29 August 2023

Cai is lounging again

Today Cai is lounging on the sofa at Cysgod y Glyn, watching the television;  

"Have you got any plans for this afternoon?"

Ffion comes into the room and asks, “Have you got any plans for this afternoon?   It’s a nice day – we could go to the beach.”

"Tomorrow, perhaps"

He simply mutters, “Tomorrow, perhaps.”   

"Staring at the television is not going to help"

She does not give up, but points out that sitting there, staring at the television, is not going to help.   She also believes that it is too early for him to come back to school in two weeks, but he shows little interest in her opinion.

"Bill Jones has said he'll take your classes"

“Bill Jones has said he’ll take your classes until October half term,” she continues, 

"The kids will be over the moon about that"

and Cai predicts that the children will be over the moon about that.   

"I don't want to . . ."

Ffion assumes that he is angry, and she does not want to . . .    There her voice tails off.

"Trigger something, you mean?"

“Trigger something, you mean?” Cai snarls, “I just want to be left alone – not a therapy session with the boss!”   Ffion gives up her attempt for now.

Cheryl is washing up . . .

At Maes-y-Deri, Cheryl is doing the washing-up 

. . . and discovers something needs to go on the shopping list

and realises that Elbow Grease washing-up liquid should be added to the shopping list.   

"How to get people to like you"

When she picks up the pad, she finds that Gaynor has already been making notes on it;  “How to get people to like you,” she reads, “Smile, ask questions, show an interest.”

Gaynor has just come downstairs and wants to know what Cheryl is doing with that;  

Gaynor snatches the pad

she quickly grabs the pad and explains, “The thing is, you were brilliant with Dani last week – with all the Gwern business.   

"You're so comfortable around people"

“You’re so comfortable around people – you make friends instinctively.”

Cheryl puts it down to, “Gift of the gab!” but Gaynor laments that she is not like that.   “You’ve got mates,” Cheryl reminds her.

"I've never had a best friend"

“Colleagues, neighbours – but I’ve never had a best friend, not even in school,” Gaynor groans, “I never know what to say to people.”

"You don't know how to talk to people?"|

“Gaynor, you were a head teacher for years – a community leader – are you telling me you don’t know how to talk to people?” demands Cheryl.   

"In a professional context"

Gaynor agrees she can do that in a professional context, but not otherwise;  “I always do or say the wrong thing.   I’m going to deal with this in exactly the same way I deal with everything else – through research.   

"I'll draft a plan and a strategy"

“I’ll draft a plan and a strategy to succeed.”

"A plan and a strategy?"

Cheryl laughs, “A plan and a strategy?   You can’t use your professional skills to make friends.   I bet Alan Sugar doesn’t have many buddies!”   Gaynor still maintains that it is worth a go.

Britt walks into the alley

As Britt walks into the alley, Siôn is heading towards the deli.   Gaynor meets her;  “Hiya, Britt, how are you?   

"You m just feel awful after what happened with Gwern"

“You must feel awful after what happened with Gwern last week.”   

"I'm on my way to see him now"

She agrees that it has not been the easiest week and she is on her way to see Gwern now.

“Fair play to you for being there for him – he used to be such a sweet little boy in school,” Gaynor goes on and it is pointed out to her that he has not died.   

"After what happened to Brandon"

“Oh no, but I’m sure it must be much more painful for you after what happened to Brandon.   Gwyneth responsible for the fire and then Gwern doing the same thing.”

"They're not at all similar"

Britt is looking angry as she points out that the two events are not at all similar, 

"I'm just thinking of you, Britt"

and Gaynor just assures that she is thinking of her.   

This comes as rather a shock . . .

Then she unexpectedly hugs Britt, who wonders what is happening, 

. . . and Britt cannot wait to escape

and is eager to get away.   Gaynor is not quite sure how that encounter went.

"I'm working on an auction"

Ffion comes into the deli, where she finds Siôn who has been working on an auction to raise money for the food bank, but she is more concerned about Cai.   

"Cai has hardly moved off the sofa"

“He’s hardly moved off the sofa since he arrived – he just stares at his phone and the television all day.   I know he isn’t sleeping, because I can hear him moving around.”

