18 May 2022

Jinx considers his options

After considering his position for a few moments, Jinx speaks and Jaclyn comes to the realisation that she is not alone.   

"Are you wearing any . . ?"

He takes a quick glance under the duvet and asks, “Are you wearing any . . ?”   After a quick check, she replies that she is not, 

"I think I'd better go"

and he thinks that he had better go, 

Osvaldo's leg covers her face

so she flings Osvaldo’s leg over her eyes to preserve Jinx’s privacy.

"Thank you for dinner last night . . . and the . . ."

She enquires whether he would like some breakfast, but he declines as he quickly gets dressed.   “Thank you for dinner last night . .  and the . . .”   Jaclyn says that he is welcome, and he hurries from the bedroom.   

"Don't look at me like that!"

She turns to the teddy bear and tells it not to look at her like that.

At Cysgod y Glyn, Ffion is shouting for Arwen to hurry up or they will be late 

"I popped out for some milk"

when Jinx returns the short distance from number 10.   He gives the excuse that he has been out for milk, so Ffion asks the obvious question, “Where is it, then?” and he says the shop had none, 

"It's a shambles since Colin left"

and that it is a shambles since Colin left.

"When did you get back last night?"

“When did you get back last night?” she wants to know, and informs him that Anita is picking up Arwen later;  “No-one else was available – 

"No-one else was willing to take her"

“or rather, no-one else was willing to take her.”

Mark is speaking to his mother

Mark comes out of the shop with a box of Celebrations chocolates, and is speaking on the phone;  

"Is it all right for me to come over now?"

“I know that you’re – is it all right for me to come over now, or what?   

"When Brynmor's giving you a 'bed-bath'"

“I just don’t want to turn up when Brynmor’s giving you a ‘bed-bath’ or whatever.   OK, see you later.”

"I think I've found the perfect car"

Meanwhile, outside the Deri, Brynmor is telling Cassie that he thinks he has found the perfect car for Kath;  “The thing is, I’d like to take it for a test drive – and get someone else’s opinion.   

"I was hoping you'd come with me"

“I was hoping you’d come with me – but it’s in Swansea.”   Cassie has a day off today, so agrees to accompany him.

"Not a word to Kath"

“Not a word to Kath until I’m 100% sure it’s the car for her,” he warns, and they get into his car.

"I was e-mailed the offer this morning"

Inside the Deri, Dani reveals some good news to Gaynor;  “I was e-mailed the offer this morning – 

"Dani Thomas, mature student!"

“you’re looking at Dani Thomas, mature student!”   Gaynor is confident that she is going to be great, but Dani insists that she will need loads of help.   “Criminology and psychology – sounds cool, doesn’t it?   

"Loads of boring old men, talking"

“It is going to be cool, isn’t it?   It won’t just be loads of boring old men talking?”

Gaynor says that there will be a lot of them, “But they won’t be able to keep you in hand!”

"Going to college, are you?"

Tyler has been listening to this conversation and comes over when Gaynor has gone;  “Going to college, are you?   Why criminology and psychology?”   

"Half my family are criminals"

She explains that half her family are criminals, so she might as well learn how their brains work.   

“Who’ll look after the kids?” he demands, and she points out that it is a part-time course, so she can study at night.

"You've never been – you know . . . academic"

“Are you sure about this, Dani?   You’ve never been – you know . . .”   She wonders if he means clever, but he goes on, “Academic.”   She did not get too many opportunities at school 

"I'm sure Gaynor will help me"

and is sure that Gaynor will help her.  Then he wants to know what she will do after graduating.

She snaps, “I don’t know – I just want to do it!   Why are you being so negative?”   He says that these courses are designed to keep middle class people busy, and they are not for the likes of her – or him.   

"We're as good as anyone else, Tyler!"

Dani is adamant that they are as good as anyone else;  

"I feel sorry for you, Dan"

he remarks that he feels sorry for her and leaves the Deri.

Jinx looks at his phone . . .

At that moment Jinx is coming in;  he sits down and looks at his phone.   

