18 April 2023

"Not another phone call!"

Gaynor’s phone rings again;  she finds that it is an unknown number, 

Unknown number 

so rejects the call and opens her laptop.   When Hywel comes in, she asks if he managed to sleep 

"I've got a lot on my mind"

and he replies that he has a lot on his mind.   

"I was thinking of going to the village later"

“I was thinking of going to the village later, for a cup of tea or some lunch – do you fancy coming with me?”

"No, I don't think so"

He is not in favour of this, but she points out that he cannot avoid Dani for ever;  

"Just talk to her and apologise"

“Just talk to her and apologise for that card to Gwern.”   

"I had to do something, Gaynor"

He argues that he was doing the right thing with that card – he had to say something, so Gaynor advises, 

"We've been stuck in the house all weekend"

“Explain that to her, then – please, Hywel – we’ve been stuck in the house all weekend.”

"It's not just Dani that blames me"

“It’s not just Dani that blames me – can’t you go on your own?” he suggests, as he goes back upstairs, then a message alert appears on the laptop.

'Mrs Jones' has sent a friend request . . .

‘Mrs Jones sent you a friend request’, she reads, 

. . . but there are no details of who she is

so she clicks on the name but there is nothing on the screen.

Sioned and DJ are moving furniture

At Penrhewl, Sioned and DJ are moving the sofa to make room for Eileen’s wheelchair, 

"Huwi – it's time to go!"

and Sioned calls for Huwi, as it is time for them to go.   DJ enquires if she has time to help him fix the fence in Cae Crwn [Round Field] later.

"Once Britt has arrived"

“Yes, once Britt has arrived to take over with Cae Glas,” she replies, “I had an e-mail from the estate agent in Ireland this morning, too.   

"The keys are ready to be collected"

“It said the keys are ready to be collected from tomorrow.”   

DJ is not happy

He does not appear very pleased to hear this, and she asks when exactly he is thinking of going;  he is not yet sure.   

"You'd better think about booking a flight"

“Well, you’d better think about booking a flight,” Sioned recommends, “The restaurant has been patient with you already.   Tell Huwi that I’m in the car.”   

He has a lot on his mind 

She leaves the farmhouse while  DJ is looking very undecided.

Gaynor studies her laptop

As Gaynor studies the laptop screen, the house phone rings and she hesitantly answers it;  

"Just a moment"

“I’m his partner – just a moment,” she says and hands the phone to Hywel, whispering that it is the police.

"What do they want?"

With fear and trepidation, Hywel speaks to them and discovers that they have good news;  

"Yes, I'll call in later and pick it up"

“Yes, I’ll call in later to pick it up,” he says.

"They think Gwyneth was solely responsible"

He triumphantly announces to Gaynor, “They say they have no more enquiries for now – they think that Gwyneth was solely responsible for the accident, and I’m getting my phone back.”   

"So it's all over!"

Gaynor is pleased that the whole matter is over, but he has reservations;  

"It might not be over"

“For now, they said – so it might not be over.”

She wonders if he feels like celebrating now, but he groans that it is not much to celebrate.   

"It doesn't matter what anybody else thinks"

“If the police say you’re not to blame, it doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks,” Gaynor tells him.

He will think about it, but at the moment he has to take Esther to school;  

Esther is all ready for school

she comes downstairs, advising that she has everything and they leave the house.   

Gaynor is relieved

Gaynor breathes a sigh of relief.

"You're not posting another photo of Tyler?"

Cai comes downstairs at Y Felin and is heading for school;  he sees Iolo engrossed in his phone and comments, “You’re not posting another photo of Tyler, are you?”

"No, I'm booking in a job"

Iolo replies that he is booking in a job for Dai and Diane, and Cai continues that he has already posted one photo today.   “People like it – look – 143 ‘likes’.   People like the photos and it’s important to remember,” Iolo stresses.

"Are you sure you're ready?"

Siôn, who is also sitting at the table, has said nothing until now, but wonders, “Are you sure you’re ready to go back to work?”   