Siôn had hoped that being back in the village with friends would help, 

"He needs professional help"

but Ffion is convinced that he needs professional help.   “I know – I have tried but, I don’t know how to persuade him,” Siôn sighs, 

"It was a miracle we got him out of that hotel"

“It was a miracle we got him out of that hotel.”

Ffion does not know what she is doing, or whether she is saying the right thing;  

"We're all on edge over there!"

“We’re all on edge over there!”   

"We must find something to occupy his mind"

The only thing that Siôn can suggest is that they find him something to keep him busy and to occupy his mind.

"He can't carry on as he is"

“We have to do something, because he can’t carry on as he is,” she stipulates.

Llinos is working in the shop

Gaynor has just bought a magazine from Llinos in the shop when Arwen and one of her friends come in;  “Hello, Arwen – how are you?   Are you enjoying the holidays?” she says.

"It's better than being at school"

The reply is that it is better than being at school;  then she is asked if she has been to the Eisteddfod, as it is supposed to have been a good one, 

"Have you been to any gigs?"

or to any gigs.

"I was supposed to go and see The Weeknd"

By this time, Arwen is becoming rather suspicious;  she says she was supposed to go and see The Weeknd, but they could not go.   The next question is whether she has a lot of homework, or is she just ‘chilling’.

Arwen looks, puzzled, at her friend

"Are you feeling OK, Miss?"

and asks Gaynor, “Are you feeling OK, Miss?” and she takes her leave of them.   

They seem to have found this encounter amusing

From outside the window she can see the two girls laughing.

"Large red wine, please, Cheryl"

Gaynor’s next stop is the Deri, where she asks Cheryl for a large red wine.   “How’s the plan and strategy going?” Cheryl enquires, 

"I can't understand it"

but Gaynor cannot understand it;  she has shown empathy, she has smiled and demands how Cheryl can make friends so easily.

"Hope they laugh at my jokes"

“Don’t know – ply them with drinks and hope they laugh at my jokes,” is the reply.

Gaynor will try her technique on Siôn 

Siôn is sitting nearby, so Gaynor goes over to talk to him;  

"Can I buy you another drink?"

“Nice to see you,” she says, “Can I buy you another drink?”   

"Just organising a fund-raising auction"

He replies that he is fine and he is just organising a few things for a fundraising auction.   

Gaynor joins him

Gaynor has seen the poster in Tamed, and much to his surprise, sits down at the table.

"You're so good at organising things"

“Of course I will be supporting it – if it’s important to you, Siôn, I’ll be there,” she informs him, “You’re so good at organising things – you’re a very kind man, always ready to help and do your bit for the community.”

"Where would we be without a community?"

“Well, where would we be without a community?” he answers and she offers her help on the night if it is needed.   

"We could go for a drink some time"

Then she proposes that they could go for a drink some time, as she would love to talk to him about what a community is nowadays and how they can play a part in it.

“It would be nice to have a chat with someone who’s on the same level as me, if you know what I mean,” she says.   

"I'm not looking for a new relationship"

He is anxious not to offend her, but points out that he is not looking for a new relationship.

"I didn't mean it that way"

“Oh, no, I didn’t mean it that way – you and me,” she explains.   

"Things are difficult after Hywel . . ."

He appreciates that things are difficult after Hywel, 

". . . but I'm sure the right person is just round the corner"

but is sure that the right person is just round the corner.   At this point he thinks he had better leave;  

That did not go as intended

Gaynor realises that she has made rather a mess of the conversation.

"Can't you see that you need help?'

Ffion returns to Cysgod y Glyn and tells Cai, “Can’t you see that you need help?”   He urges her not to start again, 

"You know those blackouts I had?"

but she continues, “You know those blackouts I had – and I told you it was down to my blood sugar levels?   Well, I didn’t know that.”

"Are you all right?"

He asks if she is all right, and she replies, “Yes – now.   

"I was scared to go and see someone"

“The point is, I was scared to go and see someone – scared of what the problem was.   I’m on new medication now, so I’ll be all right – but when I think about what could have happened to me – and Arwen – I feel silly for not going to see someone earlier.”

"Are you sure you're all right now?"