. . . then deletes his intended message

He reads the message which he has been preparing;  “Dear Jaclyn, heartfelt apologies,” but then thinks better of it and deletes the message.

Jaclyn is not concentrating on Cae Glas . . .

At Penrhewl, amid her cooking activities, Jaclyn has the same sort of idea and picks up her phone, 

. . . but rather on a message to Jinx

typing, “Hope you’re OK.   Thanks for last night.  xx”

"Can you start on the veg, please?"

Sioned comes in and says, “When you’ve finished the cakes, can you start on the veg, please?” but Jaclyn’s attention is on her phone.   “Not much sleep last night?” Sioned enquires, 

"Yes, something like that"

and is told that it was something like that.   “Did you get some action?” Sioned continues, “I can tell that from your smile!   

"Who is it, then?"

“Who is it, then?”

Jaclyn admits that she has never had a one-night-stand before, and it was rather a shock to the system.   

"The novelty wears off eventually"

Sioned gloomily comments, “The novelty wears off eventually,” 

"It's good to know that things still work!"

but Jaclyn says it is good to know that things still work, 

She checks if there has been a reply yet

after which she takes another sneaky look at her phone.

Kath is gradually becoming more active

Kath is going about her exercises and raises herself to her feet, supported by a frame;  

"What are you doing, Mam?"

Mark comes in through the back door and demands what she is doing.   

"I thought I'd try doing the Rumba today"

“Well, I thought I’d try doing the Rumba today,” she replies, “What do you think I’m doing?   I’m doing my exercises.   Brynmor’s gone to town.”

"Left you on your own, has he?"

Mark is angry that his mother has been left on her own, but she assures him that he will not be long, 

"I haven't seen you for a while"

as she carefully lowers herself into the wheelchair.   “I haven’t seen you for a while,” she goes on, 

"I've been busy"

and he gives the excuse that he has been busy.

"Do you want a cup of yea?"

He puts down the box of chocolates and asks if she wants a cup of tea;  

"Chamomile for me, please"

“Chamomile for me, please,” she says, 

"How long have you been drinking 'hippy' tea?"

and he wonders how long she has been drinking ‘hippy’ tea.   

"If you came to see me more often, you'd know"

“If you came to see me more often, you would know, wouldn’t you?” she answers.

"You look a bit 'down'"

In the Deri, Jinx is looking pensive, so Dani goes across and comments, “Life’s tough, isn’t it?   You look a bit ‘down’.”   

He sighs that a friend has a problem, and she wonders who this friend might be, and what is the problem.

"Is it wrong to have a one-night-stand?"

He poses the question, “Is it wrong to have a one night stand with a newly divorced woman?”   

"The last thing I want now is a fling!"

Dani misinterprets this;  she is flattered but insists that the last thing she wants now is a fling.

"It wasn't an offer"

“No, that wasn’t an offer – well, is it wrong?”   Dani replies that it depends – 

"The two of us – really wrong"

with the two of them, it would be wrong, really wrong – but it might be fine with someone else.   She complains that he is not giving her much to work with, if he will not tell her the identity of the friend or the divorcée.   

Jinx leaves the pub

He gets up and leaves the pub, just as Gaynor comes back in with a small present for Dani – 

"Ah – a pink, fluffy pencil case!"

a pink fluffy pencil case.   “I know everything’s online these days, 

"Something exciting about a new pencil case"

“but there's something so exciting about a new pencil case.”

"Am I doing the right thing, Gaynor"

Dani raises the question, “Am I doing the right thing?   You know, I’m a dyslexic single mother who’s trying to run a business.   Do I really want the hassle of doing a degree?   

"Tyler thinks it's for posh people"

“Tyler thinks it’s for posh people with nothing better to do.”

Gaynor responds, “Of course Tyler doesn’t want you to do it – he’s jealous, isn’t it?   He was always the clever one your family who went off to college.   

"He doesn't want you to do better than him"

“He doesn’t want you to do better than him, does he?   You’re doing this course because you want to do it – please don’t let Tyler or anyone else undermine you.”

