15 June 2023

Gwern peers into the shed . . .

Next morning we see Gwern, looking into the top of the storage shed, then opens the doors, 

. . . but that box is no longer there

but he is unable to find the box containing the other gun.   

He does not know what to do

Now he is in a panic and does not know what to do next.

Breakfast time at Cysgod y Glyn

At Cysgod y Glyn, Ffion is having breakfast, as is Arwen, 

Arwen mops up the spilled milk

who manages to spill her cereal on to the table 

"Arwen, it's fine"

and then goes to get a cloth to clean it up.   “Arwen, it’s fine!” says her mother, “I know you’re worried, but there’s no need to be.   I’m going to find out what’s wrong with me, I promise.”

"I have to go . . ."

A message arrives on Arwen’s phone and she says that she has to go immediately;  

". . . Gwern wants to borrow my maths book"

“Gwern wants to borrow my maths book,” she says as she leaves, ignoring her mother’s pleas to eat her breakfast first.   Ffion appears very worried.

"Did you take the butter out of the fridge?"

In the new deli, Sioned asks DJ, “Did you take the butter out of the fridge – and put the posh hand-wash in the toilets?”   He has done these things, 

"DJ, that's the most important thing"

but she adds, “And laminated the allergy sheet?   Oh, DJ, that’s the most important thing I asked you to do!   I got loads to do and . . .”

"Done – and no bubbles on the front"

Then he shows that he has also done that, and stresses that it does not have any bubbles on the surface;  

"Cheese and Honey"

“And I’ve cut the cheese into blocks for people to taste – it goes lovely with some Cilgwenyn honey.”   

"That's lush!"

She tries one and agrees with him and says that it tastes ‘lush’.

Sioned has a present for him

She also has something for him;  “Seeing as today is a special day, I wanted you to have a reminder.”   

An ornate egg-timer

He finds a large egg-timer 

"To DJ.   This is our time"

bearing the inscription, ‘To DJ.   This is our time.   Love you, Sioned,’

"At least I can boil an egg!"

He thanks her and remarks, “If this business goes to the wall, at least I can boil an egg!”   She will go and turn on the coffee machine.

Gwern is still panicking

Gwern comes into the house just as Arwen arrives outside;  “It’s gone – the box isn’t there!” he informs her.   

"I thought you were going to hide it"

She thought that he was going to hide it, 

"I did – but it's gone!"

and he confirms, “I did, under the blanket in the shed, but it was gone this morning.”

"So someone's walking around with two guns!"

“So someone’s walking around with two guns!” she exclaims, 

"No, only one is missing"

and he enlightened her that only one is missing, as he has the other, because he wanted to look at it.   Then when Mark came he panicked – it is safe now.

"What are we going to do?"

“And what happens if it goes off?   What are we going to do?” she demands, and Gwern instructs her that they are not going to say anything, just act normally.

Ffion is gravitating towards . . .

Ffion is walking along the street, nearing the new deli 

. . . the new pharmacy

and intending to visit the pharmacy.   As she crosses the road she meets Megan, coming out of the alley, who thought that she should be in school.   

"I left a file at home"

Ffion quickly makes up the excuse that she left a file at home.   

"That's a sign of old age"

Megan says that is a sign of old age 

Megan goes into the pharmacy . . .

and goes into the pharmacy, 

. . . so Ffion abandons her plan to go there

so Ffion changes her plan.

"I've got the most terrible pain in my throat"

Megan greets the pharmacist, in Welsh of course, “I’ve got the most terrible pain in my throat – I couldn’t sleep last night.”

"Sorry, I don't speak Welsh"

Maya apologises that she does not speak Welsh, but is learning;  “I could see you were pointing towards your throat there,” 

"I couldn't get an appointment with the doctor"

and Megan describes her symptoms in English, complaining that she failed miserably to get an appointment with the doctor.

"Come through to the back room"

“Would you like to come through to the back room?   I’ll have a little look at it,” says Maya, and recognises the word ‘diolch’ [thank you] uttered by Megan.

