12 July 2023

Hywel is still looking lost

This time Hywel is standing disconsolately in the kitchen at Llwyncelyn when Cheryl comes in, carrying a bottle;  

Cheryl has a gift for him

“Just a little something to say sorry for being in the way,” she says.   He thanks her 

"I'll see you at Maes-y-Deri , then"

and Cheryl will see Gaynor at Maes-y-Deri.

“I’ll be right behind you – I’ve finished packing the car,” Gaynor replies, then she faces Hywel;  

"This is odd, isn't it?"

“Well, this is odd, isn’t it?”   He agrees that it is, 

"But we've been through it before"

but they have been through it before, so they will cope.   

"Any time, if the anxiety comes back . . ."

She does not look so sure about that, but tells him that he can contact her any time if the anxiety comes back.

Then she turns, picks up her coat and leaves the house;  

"I'll see you, then"

“I’ll see you, then,” she says and he tries to smile.

"Cool and funky – like me?"

Dani comes rushing down the stairs at number 7, calling for Mark;  she wants advice on which trainers to wear.   “Cool and funky – like me – or timeless and sparkly – also like me?”   

"Which side do you want Jinx to get to know?"

He enquires which side of her she wants Jinx to get to know – that is the question.

“That depends on where he’s taking me,” she answers, and then there is a knock on the door as Jinx arrives.   As Mark goes to answer the door, he advises her to wear the funky ones.

"You look lovely"

says that Dani looks lovely, 

"I don't know where we're going"

but she protests, “I didn’t know what to wear because I don’t know where we’re going.”   He does not want to spoil the surprise, 

"Enjoy the funky disco, Dani"

and Mark tells her to enjoy the funky disco.   She thanks him for looking after the kids, 

"I'll feed them, so don't rush back"

and he assures her that he will feed them tonight, so there is no need for her to rush back.

"I should have organised a day trip to Paris"

“If I’d known that, I would have organised a day trip to Paris,” jokes Jinx, 

"I'm expecting better than that"

but Dani is expecting better than that, after all this hype.   They leave the house.

Hywel sits vacantly in front of the tv

Now Hywel is watching daytime television which he does not seem to find very absorbing, so he turns it off.   

He wanders into the kitchen

He slowly walks into the kitchen in some sort of daze.

"The bed's more comfortable than I expected"

Meanwhile, at Maes-y-Deri, Gaynor reports that the bed is a lot more comfortable than she was expecting;  “But I’m going to buy a mattress topper – do you want one?”   

"Want a biscuit to dunk in it?"

Cheryl replies that she finds it difficult enough to get up at the moment, and asks whether Gaynor wants a biscuit to dunk in her coffee.

"This is instant"

This sort of thing is unfamiliar to Gaynor, and she discovers that the coffee is instant, but Cheryl calls it, “Posh instant.”   Gaynor thinks that she will treat herself to one of those coffee pod machines;  

"You pay a fortune just for some black water"

her sister is rather scathing about them;  “They’re a con – they force you to buy a special brand and then you pay a fortune just for some black water!”   

"At least it's nice black water"

Gaynor mutters that at least it is nice black water, 

"Shall we have a takeaway tonight?"

and suggests that they have a takeaway tonight for dinner to celebrate their first night in the house.   

"We can catch up on the soaps"

“Yeah, great – we could catch up on the soaps, too – wall-to-wall drama!” enthuses Cheryl, “And perhaps we could treat ourselves to a bottle of rosé – what do you say?”

Gaynor is not impressed

Gaynor looks around the room, which is not quite up to the standard to which she is accustomed.

Dani has been taken to a bowling green

Jinx has taken Dani to a bowling green and she cannot believe that he is serious;  

"They play bowls in Paris"

“They play bowls in Paris,” he maintains;  she regards this as just so random.

“But you like a challenge – and you like to win,” he replies.   

"I've never played before"

She argues that she has never played before, so it is not fair.   “I’ll teach you – Taid loved bringing me when I was a boy.”