He is anxious to ensure that she is all right now 

"It was the cirrhosis medication"

and she explains, “The cirrhosis medication caused low blood pressure – but I’m on different tablets now.”   He is glad to hear that, 

"I also popped into the pharmacy"

and she adds that she also popped into the pharmacy 

He is not interested in the leaflets

to get him some leaflets on mental health and stress management.

"Staring at that phone isn't helping!"

“I know I can’t force you to see a doctor, but you know that staring at that phone isn’t helping!” she warns him, “Why don’t you try something – the smallest step possible?   

"Have a shower, go for a walk . . ."

“Like have a shower, go for a walk – 

". . . even wash the lunch dishes"

“even wash the lunch dishes?   You’re lying here all day and the place is like pigsty!   Three other people live in this flat – I want to help you, Cai – 

"You have to try to help yourself as well!"

“but you have to try to help yourself as well!”

Cheryl is keeping busy in the Deri

Cheryl is cleaning the tables in the Deri when Mark comes in;  

"I'm great – except for this one"

she tells him, “I’m great – except for this one!” as she indicates Gaynor, who is sitting at the bar and has been trying to chat up another customer.

"Mark – let me buy you a drink"

When she sees Mark, she greets him effusively, “Let me buy you a drink!”

"I think you've drunk all of it"

He is surprised that there is any booze left, as it appears that she has drunk all of it.   

"I would have taken her home"

Cheryl would have taken her home, but has to stay there, so Mark volunteers to escort Gaynor instead.

“Mark, you’re a Mega Star!” Cheryl exclaims and advises Gaynor that Mark is going to be a knight in shining armour and is taking her home.

"I don't want to go back tot he house on my own"

“Oh – I don’t want to go back to an empty house on my own!’ she wails, but Mark suggests that they could have a cup of tea.   

A situation Mark has never before experienced

“Oh, you’re lovely, aren’t you, Mark?” she laughs, and looks as if she is about to kiss him, which amuses Cheryl.

“We understand each other!” insists Gaynor and staggers off towards Maes-y-Deri.   Cheryl advises that she should ought to get some chips on the way home, 

"Chips – chips!"

which Gaynor considers to be a good idea, repeating, “Chips – chips,” as she leaves.

"I don't want to risk driving"

Arwen is begging her mother, “Please, Mam – the bus doesn’t go past Ela’s!” but Ffion does not want to risk driving until she knows that the new tablets work.   Then she suddenly realises that the place is tidy, in marked contrast to the last time she saw it.

Cai has been cleaning

Cai comes in, with his mop and bucket, having obviously taken Ffion’s comments to heart.   “Like you said, one small step – I washed the dishes and then carried on – you’re right, sitting on the sofa won’t solve my problems.”

"Have you cleaned the entire flat?"

Arwen asks him if he has cleaned the entire flat, and he replies, “I’ve hoovered, dusted and scrubbed every inch.”   

Arwen hurries to her room . . .

She looks concerned and goes to her room.   Ffion says she is afraid to sit down, in case she makes a mess.

. . . and finds the gun is still there

As expected Arwen immediately removes the box from under her bed, to make sure that the gun is still there – and is relieved that it is.   

Ffion comes in

Ffion comes in and is reprimanded that she cannot come in without asking.   Her mother points out that she did knock, and 

"Cai didn't ask?"

Arwen moans, “Cai didn’t ask!”

Ffion agrees that she will have a word with him and tell him what the rules are;  

"You should be grateful to him"

“Anyway, you should be grateful to him – this room was a mess.   Have you asked Tad-cu Siôn if he can take you to Ela’s?”   

"He has a meeting or something"

Arwen has done so and Siôn is not available, as he has a meeting or something.

Ffion will take her next week, 

Arwen is mightily relieved

and Arwen breathes a considerable sigh relief that her secret is safe.

"There must be some kind of technique"

As Gaynor slumps on the sofa at Maes-y-Deri, eating her chips, she comments to Mark, “There must be some kind of technique or a gene that allows you to make friends easily.”   

"You do have friends, Gaynor"

He reminds her that she does have friends.

"I was just feeling awkward"

“Yes, I know, but I’ve never been a person that you can get close to.   When I was married to Colin and we went on holiday, he had made half a dozen friends before we got off the plane – then the girls would make friends in the swimming pool.   That’s where I was, under a parasol with a book, just feeling awkward,” she complains.