"Well, I can't tell Greta to go to school . . ."

Iolo reasons that he cannot tell Greta she has to go back to school if he is not willing to get back to work – and in any case it is just unblocking a sink, nothing major.

"It's time to go, Greta!"

He calls upstairs to Greta that he is ready to go 

"If things get too much, Iolo . . ."

and his father reminds him, “If things get too much . . .”

"I don't want to upset Dani, do I?"

Gaynor and Hywel are approaching the Deri, with its new planters outside;  “I don’t want to upset Dani, do I?” Hywel protests, but it is pointed out to him that she may not be there.

"We're hoping to have her home soon"

Sioned comes out of the door and they ask about her mother;  “We’re hoping to have her home over the next few days,” is Sioned’s reply 

"Does she remember anything?"

and then Hywel broaches the question about whether she has remembered anything.

"Nothing at all about the accident"

“She doesn’t remember anything about the accident,” says Sioned, which he thinks might be for the best.   He also reveals that the police have told him he is no longer part of their enquiry.   “Quite right, too!” Sioned exclaims, “Gwyneth was responsible for the accident – and no-one else.”

"I'm getting my phone back as well"

He also says that he is getting his phone back, but she assures him that he has nothing to prove;  

"I don't agree with what Dani said – and I'm not the only one!"

“Just so you know – I don’t agree with what Dani said – and I’m not the only one, either!”   

Hywel is still not persuaded

Hywel is still reluctant to go into the Deri.

"I didn't know if you'd be available"

Iolo arrives at Bryntirion with his bag of tools, and Dai did not know whether he would be available.   “First day back today,” say Iolo, 

Iolo is fixated by his 'likes'

and he hears a notification on his phone, which he immediately checks.

"I've tried the plunger and everything"

“I’ve tried the plunger and everything,” Dai tells him, but he is looking fixedly at his phone.   

"Do I need to put a towel on the floor?"

“Do I need to put a towel or two on the floor?” Dai goes on, but Iolo’s mind is on other things.   

Iolo puts his phone down . . .

When he puts down the phone on top of the sink, 

. . . and Dai has a look

Dai tries to sneak a crafty look.

"I'm very sorry for your loss"

“Are you going to watch everything?” Iolo asks, and is told that Dai is very sorry for his loss.   

Diane joins them

Then Diane comes in and Iolo says that he is ‘getting by’;  it is hard to say how Greta is feeling.

Again Iolo is concentrating on his phone . . . 

“That photo you shared this morning was lovely – people do say kind things, don’t they?” says Diane and Iolo shows her some of the comments.   

. . . while water is leaking

Meanwhile, he is distracted and we see that water is running off the shelf under the sink, 

"Crikey Moses!"

and Dai draws his attention to this by shouting, “Crikey Moses!   What have you done?”   Iolo begins mopping up with the towels.

"I've ordered gammon for you"

In the Deri, Gaynor has ordered gammon for Hywel, and she will have lasagne;  she insists on paying, explaining, “It’s not a celebration, 

"Marking the end of your involvement"

“but just marking the end of your involvement in the enquiry.”

Her phone sounds again and she is reluctant to look at it, but finds that it is the school;  

"I everything all right?"

“He’s with me now,” she says, “Is everything all right?   What happened?”   

"Esther is in tears and wants to come home"

She informs Hywel that Esther is very upset – she is in tears and wants to come home.

"Cancel my food"

Hywel will go there immediately and tells Gaynor to cancel his food.   

She decides to investigate 'Mrs Jones' . . .

She picks up her phone and clicks the button to accept that she is now friends with ‘Mrs Jones’, as she is so puzzled.   

. . . who immediately wants to 'talk'

Then the phone sounds again with a message from this mysterious ‘friend’ – ‘Gaynor, can we talk?’ 

Gaynor's confusion grows

which leaves her even more perplexed.

