25 December 2022 (2nd)

🎄Christmas Day🎄

Kelly comes round the corner

Having escaped from Cysgod y Glyn, Jinx is sitting despondently at the bus stop when Kelly comes round the corner and smiles at him;  

"Wow – you look full of the Christmas spirit"

“Wow – you look full of the Christmas spirit,” she says.   They wish each other Merry Christmas, and he wonders what she is doing there.

"It's been a day from hell, if I'm honest"

“Clearing my head,” she replies, “It’s been a day from hell, if I’m honest.”   He feels much the same, and she continues, “So this is where everyone who’s having a bad Christmas congregates, is it?”   

"Nowhere is open and I can't go home"

He looks around and comments that nowhere is open;  neither of them fancy going home.

Kelly has a bright idea

“Do you know what, though?   I’ve got a spare key for APD on my house keys, if you want to go in there for a chat.   I think there’s still party food and booze from the Christmas party in the fridge – fancy it?”

"It would be better than sitting in the cold"

He thinks that it would be better than sitting out there in the cold, 

The chippy has been altered

and they make their way round the corner, past the newly installed doors in the former chippy.

"I want to clear the air"

There is a knock at the door of number 7 and Tyler finds that his visitor is Eifion, who says he wants to clear the air;  

"I didn't know you were buying it"

I knew that Greta wanted that doll, but I didn’t know you were buying it.”   

Tyler will not listen to this, accusing Eifion of not giving a damn about Greta. Eifion points out that he thinks the world of that little girl, 

"Stop trying to come between us"

but Tyler snarls, “I’m her father – so stop trying to come between us!   The highlight of my day was being able to see her for five minutes!”

"It's odd she never talks about you, then"

“It’s odd that she never talks about you, then,” remarks Eifion, “She and Iolo are so much happier without you,” 

Tyler will not have that

but Tyler will not accept that.

Ken likes plenty of ketchup

In the shop flat, as Ken douses his sausage and chips with tomato ketchup, Ioan tells Tegwen, “When we get our own place again, we’ll need a separate kitchen – 

Ioan snoops through the cupboards

“I’m not a fan of these open plan kitchens – although you would have knocked down every wall in our house, if you could have.”

Tegwen is not happy with his presence

Then he adds that she looks tired;  “Look, I’ve got my brother’s van up the road – why don’t I take you home?”   

"We were intending to stay here tonight"

Tegwen replies that they were intending to stay in the shop flat tonight.   This is not what he wants to hear and he demands, 

"Why don't you want to spend time with me tonight?"

“With that Mathew?   Why don’t you want to spend time with me tonight?   Why would you stop Ken spending time with his father?   

"You can see how happy we are together"

“Look, you can see how happy we are together – and I’ve got my old job back, running ‘The Black’.”

As he walks towards her, assuring her that he will look after her, 

Tegwen is obviously scared of him

she backs away from him in fear.   Then they hear the door opening and Mathew coming upstairs, apologising for taking so long, but now his father has working heating again.

Mathew gets a surprise

He is surprised to see they have a visitor;  “This is Mathew, right?   All right, mate?” says Ioan, 

"Mathew, this is Ken's father"

and Tegwen introduces him to Mathew as Ken’s father.

"I wasn't expecting to see you"

Mathew had not been expecting him to be here, and Ioan describes it as a Christmas surprise, 

Ken does not want to waste any sausage

adding, “We were just leaving, to be honest.   Tegwen’s tired – I thought we’d go back home to have some time together – just the three of us.   

"I'll get the van – don't be long"

“I’ll get the van – don’t be long.”   

Ken goes with his father 

Ken goes with him.

"I think it's the best thing, for us all"

Tegwen appears very upset, but explains that Ken is very happy to have his father back;  she says, without much conviction, “I think it’s the best thing, for us all.”   

"You're not thinking straight, Tegwen"

Mathew begs her not to go, maintaining that she is not thinking straight, but, telling him that she is really sorry, she does leave, 

He is left in tears

and Matthew is in tears.

The private party in APD

Having set up a picnic table and a couple of garden chairs in APD, 

"Cosy blanket, good company, free booze"

Kelly asks, “Who needs the trimmings and the fuss, Jinx?   Cosy blanket, good company, free booze – which has actually gone to my head a little bit!”

"Do you remember that Christmas . . ."

He recalls, “Do you remember that Christmas when we were both hammered, before realising we had been drinking non-alcoholic wine?”   She adds that they had been doing karaoke all day.

"It was worlds away from Bryntirion today"

“It was worlds away from Bryntirion today!” she groans, “OK, so Auntie Anita went out early – Jason and I thought someone had stolen the car – then Jason and Griffiths went out, leaving Ifan and me on our own – then Jason came back, then Auntie Anita – with Dai and Diane!   

"It didn't feel like my house any more"

“It didn’t feel like my house any more.”   

"You've had a busy day, Kel"

Jinx can see that she has had a busy day.