Sioned is doing some publicity

Sioned is videoing a selfie displaying the deli;  “As you can see, we’re ready to welcome our first customers to ‘Tamed’ today.   

"DJ, what have you got to say?"

DJ, what have you got to say on this special occasion?”

"Come down to 'Tamed' in Cwmderi"

“We’ve got a lot of treats waiting for you – artisan cheeses, meats, antipasti, local and international breads – so come down to ‘Tamed’ in Cwmderi,” he invites people.

"Ooh, very impressive!"

Sioned is very impressed by his performance;  “This is going up now on Twitter and Instagram.   

"Right – are you ready?"

“Right – are you ready?”   There is already a group of people waiting outside when she opens the door, 

Eileen barges her way in

but the first one in is her mother.

"I'll wait in the back"

“Sorry, I don’t want to interrupt – I’ll wait in the back,” she says, after which Sioned lets in the customers, welcoming them and inviting them to try the samples.

DJ goes to the back room;  “What are you doing here?   You should be resting!” he protests, 

"I would like to help"

but Eileen says that she came to wish them well and would like to help.

"What are you doing here?"

Then Sioned bursts in, demanding what her mother is doing there;  “I don’t have time for this – just stay here!” she growls.

"I'll write you a prescription"

“I’ll write you a prescription for some antibiotics,” says Maya, “You’re not allergic to penicillin, are you?   

"It should start feeling better in a few days"

“It should start feeling better in a few days, but you need to take keep taking the antibiotics and finish the course.   If for any reason it doesn’t improve, come back and we’ll have another look.”

"How are you settling in?"

Megan asks if she is settling in all right, 

"The people are very friendly"

and Maya replies that the people are very friendly;  

Megan remembers the good old days

“The community has altered a lot, you know,” Megan continues, “There was a time when we all knew each other – but nowadays I don’t think I’d know my neighbours from Adam.   They’re from Birmingham, Coventry – destroying Welsh language communities, you see.”

"So I'm part of the problem, am I?"

“I see – so I’m a part of the problem, am I?” Maya replies, “Because I’m a Sais.”  [Saesneg = English]   Megan maintains that is not what she meant at all;  “Sounded like that to me,” says Maya, and she is accused of misunderstanding.

"Can you leave now, please?"

“No, Mrs Harries, I think you’ve misunderstood me – can you leave now, please?   Now, if you don’t mind.”   

Megan retreats

Megan leaves the shop, rather crestfallen.

Llinos and her husband are trying out the deli

Sioned take the order from Llinos and her husband;  “One Glamorgan sausage, one bread and cheese trio and a large bottle of water.”   

"I told her to stay in the kitchen!"

Then she remarks to DJ, “I told her to stay in the kitchen!”

Eileen is chatting to a man holding an iPad as Sioned apologises for interrupting, 

"Could I have a quick word, Mam?"

but would like a quick word with her mother.   

"I told you to stay in the kitchen!"

“I thought I told you to stay in the kitchen!”   Eileen wonders why it should bother Sioned where she is.

This is playing havoc with Sioned’s concentration, 

"Table two ordered the cheese platter"

as DJ reminds her, “Table two ordered the cheese platter, not table one.”   She sighs that her head is all over the place.   

"It's all right – they've ordered one"

“No, it’s all right – they liked the look of it so they’ve ordered one,” he goes on.

“I can’t believe Mam – she’s doing it deliberately to undermine me,” Sioned complains, and DJ also regards her behaviour as rather odd.   “She’s behaving as if she owns the place,” Sioned snarls, “Today is our day.”   

"Don't do anything stupid, Sioned"

DJ urges her not to do anything stupid to spoil it.

Llinos is now out in the street

Later, Megan is handing out leaflets about the food bank, one of which she gives to Llinos, who has obviously finished her meal in the deli.   Maya comes across the road in an apologetic mood, bringing Megan’s tablets which she left behind.

"I'm very sorry – or words to that effect"

She reads from her phone, “I’m very sorry – or words to that effect.   I shouldn’t have sent you away like that – it was rude of me and unprofessional.”