"I can't believe you're living here now"

Mark hands her a cup of tea and cannot believe that she is living there now;  “It’s easy to find your way around the kitchen,” he says.   She seeks reassurance that she was polite to everyone in the Deri, and hopes that she did not make a fool of herself.

"I was being empathetic "

“I was being empathetic – I was listening to people and I asked questions, but it just isn’t working.”   

"You should stop trying so hard"

He recommends that she should stop trying so hard, pointing out that she has Cheryl, Colin – and him;  she does not want to be friends with everyone.

"I just want people to like me"

“I know – I just want people to like me,” she whines before eating another chip.

"I haven't been much fun lately"

Cai apologises to Ffion, “I know I haven’t been much fun recently.”   She responds that he does not have to be fun, but needs to be healthy.

"I'm simply trying to help you"

She is also sorry that she was rather hard on him earlier, but she is simply trying to help him;  “If I’m being honest, I’m not sure how to do that.”

"I need a kick up the backside"

He appreciates that he needs a kick up the backside;  “I can’t live like this for ever – I have to do something about it – 

"I'm sorry I wasn't supportive"

“I’m sorry I wasn’t supportive when you had those blackouts.”

"Arwen isn't happy at the moment . . ."

Ffion is optimistic that she is now on the mend, “But Arwen isn’t happy about it at the moment – 

". . . I don't want to drive"

“she wanted to go to a friend’s house, but I don’t want to drive until I know these tablets work.:

"I could take her . . ."

Cai volunteers that he could take her;  “I’d understand if you didn’t want me to – I wouldn’t have offered if I was not sure.”

“I couldn’t get you off that sofa,” she says 

". . . it will do me good"

and he maintains that a bit of fresh air and some tunes on the radio will do him good.   

"She'll be over the moon!"

Ffion predicts that Arwen will be over the moon.

Britt has visited Gwern

Britt arrives home and Colin asks about Gwern;  “He was pretty quiet, but that’s to be expected, I suppose,” she answers.   

"Did he say anything about what happened?"

Colin wonders if he said anything about what happened.   “I’m just worried that I’m going to lose him as well,” she groans, 

"We don't know what's going to happen"

but Colin reminds her that they do not know what is going to happen yet.

"Monks have never been lucky with the law"

“Col – he’s a Monk – we’ve never been lucky where the law’s concerned – so I think I’ve got a good idea what will happen.”

"Thanks for doing the cleaning . . ."

Cai and Arwen come out of Cysgod y Glyn;  she is grateful to him for cleaning today.   

". . . what did you do – vacuuming?"

“Mam’s been chasing me for ages to clean my room – what did you do?   Vacuuming?”

"I didn't go near your make-up . . ."

He replies that he did not go near the pile of clothes on her chair or her make-up.   She enquires if everything else was fine, 

". . . or go looking for your diary"

and he assures her that he did not go looking for her diary, if that is what she is asking.

“I don’t write in a diary,” she tells him, “Come on – I don’t want to be late.”   

He is not letting on what he did see

He gives the impression that he may have seen what was under the bed.

Cheryl greets 'Superman'

Now that Mark has returned to the Deri, Cheryl comments, “I thought you’d turn up with your pants over your trousers – Superman, 

"Saving damsels in distress"

“saving damsels in distress.”   

"The damsel fell asleep on the sofa"

She is informed that in the damsel fell asleep on the sofa, so he put a blanket over her and left.     Cheryl calls him a gentleman, and he replies that he and Gaynor are old friends.

"She rambled on a bit"

“She rambled on a bit – and she’ll have a headache tomorrow.”   

"I'm worried about her, Mark"

Cheryl is rather worried about her and does not think that she is very happy.   

"She has you now, supporting her"

“She’s had a lot of changes to content with over the years – but she has you now, supporting her,” says Mark, “If Cheryl Thomas is in her life, she’ll be all right.”

"Hello"

Then he has an urge to visit the toilet and Cheryl’s phone rings;  when she answers it, she suddenly seems very scared, 

Whoever it was . . . 

rejects the call and throws down the phone on the bar, 

. . . it certainly has Cheryl rattled

before standing back with a look of  horror.