"Another thing – Jason asked me to marry him"

“Oh – and there’s one other thing – Jason asked me to marry him!” she continues, and Jinx wonders whether congratulations are due.   “I’m not sure because I haven’t given him an answer yet,” she says.

"Cai asked Ffion to marry him as well"

Jinx thinks there must be something in the water;  “Cai has asked Ffion to marry him as well.”   Now Kelly understands why he was sitting at the bus stop, rather than round the table with them all.

“Perhaps I overreacted,” he admits, “Obviously I want Ffion to be happy – but it’s just made me realise that perhaps I’ve missed my chance to be happy.   

"Perhaps we should have got married"

“Perhaps you and I should got married, when we had the chance.”   Kelly looks rather surprised to hear this.

"I know it's just a phase!"

At number 7, Tyler says that he accepts that Eifion is with Iolo, “I’m not happy about it – but I know it’s just a phase.   

"Greta is different!"

Greta is different, so don’t you ever give the impression that you mean more to her than I do!”

"Who was in bed with her father this morning?"

Eifion calmly replies, “But who was there last night, helping to leave milk and mince pies out for Father Christmas?   Who was in bed with her father this morning, when she ran in?   And who bought her that doll – knowing all too well that Dadi was struggling to afford it?”

"You deserve everything that's going to happen to you!"

“So you admit it, then?   You deserve everything that’s going to happen to you now!” Tyler snarls at him.   

"I'm not frightened of a loser like you"

Eifion makes it very clear that he is not frightened of a loser like Tyler.

“You should be, because perhaps this time I’ll frame you for something worse than stealing!”   

"It all makes sense now"

Eifion realises that it all makes sense – stealing from APD, stealing from the Deri, and blaming him.

"I'd do anything to stop you taking my place"

“I’ll do anything to stop you taking my place with them!” Tyler growls, 

"Even setting a camper van on fire!"

“Even setting a camper van on fire!”   Eifion is horrified that he could have killed Anita, but Tyler’s only comment is, “Pity you weren’t in there!   

"I would have let you burn!"

“I would have let you burn!   It would have done everyone a favour.”

Eifion inflicts a right hook . . .

Eifion’s anger is unleashed in a vicious punch, which sends Tyler sprawling on the sofa, 

. . . then they struggle . . .

then in the ensuing tussle, Eifion ends up there;  

. . . Eifion reaches for a nearby pair of scissors . . .

 picks up a convenient pair of scissors 

. . . and chases him out of the door . . .

and chases Tyler out of the door.

. . . and across the road

They run across the street and through the alley, 

Tyler appears to be at Eifion's mercy . . .

where Eifion gets Tyler on the ground and threatens him with the scissors.   Iolo happened to be coming round the corner by the Deri and had noticed them, chasing across the road.

Tyler pokes Eifion in the eye, causing him to lose his grip and drop the scissors, 

. . . an looks like being finished off

so he does his best to throttle Tyler, as Iolo approaches, 

"Eifion, you'll kill him!"

and desperately pulls him off, warning that he will kill Tyler, 

Tyler is left gasping for breath . . .

 appears to be in a bad way.

. . . but very soon seems to recover

However he gets up and insists that he is all right;  

"I'm going to phone the ambulance and police"

Iolo intends to phone for an ambulance and the police.   

"I'll tell them what he did!"

Eifion threatens, “If you call the cops, I’ll tell them what he did;  do you remember all those thefts?   It was him – and he was blaming me!   And it was him who tried to burn the camper van – all because he was jealous.”

When Iolo demands whether this is true, 

"I would never have killed him"

Tyler maintains that he would never have killed Eifion.   

"You've tried to kill Greta's father"

“You’ve just tried to kill Greta’s father,” Iolo tells Eifion and walks away from him.

"Don't phone the cops – I'll go to jail!"

“Don’t phone the cops – I’ll go to jail!” Eifion whines.

"Are they hiding any more wine anywhere?"

As Kelly snuggles in her blanket, Jinx wonders if they are hiding more wine somewhere.   “We haven’t drunk that whole bottle have we?” she asks, 

"I'd better go, Jinx"

“Like, I’ve been drinking all day – I’d better go or I’ll be KO’d, seriously.”

"I can remember when I've had to put you to bed"

He can remember a few Christmases when he had to put her to bed for that exact reason, and she says, 

"It has been really nice spending time with you"

“It’s been a really nice spending time with you – I really needed this today.”   

"Any time you need a chat, Kel"

Jinx reminds her that he is there any time she needs a chat.   “I appreciate that, and likewise, I’m here for you as well,” she replies.

He reminisces about when they were together

“Spending time like this makes you realise how good things were when we were together,” he says, and she describes it as ‘care-free’;  she misses that, as does Jinx, and they look into each others eyes.

"I'd better go and face the music, Jinx"

“I’d better go home and face the music – Merry Christmas, Jinx,” Kelly whispers, as she gets up to go.

Garry is looking at . . . 