"Yes, perhaps you're right"

Dani thinks that Gaynor is right;  “And I do like the pencil case – that’s a bonus.   Do you want a drink?”

"One 'hippy dippy' tea"

Mark has made his mother some chamomile tea and deposits the teabag in the bin;  “Here you are – one ‘hippy dippy’ tea,” he says, but his mother wants to know where the bag is.

"You're supposed to leave the bag in"

“You’re supposed to leave it in – this will be as weak as water,” she points out, 

"Sorry I haven't called in much"

and he apologises for not calling in much recently;  she is pleased to report that they are doing well there, the two of them.   “We get some help from the nurse, 

"I don't want her around much longer"

“but I don’t want her around much longer.”   

He realises that he should have pulled his weight a bit more, but is told that Brynmor is great, and is enjoying himself;  

"Brynmor helps with everything"

“He helps me with my exercises, makes sure I take my tablets.”   

"No, not on there, Mark . . ."

She instructs Mark to put the cushion back where it belongs 

". . . that's right, on the sofa"

on the sofa.

Gwern is watching television . . . 

Gwern is sitting in the Deri flat when a message alert arrives on his phone;  

. . . when he learns that Arwen is BORED

Arwen is complaining, “I’m in Anita’s house – I’m grounded – so BORED!”   He finds that the remote will not operate the television, so he takes out the batteries 

On his search for batteries . . . 

and goes in search of some fresh ones.   He eventually finds some, 

. . . he finds an interesting key

but in the same drawer he discovers a key, with a tag reading ‘Number 21’.   He puts the key in his pocket and quickly leaves the flat.

Jaclyn is assembling veg boxes . . .

Jaclyn is making up the vegetable boxes at Penrhewl and Sioned is still asking questions;  

. . . and Sioned is still asking questions

“Just give me one clue,” she says, but Jaclyn is saying nothing.   “Had you planned it?” is the next, to which the reply is that it came as a surprise.   “Like finding money in a coat pocket – 

"When are you going to see him again?"

“well, when are you going to see him again?”

Jaclyn does not consider that they have much in common;  

"I'm not doing it again"

“It was an experience – but I’m not doing it again.   Have you got any more questions, or can I get on with my work?”

"I know – Ieuan Griffiths?"

“Was it Ieuan Griffiths?” Sioned demands, which results in a cry of disgust.

Gwern lets himself into Hywel's house

The back door of Hywel’s house opens, and Gwern walks in, followed by Arwen.   He does not think that Dani remembers she had the key;  

"It's been empty for weeks"

“She went out with that policeman, and Hywel never comes here – it’s been empty for weeks.”   

Arwen comes to the conclusion that they can go there whenever they want;  “No-one will know we’re here – we can watch stuff on my laptop – 

"I can get the Deri's Wi-Fi here"

“I can get the Deri’s Wi-Fi here,” gloats Gwern.   

"We're going to have a lot of fun!"

Arwen imagines that they will have a lot of fun.

Fun is the last thing on Jinx's mind

At Cysgod y Glyn, Jinx is most definitely not having any fun, and Ffion tells him that he looks terrible;  

"What's wrong with you?"

“What’s wrong with you?   Come on – now’s your chance before Anita brings Arwen home.”

"I've done something"

He hesitantly informs her, “I’ve done something,” 

"Dangerous, bad, stupid?"

and she wonders if it is something dangerous, bad or stupid.   “All of the above,” he admits, and she reminds him that he can tell her anything.

"Jinx, it will eat you alive!"

“Jinx, it will eat you alive unless you tell me – please,” she begs him, 

He is about to spill the beans

and he is about to begin his explanation.

"People have called me stupid and useless . . ."

There is a knock at the door of number 7 and Tyler finds that it is Dani;  “Do you know what?   Throughout my life I’ve had people calling me stupid and useless, 

". . . I never thought you'd be one of them"

“but I never thought you would be one of them.”

He deduces that this is about the course and stresses that she is not stupid;  “That’s why I can’t understand why you’re doing something so daft.”   

"You went to college, remember?"