"You're just so easy to talk to"

Megan replies that she was very inconsiderate and she can see that now;  she does not know quite how they got there;  “It’s just that you’re so easy to talk to.”

"We're not all the same, you know

“We’re not all the same, you know,” May assures her, 

"I have a deep respect for your language and culture"

“I’ve got a deep respect for your language and culture – I know not everyone does, and that’s a shame.   

"You forgot the antibiotics"

“You forgot the antibiotics.”

"Can we have a chat about the rugby team?"

Ffion has another try at speaking to the pharmacist;  “I’m fine – do you think we can have a chat about the rugby team,” she says, 

"I should be getting back to the pharmacy"

but Maya has again left the pharmacy empty, and should be getting back there.

“We could grab a coffee in the new deli,” Ffion suggests, and Maya is sure that she can manage a quick coffee and can keep an eye on the pharmacy from there.   Ffion says that she is a fast learner, 

"Bye, Mrs Harries!"

and Maya waves to Megan as they walk up the street.

Gwern has some gun practice . . .

Gwern, in his bedroom, is looking at the gun and practises pulling the trigger, 

. . . in front of the mirror

looking at himself in the mirror.   

"Dinner's ready, Gwern"

Dani’s voice can be heard calling him, so he puts it back in his pocket.

Sioned is working in the kitchen

Sioned is at work in the deli kitchen when her mother comes in;  

"Table two want more hummus"

“Sioned, table two want more hummus,” she says.

Sioned has had enough

Sioned loses her temper;  “Why are you waltzing around as if you’re the maitre d’?   You weren’t supposed to be here today” she exclaims.   

"Keep your voices down!"

DJ comes in to advise them to keep their voices down, 

"She's doing the shouting, not me"

but to no effect, as she continues, “DJ and I are running around and you’re charming the customers!”

Eileen protests that she is just trying to help, 

"I don't want your help!"

but is told in no uncertain terms, “I don’t want your help!   This business is mine and DJ’s!”

"Who paid for it, then?"

“Who paid for it, then?” her mother enquires

"Here we go again!"

“Here we go again – how many times are you going to use that sentence?” rages Sioned, and Eileen simply recommends that she keep her voice down.   

"He would like a photo of the owners"

Then the door opens and DJ is accompanied by the man with the iPad, who is from the Western Post, and would like a photo of the owners.

"I'll be there in two minutes"

Sioned, who has by now regained her composure, says that she will be there in two minutes;  “He’s the paper’s main food critic – Harri something,” she says.

“Harri Jenkins – I asked him to come here,” reveals Eileen, “I thought you knew who he was – 

"I wanted to do something nice"

“I just wanted to do something nice for your big day,” and puts on her ‘hurt’ look.   Sioned is not happy about the interference.

"We need to work on or defence"

As they come out of the deli with their takeaway coffees, Ffion tells Maya, “Over this summer we need to work on our defence and the line-out – I’d be very grateful for any advice – we’re lucky to have you on the team.”

"There was something else I wanted to ask"

Then she gets to her real reason;  “There was something else I wanted to ask you as well – and I know you can’t officially offer any medical advice, but I’d appreciate your opinion.”

"I'm happy to help I can"

Maya is happy to help if she can, and any advice she gives can be taken or left.   

"I'm an alcoholic"

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but I’m an alcoholic,” Ffion explains, “I have been sober for a while.”

Ffion is surprised that Maya had not heard;  

"I've been having these episodes recently"

“The way people gossip around here.   Anyway I’ve been having these episodes recently – you know, like what happened in the Deri.   You could probably call them blackouts – do you think they could be related to my alcoholism?”

"You need to be tested"

Maya replies that it is hard to say and it depends on how long she has been sober;   “To be honest, I would say it’s very possible there’s a connection, but to have that confirmed, you would need to be tested.   

Not what Ffion wanted to hear

“I know that’s not the straightforward answer you wanted.”

“Nothing in my life is ever straightforward,” Ffion sighs, “And I know it’s only a matter of time before it happens again – 

"What if I blackout in class?"

“what if I blackout in class or crossing the road?”

