face Ffion on my own?”   He insists that she will be fine;  she has done all right without him so far, so should not worry about it.   

She does not relish the prospect

He is on his way to work and and she goes to the school, looking less than happy with the situation.

Wilko is tidying up the sofa

Wilko is folding up the bedding on the sofa when Dani comes in, speaking on the phone;  she says that Iolo has informed her that Tyler has woken up, and they are keeping him in the hospital, just in case.   

"Does he remember anything?"

The DI is anxious to know if he remembers anything, 

"I don't think so"

and she does not think so.

"I'm reading a blog about fertility"

Over the breakfast table at Y Felin, Tesni is avidly studying her phone, and tells Siôn, “I’m reading a blog about fertility – did you know that a woman is only fertile for three days?”   

"I didn't know you were starting that quickly"

He is immediately concerned and did not realise that she was going to start that business so quickly.

"A good idea to start before you're 60"

“These things take time, don’t they?” she continues, “And it would be a good idea to start before you’re 60.”   He replies that there is a while to go before then, but she is trying to decide which fertility app to download, as there are so many of them.

"It tells you exactly when to do it!"

“It’s so clever – you record where you are in your cycle and it tells you exactly when to do it!” she explains, 

"How romantic"

and Siôn looks rather terrified, as he comments that it sounds romantic.   She would rather describe it as, “Exciting!”

"What does you mother think?"

He wonders what her mother thinks, but she has not talked to her yet;  “I’m an adult – I don’t need Mam’s permission – 

"There's no point until I'm pregnant"

“anyway, there’s no point talking to her until I’m pregnant.”   

Siôn is hurriedly putting on his coat, and she demands where he is going without having any breakfast;  “Out – to buy looser underwear,” he somewhat enigmatically replies, 

She resumes her deliberations

and she returns to studying the apps.

"I've got a surprise for you, Kath"

Kath walks in through the back door of Maes-y-Deri and Brynmor tells her to close her eyes as he has a surprise for her.   She protests that she does not like surprises, so he explains, “It’s a present to say sorry for spending so much time in the garage recently – so close your eyes.”

She feels her way around . . .

She feels her way across the room 

. . . and sees a box on the table

and finds a box on the table, which she opens with some anticipation.   

"50 shades of what do you call it"

However, finding some leather garment inside, she says, “I’m not sure if I’m quite ready for ‘50 shades of what do you call it’!”   

"We can go for our first trip on the bike"

He informs her that they are motorbike leathers, “So we can go for our first trip on the bike!”

"I have no interest, Brynmor!"

She looks at it with horror and demands, “Are you mad?   I have no interest in getting on the back of a motorbike!   

"I'm not putting my life in danger!"

“If you had any sense, you’d make some money out of this hobby, instead of putting our lives in danger!   

"Nonsense!"

“Nonsense!”

Brynmor is bitterly disappointed

Brynmor is disappointed that this did not meet with Kath’s approval.

"I need some advice, Anita"

Siôn has escaped to go to talk to Anita;  she is packing, because she is going on holiday with her sister, Amanda.   He will not keep her, but just needs some advice;  

"Tesni wants to start trying for a baby"

“Tesni says she wants to start trying for a baby straightaway!”

"You're not getting any younger, are you?"

This does not surprise Anita;  “You’re not getting any younger, are you?” she points out, 

"I don't know what to do!"

and he whines that he does not know what to do.   

"I told you, Siôn – tell her the truth!"

“I told you the other day – tell her the truth!” Anita insists.

"I don't want to lose her!"

“I can’t – I don’t want to lose her,” he wails, but Anita accuses him of being selfish.   She advises that he should tell her he has changed his mind and does not want another child.   “She’ll want to know why I changed my mind,” he pathetically continues.

"She'll see what a coward and liar you are"

“Exactly – and she’ll see what a coward and liar you are!” says Anita;  he emphasises that he is not the bad guy here.   He would not be in this pickle if he did not like her so much.   

“The only other thing you can do is to have a vasectomy reversal,” she advises, 

"I'm not going under the knife again!"

but that is out of the question, as he refuses to go under the knife again.

Anita has had enough of this and makes it quite clear, “I have nothing else to say to you – this is your mess – now, if you don’t mind, please,” she says as she shepherds him towards the door, then resumes her packing.

Ffion is nervously waiting

In Ffion’s office at school, she is sitting nervously waiting for the onslaught, 

"No Jason?"

and is surprised to see that Kelly arrives alone.   She says that Jason is working, and that she is there today to talk about Ifan, obviously.

