3 February 2022

"I wanted to go out before Dad got up"

Gaynor remarks to Rhys, when he hurries downstairs, that he is up early this morning;  “I wanted to go out before Dad got up – I don’t want to start the day arguing,” he replies.   

"Good morning"

However he is too late, as his father is already in the kitchen and wishes him good morning;  “Are you going for a run in your slippers?” Hywel asks, 

"They're minimalist running shoes"

and is informed that they are minimalist running shoes.   “You’ve dumped your sister for a new pair of trainers, have you?” his father snarls.   

Gaynor, on the other hand, wishes him good luck on his run, 

"Did you have to, Hywel?"

then starts on Hywel, “Did you have to?   There’s no sign of the post.”   He points out that it has not been long since she wrote to her mother, 

She eagerly picks up the post . . .

but then Mark delivers the post through the letterbox and she hastens to pick it up, 

. . . but finds nothing but junk mail

but is disappointed to find that it is just junk mail.

"I thought you might want one or to items for Gabriel"

Kelly is at the Deri flat, having had a clear out of Ifan’s stuff, and thought that Dani might want one or two of the choice items for Gabriel.   “It’s all right if you have room to store them for . . . 

"What is it – five years?"

“what is it – five years?” she says.

"That is where attics are handy"

Dani tells her that attics are handy, and Kelly goes on, “I also wanted to thank you for signing the petition – 

"You made a brilliant comment"

“you made a brilliant comment about ‘how society treats the vulnerable’.”   

"That was Gandhi, not me!"

Dani stops her there, as it was said by Gandhi, not her, and that she saw it on the Internet;  “Who do you think I am?   Come on!” she laughs.   Kelly wonders what is the value of a school that pumps money and resources into top pupils and top grades, 

"They forget those who are struggling"

if they forget about those struggling.

“You know what – Ifan is really lucky to have you fighting for him!” declares Dani, and Kelly feels quite humble .

"Running in your slippers?"

Mark has just delivered to the bookshop when he sees Rhys walking through the alley and comments, “What are you doing – running in your slippers?”   

Rhys is not happy about . . .

Rhys ignores this, but then meets Gaynor, who asks how was the run in his new shoes.

. . . what he sees on his phone

He is busy looking at Instagram on his phone and thinks that he has overdone it.   His father is approaching from the other direction 

"Billy Elliot shoes?"

and remarks, gleefully, “The latest video hasn’t been very popular – what was that comment about ‘Billy Elliot’ shoes?”   

"Shut up!"

Rhys tells him to shut up and walks away.

Then Hywel hands over a large letter to Gaynor;  “This came in the post and I had to sign for it.”   

"It has a Wrexham postmark"

She notices that it bears a Wrexham postmark, 

She opens it . . .

so she immediately sits down on the bench to open it.   

However, it is not good news;  

. . . but then wants to go home

she looks horrified as she informs him that she wants to go straight home.

A wooden shed has appeared in the back street

Walking along the back street, which seems to have recently developed a large wooden shed, Ffion apologises to Jason for upsetting Kelly.   

"You totally undermined her!"

“You didn’t upset her – you totally undermined her as Ifan’s guardian!” he grumbles.   

"You missed the meeting!"

She protests that he is the child’s father, and he admits that he has missed the meeting; 

"But Kelly loves him like a mother!"

 “But Kelly loves him like a mother!”

Ffion insists that she and the school are not the enemy here;  “The council pulled the plug.”   He reminds her that he already knows that, 

"We all want what's best for Ifan, don't we?"

and she adds, “We all want what’s best for Ifan, don’t we?   I know he would get much better support in the ‘special needs’ unit – not just with his education, but his social life as well.”

“Great!” exclaims Jason, “This isn’t about taxis or buses any more – 

"You're just trying to get rid of him"

“you’re just trying to get rid of him.”   

Ffion protests that they need to think what is best for him in the long term;  “What he needs are the skills and the confidence to live life as independently as possible,” she continues, “He’ll find nowhere better than the unit to nurture those.   Look, I’ll text you Martin’s number – he’s a lovely guy – he runs the unit.”