"No game today – it's too wet"

However then they are informed that there is no game today, as it is too wet;  

"But I've already paid"

Jinx protests that he has already paid, and Dani giggles.

Kelly is in a state of simmering fury

In the Tomos ac Ellis office Kelly is in a terrible mood, banging excessively violently on the stapler as she files documents, while Rhys is attempting to speak on the phone.   

"What kind of places did you have in mind?"

“What kind of places did you have in mind?” he asks the caller, 

Kelly makes so much noise . . .

but Kelly is making so much noise that he cannot hear the reply 

. . . that he will have to phone back

and will have to ring back in a couple of minutes.

"Whose face are you smashing with that stapler?"

“Kelly!” he shouts, “Are you going to tell me whose face you’re smashing with that stapler?”

"Dai – he's just . . ."

“Dai!” she answers, “I’m really sorry, but he’s just . . .”   Rhys informs her that he has been trying to talk on the phone.   

"Do you fancy coming with me for something to eat?"

Jason suddenly walks in carrying a picnic box and hopes that he is not disturbing anything.

“I just popped in to see if Kelly fancies coming with me for something to eat,” he says 

"So I can finish that call"

and Rhys is hopeful that he might be able to finish the call now.

"Sorry, I'm not in the mood!"

“Sorry, I’m not in the mood!” Kelly announces, but Jason stresses that he has gone to a lot of effort here and would say that she does not have much choice.   

Kelly finally acquiesces . . .

After some begging on his part, she finally agrees that she will go with him 

. . . and Rhys resumes his phone call

and they leave Rhys to get on with his phone call.

"I really don't want to go on a picnic, Jase"

As they walk along the street, Kelly protests that she really does not want to go on a picnic.   “I’ve got hummus and veg and pitta bread,” Jason tells her.

"It's good we're not having a picnic outside"

Then she reminds him that it is freezing, so he regards it as good thing they are not having a picnic outside.   

“What kind of picnic is not outside?” she demands, and he replies that it is an indoor picnic in APD.

"Am I being spontaneous enough now?"

“Am I being spontaneous enough now?” he adds, 

"What's wrong with him?"

as Hywel walks past and barely notices them.   

Jason hurries Kelly into APD . . .

Jason takes Kelly’s hand and they go into APD.   

. . . and closes the shop

The door is shut and the sign turned round to read ‘CLOSED’.

"You don't look 100%"

Hywel was on his way to the pharmacy and when he gets there, Maya can see that he does not look 100%.   

"I want some of those pills you gave Iolo"

I won’t keep you – I just need you to give me some of those pills you gave Iolo,” he says.

"Paracetamol?   Antihistamine?"

“Paracetamol?   Antihistamine?” she replies nervously, 

"No – the ones that calm you down"

but he insists he wants the ones that calm you down.   

"You'll have to see your GP about that"

She regrets that he will have to see his GP for something like that, as she cannot give him any without a prescription.

"But Iolo didn't have a prescription"

“But Iolo didn’t have a prescription, did he?” Hywel points out, 

"I think you're mistaken"

and when she says that she thinks he is mistaken, he is adamant that he is not.   

"I saw and I heard"

“I saw and I heard – look, I know you’re friends, but I really need something.”

"I simply can't do that!"

She tells him that she simply cannot do that, so he turns threatening;  “Look, I don’t want to have to take the official route on this, you know.   

"I don't want to have to report you"

“I don’t want to have to report you for giving pills without prescriptions.”

Maya tells him that she will see what she can do and he agrees that he will call in tomorrow morning.   

Maya is in a quandary

She is now extremely worried

Jinx explains the rudiments of bowls

Now Dani and Jinx are indoors at the bowling club, where he is instructing her, “You need to roll the ball nicely along the floor like that – but one side of the ball weighs heavier than the other – and the lawn isn’t flat either.”

She wonders what is the point of that and he does not know the answer, describing it as a challenge and a skill.   