"We want fair play for Ifan"

“We want fair play for him,” she begins, 

"Stop there – you're not a parent"

but Ffion stops her there, pointing out that she cannot discuss Ifan with her because she is not a parent, and Jason is not with her.   

"You know our situation"

“You know our situation,” Kelly reminds her, 

"They're the rules on data protection!"

but Ffion is adamant that she is bound by the rules on data protection, and can only talk to Jason.

Kelly walks out again

As Kelly storms out of the office, leaving the door open, Ffion looks rather pleased with the way she handled it, but still very stressed.

Siôn lies about where he has been

Siôn returns to Y Felin, and Tesni asks if he got what he wanted;  he lies that he was dragged into Y Winllan.   

"I'm fertile next week!"

“I’ve got something I want to show you – I’ve downloaded the app and I’m fertile next week!” she announces with enthusiasm, “We can start then!”

"There's something I need to talk to you about"

Siôn tries to look excited, but without much success;  “There’s something I need to talk to you about,” and she hopes that there is nothing wrong.   

"There's a booksellers' conference"

Once again he chickens out of telling the truth and maintains, “There’s a booksellers’ conference next week, so I will miss the fertility window.”

“I thought you were going to say you’d changed your mind,” 

"There's always next month"

she replies, “That’s OK – there’s always next month.”   He has managed to put off the moment of truth for a month or so.

"I'm so annoyed, Jase!"

Kelly returns home to Bryntirion and announces to Jason, “I’m so annoyed!”   He asks what has happened 

"Ffion – that's what's happened"

and she snarls, “Ffion – that’s what’s happened!”   He assumes that it did not going well, and she angrily answers, “It didn’t go at all!   Some nonsense about data protection and only giving information to parents.”

"I should have come with you, Kelly"

“Sorry, Kelly – this is my fault.   I should have come with you,” he admits, but she sorrowfully concedes that Ffion is right.

"I don't have any rights when it comes to Ifan"

“I don’t have any rights when it comes to Ifan.”   

"But if you were his step-mother – we need to get married!"

Jason immediately suggests that if she were his step-mother she would have rights, and concludes that is the answer – they need to get married.   

Kelly was not expecting that one

This comes as a bolt from the blue to Kelly;  

"What sort of proposal is that?"

“What sort of proposal is that?” she demands, 

"It would make things easier, Kelly"

and he points out that it would make things easier.   

"I'm not marrying you to make things easier!"

“Easier?   Sweep me off my feet, Prince Charming!” she squeals, “I’m not marrying you to make things easier – it doesn’t work quite like that!”   

"I'll e-mail Ffion, then"

He is sorry and will e-mail Ffion, telling her that he is giving Kelly the right to discuss anything to do with Ifan.   Kelly instructs him that they can organise another meeting;  

"You can tell her where to stick her data protection"

“And you can tell her to stick her data protection where the sun doesn’t shine!”

"I don't think we need to go that far"

He does not think that they need to go quite that far, but he does agree with everything else;  now he has to go to work, 

"I wouldn't do that, all right?"

and as he is about to go out of the door, he adds, “Kelly, for the record, I wouldn’t want to marry you just to make things easier, OK?”   

Kelly sighs

She sighs.

Beti is going shopping

Brynmor is walking along the High Street when he sees the DI approaching, and asks how things are;  “I heard about the attack in the Deri.”   

"Tyler has now woken up"

Wilko replies that Tyler is in hospital, and has now woken up, but Dani has had a big shock.   

"Did you see anything on those cameras?"

“Did you see anything on those cameras?” Brynmor enquires, and is told that it happened in the bar, not the flat.   Wilko continues that it proves they are doing the right thing, keeping an eye on Dani.   

"Do you think it was one of Dylan's gang?"

“Do you think it was one of Dylan’s gang that broke in,” is the next question, but the DI cannot discuss that with him, 

"Good luck with tracking them down"

and Brynmor wishes him good luck with tracking down the perpetrator.   

Wilko is very worried

Wilko is still looking very concerned.

Kelly enquires about Tyler 

Kelly has gone to the Deri flat to ask about Tyler;  

"He's stable now"

Dani replies that he is stable.   

"Is it true what they're saying about Iolo and Eifion?"

“Is it true what they are saying about Iolo and Eifion?” she goes on, and Dani confirms that it is.   