Jason is not sure about this at all, but she insists that he has nothing to lose by talking to Martin; 

"It might make you reconsider"

“He might be able to show you and Kelly the place – and it might make you reconsider what’s important to Ifan.”   Jason does not know what to think.

In the background is a van bearing the name, ‘Mewn Fflach’ [in a flash]

Rhys looks critically at his latest video

Rhys is reviewing yet another video that he has made;  “Thanks for the response to the running video this morning – it’s the first time I’ve been trolled over a pair of shoes – but fair enough, you hated it!   The thing is, I hate myself – 

"No matter how many likes I get"

“I hate the person social media has turned me into – and no matter how many ‘likes’ I get, nothing will change that.

“I thought I could use depression to do something positive – and I did for a while – but then I started to crave the attention I was getting, 

"I didn't care who or what I used"

“and I didn’t care who or what I used to get it.   I fall to pieces when the number of followers goes down – I have anxiety – I don’t sleep – I’m a bit of a wreck!

"It means I will get more attention"

“And the worst thing is, I’m almost happy about it – because it means I will get more attention, 

"It's like being on a toxic treadmill"

“and it’s like being on a toxic treadmill.”

"We do live here!"

Gaynor and Hywel return home at this moment, and Rhys remarks that he was not expecting them;  “We do live here!” his father gruffly replies.

"Warning me never to contact her again!"

Gaynor announces that she has received a reply to her letter;  “But not from my mother – from her solicitor, warning me to never contact Mrs Elsie Thomas again.”   

"I'm sorry to hear that, Gaynor"

Rhys is very sorry to hear that, but Hywel wants him to leave Gaynor in peace.

"My own mother wants nothing to do with me"

“I feel so stupid, getting my hopes up like that – I know now that my own mother wants nothing to do with me!” she rages, 

"We don't know why"

but Hywel explains that is not what the letter says.   It tells her not to contact her mother, but they do not know why;  he imagines she may be ill or something, and advises that she should phone that solicitor.

"And get hurt again?"

“And get hurt again?” she growls, but he insists that she has a right to know.   “Hywel, you were right – 

"What I need now is some peace"

“what I need now is some peace, if you don’t mind.”   

"Right – I'll go to the Deri"

He says that he will go for a pint.

"Have you spoken to Iolo?"

As they unload sheets of plasterboard from the van, Mathew asks Eifion if he has spoken to Iolo, as they cannot ignore each other for ever.   

"He's the one ignoring me!"

Eifion blames Iolo for ignoring him, but Mathew points out, “He has a lot on his mind with Tyler and everything else.”

Eifion maintains that he is the last person Iolo wants to see, so tells Mathew to forget     about it.

"Here she is – Cinderella!"

Then they see Rhys coming round the corner;  “Here she is – Cinderella!   Have you lost one of your slippers, or what?” Eifion demands.   

"Have you got time for a chat, Math?"

Rhys asks if Mathew has time for a chat, so Eifion assumes that he will have to carry on with the work.

"I hope the food will be as good at your conference"

As they have a meal at the Deri, with Hywel in the background at the bar, Tesni hopes that the food will be as good at Siôn’s conference.   He laments, “It will be dry vol-au-vents and soggy quiches.”   

"I must just pop to the toilet . . ."

She just has to visit the toilet 

" . . .and then we can go home"

and then suggests that they go home.

Siôn does not look happy about that . . .

Hywel looks across to see Siôn’s uncomfortable expression, 

. . . although he tells Hywel that everything is 'fine'

and he tries to give the impression that everything is going well.   “What does the age difference matter?” Hywel comments, 

"If you both want the same thing"

“If you both want the same thing, that’s all that counts.”

"Tesni wants a baby"

“Yes, that's what worries me,” says Siôn, coming over to the bar, “Tesni wants a baby.”

"I thought you had the snip"

“I thought you had the snip!” Hywel exclaims, 

"I don't want to disappoint he

and Siôn confesses that he has not told her as he does not want to disappoint her.   “I thought you’d have the conscience not to sleep with a young woman against her expectations!”

“You’re a fine one to talk!” snaps Siôn.   

"Tesni is not a schoolgirl, Siôn!"