In the Deri flat, Garry is looking appreciatively 

. . . the photo of all of them

at the photo he took earlier.   Dani thanks him for making the kids’ beds;  

"Perhaps I should have made that list earlier"

“Perhaps I should have made that list earlier, to train you up a bit.”   

"You didn't have to make a list at all, Dan"

He tells her that she did not have to make a list at all;  all she needed to do was to ask him, and that is all she has have ever had to do.

"You asked me to go away, and I did"

“You asked me to go away, and I did – for six months.   You asked me to sort myself out, and I have.   

"Every time you ask, I'll do it"

“Dan, every time you ask me to do something, I do it – not for anyone else – just for you.   And if you ask me to stop trying to get you back, I will – 

"But you need to say it"

“but I need you to say it.”

"There's always a catch with you"

She smiles as she replies. “There’s always a catch with you, isn’t there?”   

"You can't say it, can you?"

He realises that she cannot say it, and she agrees, “No, because I don’t want you to stop – 

"I'm scared, Garry"

 “I want you in my life, but I’m scared.”

"I'm scared, too"

Garry confesses that he is also scared, something which she has never heard him say before;  “Unpredictable, aren’t I?   Come on, Dan, if we want to be together, forgive me,” 

Garry and Dani now appear . . .

and they kiss, 

. . . to be back together – at last

which is followed by a close embrace.

Jason has been pumping up the air bed

Jason is pumping up an air bed at Bryntirion when Kelly returns;  he explains, “Mam and Dai are sleeping in our room tonight, so we’re down here.   You’ve been out for a while – are you OK?”

"The food was special, Kelly!"

Kelly does not say anything, so he continues, “Look, everyone appreciates what you do, everything you do – the food was special – everyone thought so – I couldn’t believe there was enough of it.”   

"I'm not in the mood"

She simply tells him that she is not in the mood, 

"This has your name on it"

but he brings over a bag with her name, 

She cannot but smile

and she cannot help smiling.

"Do you want to cwtch up and watch a film?"

“Do you want to cwtch up and watch a Christmas film on the telly?”   

"Yeah, go on, then"

She unenthusiastically agrees.

Eifion pack a few things into a bag . . .

Eifion is in a panic, throwing some clothes into a bag and putting on his coat, 

. . . and makes a swift getaway

then rushing out of the shop flat.

There is a surprise for the Deri patrons

Anita arrives in the Deri in high spirits;  “I’ve a surprise for you!   Guess who’s come back to see you?”   Dai and Diane make their entrance, 

"Are you going to buy the first round, Dai?"

and Garry suggests that Dai could buy the first round.   

"Crikey Moses!   No way, José!"

This causes a lot of consternation, and the predictable answer is, “Crikey Moses!   No way José!”   

They sit with a couple of old friends

They sit down by a couple of old friends, and Dai comments that this is just like the old days;  

"You have taken your tablets, haven't you?"

he is warned by Diane not to go overboard, and she she checks that he has taken all his tablets.

"Things will get better before we turn round"

“Leave it – things will get better before we turn round,” he says, but she insists that she is just trying to look after him.   “Can we just enjoy tonight, please?” he says, “I’ll sort everything out before long, I promise.”

"Where's Eifion, then?"

The front door of Y Felin slams and Iolo comes in;  Siôn wonders where Eifion is, 

"I don't want to talk about it"

but Iolo does not want to talk about it, and tearfully asks Greta if she has any more presents to open.   

Greta produces the present from Eifion 

She hands one to him and Siôn opens the accompanying card.

"Thanks for always seeing the best in me"

“Thanks for always seeing the best in me – looking forward to many more Christmases with you and Greta, lots of love, Eifion,” he reads, 

The framed photo

while Iolo is very emotional at seeing the photo of him and Eifion with Greta.   

Siôn tries to console him

Siôn tries to comfort his son, who is in floods of tears.

"It's been a while since the Deri has been this full"

Garry rings the bell to call for attention;  “It’s been a long while since the Deri has been as full as this, so can I ask you to raise your glasses, please.   

He welcomes Dai and Diane 

“Obviously we need to welcome Dai and Diane back – it’s lovely to see you.   

"Remember the people who are not here"

“Also we need to remember the people who aren’t here, but it’s important that we appreciate what we’ve got, and celebrate.   

"Today has been one of those special days"

“Today has been one of those special days, and I’m sure most of you would agree, so, to family, to friends, and to the people we love,” 

He looks at Dani

here he looks directly at Dani, “Merry Christmas!”

Dai begins the Christmas carol . . .

He invites Dai to pitch the note, 

. . . and everyone joins in

and everyone in the pub joins in;  

🎵“O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, 

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.”🎵

Jinx extinguishes the candles

Jinx, sitting alone in APD, is thinking about his situation, then blows out the two candles on the table.

As the carol continues, 

🎵“Come and behold Him, Born the Kings of angels,”🎵

Eifion hurries into the High Street . . .

we see Eifion hurrying from the flat into the High Street 

. . . and away from the village

where he continues towards the Deri and round the corner by the chip shop.

🎵“O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.”🎵