"Finished the job or finished the mess you made"

Iolo is now packing up with the job done, and Dai rather insensitively remarks, “Finished the job or finished the mess you made?”   He is assured that now everything works properly – and he can check if he wants, 

"It all went swimmingly"

but Dai continues, “No, it all went swimmingly!” and is reprimanded by Diane, who points out that it is his first day back after . . .

Iolo is paid £50 for the job, 

"Fetch your wallet, Dai"

after she instructs Dai to fetch his wallet, 

Iolo is persuaded to have a cup of coffee

and Iolo is persuaded to have a cup of coffee before he goes.   Diane reminds him that he cannot be there for Greta every minute.

"Are you going to tell me what Greta did?"

At Llwyncelyn, Hywel asks, “Are you going to tell me what Greta did to upset you?   Come on, Esther, if you don’t tell me I can’t help you.”

"She said her Dadi is dead"

After a few moments, Esther replies, “She was telling everyone that her Dadi is dead.”   

"It's important she can tell her friends"

Hywel explains that it is important that she can tell her friends so they know why she is upset.

"But she said it's your fault!"

“But she said that it was your fault – that her Dadi died because of you.”   Hywel is quick to protest that is not true;  he agrees that he was driving the bus, but he did not cause the accident.

"I couldn't stop or move out of the way"

As he has already told her, the car appeared very quickly and he could not stop or move out of the way.   

"So it wasn't your fault?"

“So it wasn’t your fault?” realises Esther, 

"The police have said that"

and he emphasises she can tell Greta and anyone else that the police have confirmed that.   He tells her to go upstairs and play.

"She's gone too far!"

Hywel snarls at Gaynor, “She’s gone too far!” 

"She's only a five-year-old girl, Hywel"

but he is reminded that Greta is only a five-year-old girl who is trying to process what has happened in her mind.  

“But to make my daughter think it’s my fault?” he goes on, and Gaynor, at a loss to know what to say, suggests that they all go out to the cinema tonight, so they can spend time together and relax.

"You're not serious, are you?"

“You’re not serious are you?” he growls and walks out of the room

"Do you think there are too many photos?"

“You know the photos of Tyler I’ve put on Instagram – do you think there are too many?” Iolo asks Diane.   

"It's important to remember him"

She does not, and thinks that it is important to remember him.   

"It's just something Cai said"

“It’s just something Cai said,” he adds, and she tells him that if it helps him feel better, he should do it, 

"You were a lovely couple"

and says that they were lovely couple, 

"We weren't perfect"

although he concedes that they were not perfect.

"No couple is perfect . . ."

“No couple is perfect,” Diane replies, and as Dai comes into the kitchen with his wallet, she continues, 

". . . look at the one I've got!"

“Look at the one I’ve got!”

The payment is handed over

Dai hands over the cash and says that it does not matter about the mess;  

"Things often go pear-shaped"

“Things often go pear-shaped, so don’t worry.   Job done, as they say.”   As Iolo leaves, Diane assures him that any time he needs a chat, she is there.   

They realise how lucky they are

Dai and Diane look at each other.

Sioned is washing-up

Sioned is busy washing-up when DJ comes into the farmhouse kitchen;  

"Have you got time to help me yet?"

“Have you got time to help me yet?” he enquires, and again she answers that she is waiting for Britt to come and take over with Cae Glas, and has to pick Huwi up from drama club.

"Oh, not today, Britt!"

Then her phone on the kitchen table sounds and she groans, “Oh, not today, Britt!   She can’t do her shift and wants to cut her hours – she’s running Garry’s businesses.”   DJ says that the fence can be fixed tomorrow.

"I'll get the new farmhand to do it – if I can find one!"

“I’ll get the new farmhand to do it – if I can find one,” she grumbles, and when he offers to pick up Huwi, she replies that he has enough to do as it is, hurrying out of the farm.

Hywel is unable to get written confirmation

Gaynor is studying her laptop while Hywel is speaking on the phone to the police;  frustrated, he complains, “You’d think they could give me a official piece of paper to say I’m no longer part of the investigation.   I just want to prove to Esther – and everyone else – that I’m not to blame.”