He is reminded that Tesni is not a schoolgirl, but is in her twenties and wants his baby.   “She thinks she wants my baby, but she hasn’t thought it through,” is Siôn’s evaluation.

Hywel stresses that the choice is hers, and he is implored not to tell Tesni – or indeed her mother.   

"Why are you looking so serious?"

Tesni comes back, wondering why they look so serious, 

"Time for pudding"

and Siôn suggests that they should have pudding, but that is not what she wants;  

"We have important things to do, Siôn!"

“We have things to do, remember?   Important things.   Siôn – I want to go!”   

"Enjoy your conference"

Hywel sarcastically tells him to enjoy his conference.

Mathew watches the 'toxic treadmill' video

Mathew is looking at Rhys’ video, about the ‘toxic treadmill’;  

"I want to get off, but I don't know how"

“I want to get off, but I don’t know how.”   Rhys points out that he has not posted the video yet, and is undecided whether he will do so, 

"I need attention"

arguing that he just wanted people to know how he was feeling.   “Perhaps that’s the problem – I need attention.”

"You need a 'screen detox', Rhys"

Mathew suggests that he should have a ‘screen detox’ for a while, but he says that he is lost without his phone;  

"What other people think of me is addictive"

“Checking to see what people think of me is addictive.” 

"That's not the person you are"

“That’s not the person you are,” Mathew goes on, “There’s no point having thousands of followers who don’t know you.   Rhys thinks that no-one really knows him, 

"I know you – so do Sioned and DJ"

but Mathew insists that he does, and so do Sioned and DJ.   “And you know us – because that’s what friends are.”   

"It's nice to have a face-to-face chat with a friend"

Rhys appreciates having a face-to-face chat with a friend, and Mathew says they will have to do it more often.

"It's beautiful, Jaclyn"

Jaclyn has also brought something for the baby, which Dani describes as beautiful;  “Thanks, not just for this, but for looking after him, giving me a chance to phone the hospital to check on Tyler, 

"Sort this place out — sort myself out"

“sort this place out – sort myself out.”   

"It's tough when they're small"

Jaclyn knows that it is tough when they are small, and she had two at the same time;  “I don’t know how I would have coped without Ger.”   Dani agrees that it is easier when you have another pair of hands.   

"Wilko seems like a nice guy"

“Wilko seems like a nice guy,” says Jaclyn, “And you could do with some stability after everything.”   

Dani thinks that they could all do with some stability;  

"Especially him"

“Especially him,” she says, looking at Gabriel.   

"I'd like to be part of his life"

Jaclyn would like to be part of his life, and is told by Dani that of course she will be.   

"You love Auntie Jacs, don't you?"

“You love Auntie Jacs, don’t you?” she asks the baby, “But please don’t spoil him with expensive things like this – I just want a normal life for him – 

"No drama – just lots of love"

“no drama – just loads of love.”

Gaynor reviews what she wrote to he rmother

Gaynor is looking a copy of the letter she sent to her mother, while accompanied as usual by a glass of red wine;  

"Do you think I've been too honest?"

“Do you think I’ve been too honest?’ she asks Hywel, “I told her that Lois lives abroad and I’ve lost Izzy.   Do you think I said too much?”   

"You've just given her some context"

He replies that she has just given her mother some context.

Gaynor thinks that she must have sounded desperate, or at least emotional;  

"It sounds like I'm giving her a guilt trip"

she reads, “I’d be delighted to have the chance to finally meet you after all these years.   It sounds like I’m giving her a guilt trip,” but he insists that she is over-analysing it.

"I must have said something to upset her"

“I must have done or said something to upset her, if she’s replying through her solicitor,” she frets, pouring herself another glass.   Hywel does not think the response had any relation to the wording of Gaynor’s letter.   “I don’t know what kind of person she is – how she is with people.   

"I don't know anything about her!"

“She helped create me and I don’t know anything about her!   

"The danger is that now I may never know!"

“The danger is that now I may never know!”

"We should consider researching other options"

Jason appreciates that the campaign has been a big success, but just thinks they should consider researching other options.   

"Researching?   You've been talking to Ffion!"

Kelly realises from his use of the word ‘researching’ that he has been talking to Ffion.   “Yes, and she says she is sorry for upsetting you.”