"I'm sure he attacked Tyler"

She is quite convinced that Eifion is the one who attacked Tyler.

“Marc says that whoever it was will pay,” she continues, 

"Marc – DI Wilkinson"

adding, “Marc – DI Wilkinson.”   

"How long have you been on first name terms?"

Kelly wonders how long they have been on first name terms, and Dani says that they are fairly close, actually.   “All right – I like him – he’s just so different to the other men I’m used to – 

"Someone like that looking after me"

“and it’s nice having someone like that looking after me.”

“As long as you’re happy, I suppose,” remarks Kelly

Cassie visits Maes-y-Deri 

Cassie visits Maes-y-Deri with some stuff from the cupboard in her kitchen, which she assumes were Gwyneth’s, but she has checked the dates and wonders if Kath could use them.   Brynmor is looking rather downhearted and replies that Kath is not there at the moment.   

"You have the weight of the world on your shoulders"

“You look as if you have the weight of the world on your shoulders,” she comments, and he admits that he has upset Kath.

"Kath's frightened of motorbikes"

“I bought her motorbike leathers as a surprise, but she wasn’t impressed,” he explains, which does not surprise Cassie, as Kath is frightened of motorbikes.   

"What's life without a bit of danger?"

“Yes – but what’s life without a bit of danger?” he asks, “If I were risk-averse, I’d never have started a relationship with her.   I was trying to share my passion with her.”

"Could you try a less dangerous way?"

Cassie wonders if he could not share his passion in a less dangerous way, and an idea comes into his head;  

"There might be a way, Cassie!"

“There might be a way, Cassie!”

Ffion is being harangued by the Western Post 

Ffion is fielding another phone call;  “No, as I told the reporter who phoned earlier, I have no comment to make.”   Hywel appears in the doorway, as Ffion recommends that the caller contact the county council.

"I'm here on behalf of the council"

“I’m here on behalf the council to discuss Ifan Francis,” he says, and Ffion complains that she has been dealing with that all day.

"Kelly, Jason, the Western Post – and now you're here!"

“Kelly has been here and Jason was on the phone – the Western Post has called three times, and now you’re here!” she rages.   

"This is not doing the school's reputation an good"

He points out that this is not doing the school’s reputation any good, and he is there to try to find a solution.

"It was the council's decision!"

“It was the council’s decision to cut that boy’s funding,” Ffion stresses, “And now I have to deal with Kelly and the Western Post!”   

"Don't overreact, Ffion"

He urges her not to overreact, 

"Now can you leave, please?"

but she protests, “If you think I have time to deal with this on top of everything else, you’re wrong!   Now can you leave, please?   

"Not until you tell me what's wrong"

He flatly refuses to do so until she tells him what is wrong.

"I can't tell you how much this means to me"

Brynmor is speaking to someone, in English, on the phone;  “I can’t tell you how much this means to me – my fiancée will be beside herself – that’s fantastic!”   Cassie predicts that Kath will be thrilled;  

"I hope so – it wasn't cheap!"

he hopes so, as it was not cheap, and thanks Cassie for inspiring him.   

Cassie alleges she will not breathe a word

She assures him that she will not breathe a word in the meantime.

"Where are the children, Dani?"

Danny is peeling potatoes when Garry walks in and wants to see the children;  

"If I find out that you touched Tyler . . ."

“Garry, hold on – if I find out that you touched Tyler, you can say ‘so long’ to your rights as a father.”

All this appears on the monitor next door . . .

This of course is being watched by Wilko next door, 

. . . as the DI practises his pugilistics

as he does some more punchbag practice.   “Who else can walk into the Deri like you can?” Dani demands.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Miss Marple . . ."

“Sorry to disappoint you, Miss Marple, but I’ve got an alibi, as it happens,” Garry replies, 

"I was with Andrea – all night"

“I was with Andrea – all night!”   

This makes Dani think

This makes Dani think.

"Is there something else on your mind?"

At school, Hywel asks, “Is there something else on your mind?” and when she denies this, 

"I know you better than that"

he continues, “I know you better than that – what's wrong?”

"I'm getting hardly any support from you – or Jinx"

She complains that she is getting hardly any support from him about this school business;  “And Jinx is too busy to talk to me – I feel so lonely.”   Hywel assures her that her well-being is more important to him than any council policy, 

"Just tell me what's wrong, Ffion!"

and again implores her to tell him what is wrong.

"I'm drinking again!"

“I’m drinking again!” she finally confesses, and he sighs.