"Arrange an appointment with a GP"

She is advised to go and get herself tested;  “Arrange an appointment with a GP,” and Ffion confesses that she has been putting it off.   She walks away and Maya looks sympathetic.

"Thanks for coming, Harri"

In the deli, Eileen thanks Harri Jenkins for coming and is glad that he enjoyed himself.   As he goes to talk to some of the customers, 

Sioned apologises

Sioned emerges from the kitchen in a more conciliatory mood.   “I want today to be a success, and I was a bit stressed earlier,” she says, “I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

"I've been in the hospitality business . . ."

Eileen replies that she can understand;  “I’ve been in the hospitality business since before you were born.   Perhaps I should prepare the Cae Glas produce in the kitchen here, after I’ve recovered.   The kitchen here is bigger than at Penrhewl – and moving the produce back and forth doesn’t help the environment.”

"We'll think about it, won't we DJ?"

Sioned agrees that she and DJ will think about the proposal and DJ thanks Eileen for giving the reviewer so much attention;  she maintains that it is important to keep in their good books

"Treat every customer as a VIP"

“I’ve learned over the years to treat every customer as a VIP – you won’t go wrong there,” she tells them, 

"Are you ready?"

then the food critic comes towards them for the photo.   They will stand in front of the counter, and Eileen will not join them, insisting that it is their big day and that she is only there to help.   

"Caerphilly!"

The photograph is duly taken.

Ffion picks up her phone

Ffion scrolls through the list of contacts on her phone 

She finds the doctor's number

and hesitates when she reaches ‘Doctor’;  before she can make the call, the buzzer sounds, and Dani comes upstairs.

"Do you have time to talk?"

“Do you have time to talk?   I don’t want to interfere, 

"Has Arwen been acting oddly recently?"

“but has Arwen been acting oddly recently?” she asks.   

"No more than usual"

Ffion answers that she has not been any worse than usual;  she asks how Gwern is and whether he has said anything about Arwen.

"They stayed at Deri Fawr the other night"

“I’m just worried after they stayed at Deri Fawr the other night,” says Dani – and she can tell from Ffion’s expression that Jinx has not told her.   “They slept in the shed.”

"Why would they do that?"

“I thought they were at your place – why would they do that?” Ffion demands.   Dani continues that Howard knew nothing, so she was just wondering whether Arwen had explained, because she cannot get anything out of Gwern.

"Garry's sentencing was that day"

Neither of them are sure whose idea it was, but Garry’s sentencing was that day, so Dani suspects that he might have wanted to run away;  “Unless Arwen had something on her mind?”   

"Can't think of anything specific"

Ffion says that she cannot think of anything specific.

“If you do hear anything, can you tell me, please?” Dani asks, and Ffion imagines that this may have been something to do with her problem.   

"I'd like to make an appointment, please"

She picks up the phone again and this time does make the call.

“Hello, I’d like to make an appointment, please, as soon as possible.   Next week?   

"No – I can't wait!"

“No, you don’t understand – I can’t wait!   I need to see someone now, as soon as possible, please.”

"Today was a success"

In the evening, DJ is mopping the floor of the deli and Eileen has come to the conclusion that today was a success.   DJ says it was not bad for a first day and expresses his thanks to her.   She could see that the customers were happy, and he was pleased that the cheese and honey went down well.

"Sioned knows what she wants"

“Sioned knows what she wants,” he adds, and Eileen says that she has always done that so.   He has already sent Sioned home and is now ready to close up, so Eileen does not have to hang about.

"I love being here"

“I love being here,” she tells him, so he apologises for going on and on about it, 

"Everyone must know where they stand"

but it is important that everyone knows where they stand.   Eileen was under the impression that they had sorted it out.

“But Sioned does have a point,” he stresses.   

"This is your business"

Eileen assures him that this is their business, and he admits that it means a lot to them already – he wants it to be a success.

“It will be, as long as we both understand each other,” she replies, and he goes to finish up out in the kitchen.   

Eileen places by the till . . .

Eileen takes out a small card which she places by the till;  

. . . a Cae Glas card

it reads, ‘Proud to sell Cae Glas products’.