She points out that he went to college, 

"And what good did it do me?"

and he snarls, “What good did it do me?   I’m right back at the bottom – a working-class loser, living with another working-class loser.   Gaynor likes to convince herself that she helps people like us – but once you make a mistake, she and her type close the door in your face!”

"Is this about Iolo?"

“Is this about Iolo?” asks Dani, “The fact you don’t feel so posh now you’ve separated?”   

"You'll be a monkey learning a new trick"

He growls that Dani will be a monkey learning a new trick to these people, and they will laugh at her.   

"Let them laugh"

She is determined, “Let them laugh – I want to learn!   And I won’t let you your bitterness stop me.   And, by the way, don’t call Mark a working-class loser!   

"You're lucky to be able to call him a friend"

“You’re lucky to be able to call him a friend.”   With that she walks out of the house.

Ffion has been rendered temporarily speechless

Having informed her of the situation, Jinx wants Ffion to say something.   “Sorry, I was just a bit surprised – Jaclyn and you?”

He makes it clear that he did not intend anything to happen, that she opened a bottle of wine and then the chocolates;  

"The next thing she was dragging me upstairs!"

“And the next thing she was dragging me upstairs!”   

"Did both of you want it?"

Ffion enquires if both of them wanted it, and he answers, “As far as I know, at the time – 

"I'm not that kind of guy"

“but I’m not the kind of guy who does things like this.”

Ffion appreciates that these things happen;  “She’s only just got divorced – what if she’s expecting more?” he whines.   

"It was just a one-night-stand"

Ffion reminds him that it was just a one-night-stand – he did not marry her.   

She advises that he should talk to Jaclyn and find out how she feels, 

"Or perhaps you could . . ."

but Jinx suggests that she could talk to Jaclyn;  Ffion flatly refuses to do that, informing him, “This is your mess, not mine.”   

Ffion passes the phone to Jinx

She dials Jaclyn’s number then passes the phone to Jinx.

"Hello"

Jaclyn answers, and Jinx speaks rather hesitantly to her;  

"This is Jinx . . . from last night"

“From last night,” he adds.   Sioned is eager to know who it is, 

Sioned takes an immediate interest

and Jaclyn points out that she is working at the moment.

“I just wanted to say . . .” he flounders, 

"You're hopeless!"

and Ffion calls him hopeless.   When he tells Ffion to leave him alone, 

"Are you talking to me?"

Jaclyn imagines that this is directed at her.   “Not you, Jaclyn – you’re champion – you’re more than that!   Not that I’m trying to give you a mark out of 10 or anything – 

"If I did, you'd get 7¹/₂ at least"

“but if I did, you’d get 7¹/₂ at least.”

Ffion is greatlyamused

Ffion collapses with laughter at this point, and Jaclyn does not know what to make of it, again insisting that she is busy at the moment and that they will speak soon.   

He is pleased to end that call

With that she ends the call, 

"You clown!"

and Ffion describes Jinx as a clown.

"I shall have to emigrate to South America

He thinks that he will probably have to emigrate to South America now, but Ffion predicts, “The embarrassment would follow you all the way to Peru!   You don’t have a choice now – you’ll have to talk to her face-to-face and sort this mess out!”

"Why didn't you tell me that wine was so strong?"

Brynmor and Cassie arrive back in the village;  “Why didn’t you tell me that wine was so strong?” she demands, and he maintains that the best stuff always is.   

"You helped me realise the car wasn't quite right"

“You helped me realise that the car wasn’t quite right for Kath,” he adds, and Cassie believes that she will need some help to get to her front door.   “That’s what gentlemen do – they help get tipsy ladies home,” he says, and it appears that he has momentarily forgotten to apply the handbrake.

Cassie is unsteady on her feet

As they walk towards the house, Cassie says that she has had a very nice day, 

This is witnessed by Mark . . .

but at that moment Mark comes round the corner and witnesses them arm-in-arm.   

. . . who captures the evidence . . .

He gets out his phone to record the evidence, as Cassie points out, “Kath is a very lucky woman,” 

 . . . as Brynmor and Cassie embrace

and they embrace.

Mark is infuriated by what he has seen.