"Can you have a look at this, Hywel?"

Gaynor would like him to look at her Facebook problem;  “I’ve had a friend request and I’m not sure who this woman is.   Do you think there’s a link with the phone calls?”   

"I may be paranoid and overreacting"

He dismisses the idea, but Gaynor continues that she does not know Mrs Jones.   “Please, Hywel, perhaps I’m being paranoid and overreacting, but there might be someone out there trying to scare me.   You see – just a name, with no photo – don’t you think that’s odd?”

"She might want to keep her photo private"

“Not at all – she might want to keep her photo private – 

"Just block the account and forget it"

“just block the account and forget about it,” is his advice.

“What if I contact her and ask her who she is?   Or is that risky?   I don’t want to upset her,” Gaynor continues.

"Do you think I have time for this?"

“Look, after everything I’ve been through, do you think I have time for this?” he demands.

"Right, get in the bath"

Sioned is putting jars of chutney into bags when DJ comes in and announces, “Right, get in the bath and watch one of those ‘Housewives’ programmes on the iPad.”

"I have far too much to do"

She says that she has too much to do: “And Guto’s mam said Huwi has a project to do by tomorrow.”   DJ volunteers to do it with him, but she still needs to finish what she is doing, before thinking about having a bath.

"I've turned the job down"

He is becoming insistent, “Leave them, because we’ve got celebrating to do.”   She looks puzzled as he explains, “I phoned Café Neuf earlier and turned the job down.”

“What?   But it’s your dream to be the head chef there,” Sioned gasps;  

She cannot conceal her joy . . .

he says that he might get another opportunity, and she cannot conceal her joy that he is staying.   

. . . and hugs him

They embrace each other.

A glass of wine is never far away

Gaynor, with a glass of wine at her side, is just closing the laptop while another message from ‘Mrs Jones’ appears, 

The next message is rather unsettling . . .

this time asking, ‘Do you still live in Llwyncelyn, Cwmderi?’   

. . . and she nervously asks . . .

This strikes fear into Gaynor’s heart, 

. . . 'What do you want?"

and she answers, ‘What do you want?’

"Esther was very upset"

As they finish their meal, Cai informs Iolo and his father that Esther was very upset;  “Hywel had to pick her up from school at lunchtime.”

"What she said was true"

Iolo points out that Greta did not say anything that was not true, 

"She needs to be sensitive with Esther"

but Cai suggests, “All I’m saying is perhaps you can have a word with her and explain that she needs to be sensitive with Esther.”

"She's five years old"

“She’s five years old – she finally seems to be talking about things – that has to be a good thing,” Iolo protests, as Cai takes the dishes into the kitchen.

"He is trying to help, Iolo"

“He’s trying to help,” Siôn comments, “And now that Greta seems ready to talk . . .”   

"The company of her friends has helped"

Iolo imagines that the company of her friends has helped, but Siôn goes on, “Things are difficult between her and Esther – Dani also has children at the school, 

"We don't want to cause any more problems"

“and we don’t want to cause more problems, do we?”

"I found this book"

Iolo is looking intently at his phone screen, so his father says, “While I was organising the stock at Y Winllan today, I found this.”   

"Now might be a good time to start"

He produces a book for young children to help them process grief;  “Now might be a good time to start – there’s a place in it to keep photos, memories, and note things that other people may have said about Tyler.   It might help her with things.”

"I'm doing all this, anyway"

Iolo does not seem enthusiastic about the idea, and maintains that he is doing all this anyway;  “I post photos and a few words – when people like what they see they say something or ‘like’ it.”

"This is something she can do herself"

Siôn imagines that Greta might have more ownership over the book – something she can do herself.   

"I show her the nice things people have said"

“Yeah, I show her photographs, and tell her the nice things people have said about Tyler – 

"Look – 161 'likes' now"

“like this one I put up this morning – it’s up to 161 ‘likes’ now.”   

Siôn is concerned

Siôn seems concerned by his attitude.