Dani gives it a try

He invites her to try it, and her first attempt is quite successful, 

"Beginner's luck, that is"

which he puts down to beginner’s luck.   

Jinx is not so successful

Then he has a go, with less satisfactory results, 

"This is going to be easy"

so she imagines that this is going to be easy.

Another remarkably good try . . .

With her second ball, Dani believes that she is on a winning streak, 

. . . but Jinx's ball strikes the 'jack' . . .

but then Jinx manages to hit the ‘jack’ 

. . . causing some celebration

and is very pleased with himself.

"Sorry for my strop earlier"

When Kelly returns to Tomos ac Ellis, she is carrying two coffees, and, presenting one to Rhys, she apologises for her strop earlier.   

"I didn't notice"

“Were you stroppy?   I didn’t notice,” he replies, “Did you go somewhere nice for your picnic?” 

"Really nice – and out of the wind"

and she says that it was really nice, actually, and out of the wind.

"Jason says that number 10 is stunning"

She goes on, “Jason says that number 10 is stunning,” and Rhys boasts that it is ‘top spec’.   Kelly thinks that it is a shame to waste ‘top spec’ on strangers, though.”

"That's where the cash is"

“That’s where are the cash is – people who spend on a nice weekend in rural Wales,” he explains.   

"Could you be tempted to sell it to us?"

She wonders if he could be tempted to sell it to her and Jason;  he regrets that he cannot do that.

“But you do know the house in Cross Terrace in Llanarthur is back on the market?”   She had not heard that, 

"Just the job for a builder"

and he passes over the property details to her.   “I was talking to Miss Richards earlier – the survey shows it needs work, but it’s just the job for a builder.”

"Cross Terrace!"

This property has definitely secured Kelly’s interest.

Presumably Maya has shut up shop

Maya has gone to see Iolo at Y Felin;  he brings her a cup of tea 

"Do you know Hywel Llywelyn?"

and she begins, “Do you know Hywel Llywelyn?”   

"I think everyone knows Councillor Llywelyn"

Iolo thinks that everyone knows him, or Councillor Llywelyn, as he likes to be called.

"It gets better and better"

“Great – it gets better and better,” Maya groans, 

"Have you told him?"

“Have you told him?” and Iolo vehemently protests that he has not.   “He came into the pharmacy and he threatened to report me.”   

He is horrified at the suggestion

Iolo is horrified to hear this.

Cheryl is changing the locks

At Maes-y-Deri, Cheryl is in the process of fitting a replacement lock to the back door and Gaynor wants to know what she is doing.   “It’s something the contents insurance people have insisted on – 

The insurance company is suspicious of her

“I made a claim a few years ago and since then they’ve been a nightmare.”   It appears that Kath has not been made aware of this.

She gives Gaynor her new key;  

"I'm a bit disappointed"

“I’m a bit disappointed to be honest,” Gaynor admits, “I was hoping Esther would want to come here to see her room – I was thinking of buying new bedclothes for her – but she wasn’t interested at all.   

"Perhaps she has no intention of coming"

“Perhaps she has no intention of coming here at all.”

Cheryl maintains that she just wants a bit of independence, and to show who is boss;  

"She'll be wanting money, or your make-up"

“Just leave her alone – she’ll be wanting money, or your make-up before you turn round,” 

Cheryl hugs Gaynor

and she gives her sister a hug.

"It will be different next time"

As they have afternoon tea on the verandah at the bowling club, Dani concedes that Jinx won fair and square this time;  “But it’ll be different next time,” she insists.   

"So there's going to be a next time?"

He is interested to hear that there is going to be next time, and she thanks him for the break, which was very welcome.

He asks how Gwern is these days 

"Gwern's going to inherit a house next week"

and is told, “Well, to complicate things even further for him, he’s going to inherit a house next week – he’s too young, you know.”   

"I understand what you mean"

Jinx understands what she means, 

"It would be nice for him to live somewhere familiar"

but Dani wonders, now that they have moved from the Deri, if it would be nice for him to live somewhere familiar.