“But not sorry enough to apologise to me personally!” Kelly complains.   

"The unit attracts a lot of praise"

He goes on to say that the unit, and its head teacher, attracts a lot of praise, 

"Ifan is happy at the school"

but Kelly insists, “Ifan is happy at the school – he looks forward to going and comes back with a smile on his face.”

"Who's to say he wouldn't be happy at the unit?"

“Who’s to say that he would not be happy at the unit, where they have the expertise?” Jason replies.   

"Time for a bath and a bedtime story"

Kelly is shattered, but it is time for a bath and a bedtime story.

"I got your number from Ffion Llywelyn"

When she has gone upstairs, Jason makes a phone call;  “Martin?   This is Jason Francis – I got your number from Ffion Llywelyn.   I wanted to discuss the unit, to be honest, 

"Is it possible to organise a visit some time?"

and see whether it’s possible to organise a visit some time.”

Jaclyn visits Y Felin 

Tesni has a visit from her mother, who has been given a bottle of wine by Dani for babysitting;  

"I'm trying to avoid drinking"

Tesni says that she is trying to avoid drinking, and Jaclyn suspects that the colitis is playing up again, but she maintains that she is just looking after herself, and talks about Siôn’s conference tomorrow.

Jaclyn will take the bottle home

Jaclyn realises that she is intruding, and will go home to drink the wine in front of Netflix or something.   

"How would you like to be a grandmother?"

Before she goes, Tesni has something to ask her;  “You love being an Auntie to Gabriel, don’t you?   How would you like to be a grandmother?”

"You said the test was negative!"

“You said the test was negative!” her mother gasps, 

"We're trying for a baby"

and Tesni continues that she and Siôn are trying for baby.   Jaclyn cannot believe that she is serious;  

"You and Siôn pushing a pram around?"

“You and Siôn pushing a pram around?   You’re much too young!”   Tesni reminds her that she was the same age, but is told, “Siôn’s got three children – and he’s a grandfather to Greta – he’s probably looking forward to retiring!”

"Siôn wants what I want"

Tesni informs her, “Siôn wants what I want – we’re having a baby – and you’ll be the most amazing grandmother Cwmderi has ever seen!”   Jaclyn is speechless.

"I had some food in the Deri"

Hywel clears the table after the meal and tells Rhys that there is some food left if he wants some.   Rhys replies that he had some food in the Deri;  

"If I'd checked Instagram I would have known"

“Yes, if I’d checked Instagram, I would have known that!” Hywel snarls.

"I haven't posted since this morning, OK?"

“I haven’t posted since this morning, OK?   I’m going to read a story to Esther,” Rhys tells him, and his father is sure that will mean more photos on the timeline.   

"I know I've behaved like a prat"

“I know I’ve behaved like a prat, but I want to make up for it – so please, just give me a chance to try, will you?” asks Rhys.

"Things will get better, Gaynor"

Hywel reassures Gaynor that things will get better;  “You have no idea how I feel,” she groans, but he is willing to listen if she wants to tell him.

"Perhaps I was scared and buried my feelings"

“Over the years, I never wanted to know who my biological family were – perhaps I was scared and buried my feelings.   But I did think about them and imagined my mother, out there thinking about me – proud of me, perhaps.   

"She's shut the door in my face!"

“And now that I’ve been brave enough to do something about it, I feel like she’s shut the door in my face – that’s how it feels.”

"At least you know where you stand"

He says that at least she knows where she stands now, and she protests, “Hywel, I’m not a schoolgirl who’s been dumped!   

"I've been rejected by my mother for the second time"

“I’ve been rejected by my mother for the second time in my life – and you’re trying to put a positive spin on it?   

"This is your fault!"

“This is your fault – if you hadn’t insisted I go and look for her – you put pressure on me to go for it.   I should have kept it a secret!”

"I thought we were being honest with each other"

He was under the impression that they were being honest with each other, 

"Look what honesty does for us!"

but she shouts, “Look what honestly does for us – without all the secrets and the lies, we wouldn’t have lasted five minutes!”   

"Good night, Gaynor"

He agrees that she might be right, wishes her good night and goes to bed.