Jinx has memories of number 9

“And it’s a very comfortable place – I have some very good memories of it,” Jinx recalls.   

Dani is convinced that it is the best thing for them to move in there, but has one reservation;  

"Mark loves having us there"

“Mark – he loves having us there – he loves the nonsense and the fuss.”   Jinx points out that she has to do the right thing for Gwern.   “I’m just scared of telling him – there’s no point dragging things out – I might do it tonight.”   She thanks Jinx for listening to her.

"You've been talking to Maya, haven't you?"

Iolo goes to see Hywel, who immediately knows the reason for his visit;  “You’ve been talking to Maya, haven’t you?   Iolo, listen – I’m sorry – I don’t know what came over me, but I didn’t know where to turn.”

"Those pills don't work miracles – trust me"

Iolo informs him, “Those pills don’t work miracles – trust me, I know.   I put Maya in an awkward position.   She wasn’t supposed to give me those pills – she was worried about me.”

"What is the answer, then?"

Hywel assures him that he will not do it again, but demands, “What on earth is the answer, then?”   

"Keeping busy?"

Iolo can only advise him to keep busy, but Hywel cannot be bothered to work at the moment;  “I know I should try – but I can’t.  

"I can't get up, I can't get dressed"

“I can’t get up in the morning, I can’t get dressed – never mind work!   What’s the answer?”

"Have you tried talking to Gaynor?"

Iolo does not know, but they always say that talking helps;  “Have you tried talking to Gaynor?”   

"We've separated . . ."

Then he learns that they have separated, something of which he was not aware.

". . . she though it was for the best"

“She thought it was for the best,” Hywel sighs, 

"I'm always there, if you want to talk"

and Iolo says that he is always there if Hywel wants to talk.

"I'm home, Mark"

At number 7, Mark is cleaning up when Dani returns home;  

"Did the funky and cool Dani work her charms?"

he asks, “Did the funky and cool Dani work her charms, or what?”   

"It was a lovely day"

She reports that it was a lovely day, 

"I don't want all the details, mind"

and he asks what they did, although he does not want all the details.

"We talked about Gwern a lot"

“Well, you know, we had a chat – and talked about Gwern a lot,” she says, and he suddenly remembers that Seren needs a special dress for the end of term assembly.

"I went to a shop in Cross Hands for one"

“I hope you don’t mind, but I went to a shop in Cross Hands to buy her one – I enjoyed it,” he tells her, “Sorry – you were telling me about your date – did you talk about anything in particular?”

"We were just talking nonsense"

She replies that they were just talking nonsense, and he comments, “Well, if you can cope with someone talking nonsense, it’s a good sign.   

"You relax and I'll make us a cup of tea"

“Right, you relax and I’ll make us a cup of tea.”

She relies a text from Jinx

A text arrives on her phone;  ‘Thanks for a lovely day – I hope Mark understands.’

"I've spoken to Hywel and it's all sorted"

Maya is sitting in the back room of the pharmacy, still looking very worried when Iolo hurries in;  “I’ve just spoken to Hywel and it’s all sorted.”

"He's not expecting me to give him anything"

“So he’s not expecting me to give him anything?” she asks.   Iolo assures her that he just panicked and was looking for a quick fix, as he has a lot going on at the moment.   

"I could see there was something"

“I could see there was something,” she says, 

"So you don't need to worry about Hywel Llywelyn . . ."

and he tells her that she need not worry about Hywel Llywelyn.

“Then he adds, “But obviously, my situation hasn’t changed, has it?   

". . . but me, on the other hand . . ."

“Because the pills you gave me really helped, and I was just wondering if you could give me any more.”

"Iolo, you know I can't!"

“Iolo, you know I can’t!” she answers, but he is beginning to panic that the tablets are going to run out.   She repeats that she cannot give him any more;  

"I could get into so much trouble"

“I could get into so much trouble – I’m sorry!”   

"Sorry – I shouldn't have asked"

He realises that he should not have asked and leaves the pharmacy.