13 September 2023

Britt is speaking on the phone

“Well, you know where it is,” says Britt on the phone, “But it’s MFC now – Monk Fried Chicken – you can’t miss it.   I’m looking forward to seeing you.”

Colin comes downstairs, although she thought he had left for work;  

"Who was that, then?"

he wonders who it was on the phone.   He says that he will go after having breakfast, 

"Health and safety officer"

and she makes up a story about it being a health and safety officer, who wants to check the fryers.   “I’m meeting her this morning.”

"There wasn't much point staying in bed" 

Sioned is taking the washing off the airer and tells DJ that she has been up for a few hours;  “There wasn’t much point staying in bed – there’s coffee in the pot.”   He asks if she has had breakfast, 

"I'd like to go for a walk"

which she has not, but would like to go for a walk today up to the top field.

"To the tree"

“To the tree, he says, sympathetically. 

"Miriam, you haven't changed at all!"

Britt is watching from inside MFC and sees someone approaching;  “Well, long time no see – Miriam, you haven’t changed at all!” she exclaims 

They hug each other

and they hug each other.

Siôn is looking at his phone

Siôn is sitting in the back of Iolo’s van, looking at his phone;  Iolo returns from taking a box of donations to the Food Bank and asks his father if he has heard from Cai.

"No, the hospital is going to phone"

“No, the hospital’s going to phone after he’s been assessed by the psychologist,” Siôn replies.   

"I behaved like a prat, Dad"

Iolo is still feeling awful about the stupid ultimatum he gave his father – who has the right to live in Y Felin – and confesses that he behaved like a prat.

Siôn points out that no-one knew how serious the situation was and another box is taken inside, 

He is fixated with that phone

although all Siôn does is to look again at his phone.

"I've got two boxes for the food bank . . ."

Colin comes down the road from the shop and advises, “I’ve got two boxes of goods for you in the shop for the Food Bank – pasta, rice, tinned prunes, baby food – things like that.   

". . . they're not past their sell-by date"

“They’re not past their sell-by date or anything – oh no!   Just a few dents in the odd tin, you know.”

Colin notices Britt . . .

As Siôn accompanies him to the shop, we see that Britt is still speaking to Miriam – and Colin also notices this.   

. . . and watches her

He directs Siôn to the boxes on the counter while keeping an eye on Britt.

"It was nice to get some fresh air"

At Penrhewl, after their walk, Sioned is pleased to have got some fresh air;  

"I can't believe how much it has grown"

“I can’t believe how much that little tree has grown,” she says, looking at a leaf.”

"We planted it at the right time of year"

DJ points out that they planted it at the right time of year, so it had time to grow firm roots before the summer heat dried the ground.   

"She would have been a summer baby"

“She would have been a summer baby,” Sioned continues, “Birthday parties outside on the picnic table.”

"Out playing in the fields"

DJ maintains that she would have always have been tanned in photos after being out playing in the fields.   

"I would have liked having her living here"

Sioned adds, “I would have liked having her living here – I know we were living at Deri Fawr when I was pregnant, but I always saw myself giving birth here and bringing her up here.”

"Your mother would have loved that"

“Your mother would have loved that,” he remarks, and she can imagine her mother’s warnings;  

"Don't go too close to the fire!"

‘Don’t go too close to the fire – watch that blanket!’

"One day, perhaps"

She sighs, “One day, perhaps,” and clings to DJ’s arm.

Colin has some questions

MFC, after Miriam has gone, Colin comes in to investigate;  

"How did it go – with health and safety?"

“Well, how did it go – with health and safety?   Did she have anything important to say.”

"She wasn't a health and safety officer"

Britt has no alternative but to admit, “Listen, Col, she wasn’t a health and safety officer,” but he had already worked that out.   

He saw Britt out there with some woman who he knows from somewhere, but cannot remember where.

"She's an old friend, Miriam"

“She’s an old friend, Miriam,” she says, so he wonders why all the cloak and dagger was necessary – and the lies.   “Because I wanted to have a chat with her myself first before raising the matter with you.”

"What matter is that?"

“What matter?” Colin demands, 

"I'd like us to foster a young person" 

and she reveals that she is thinking of fostering;  she would like them to foster a young person.   

Colin cannot believe his ears

Colin looks at her with incredulity.

"Would you mind if I had a bit of time on my own?"

Sioned asks, “Would you mind if I had a bit of time on my own?   Today’s been . . . I just want a bit of time to feel what I’m feeling – if that makes any sense.”   

"I don't want to leave you on your own"

DJ is reluctant to leave her on her own, but she assures him she will be fine, so he goes outside, 

She looks at the oak leaf

leaving her still looking at the oak leaf.

"Yes, it's definitely 'a bit of a shock!"

“I know this has come as a bit of a shock to you,” says Britt, and Colin angrily replies that it is definitely ‘a bit of a shock’.

"Instead of discussing it with me first?"

“Hold on a minute – hold the boat!   You arranged to meet Miriam today to discuss fostering with her – instead of discussing it with me first!”   

"I wanted to understand how they decided"

She maintains that she wanted to understand more about why and how they made that decision.

"Their situation is completely different"

“But Miriam’s and Clive’s situation is completely different to ours – they can’t have children,” he stresses.   Britt insists that people foster for all sorts of reasons;  

"We have so much experience, Col"

the two of them have so much experience of bringing up their own children and each other’s children, which can only be a good thing.

“My brothers and I were fostered, you know – I don’t know where I’d be today if it wasn’t for Gloria and Neil.”

"How long have you been thinking about this?"

“OK, Britt, answer me this!” Colin snarls, “Why now?   Because there’s no way this has come from nowhere.   How long have you been thinking about this?”

"Since going to see Gwern last week"

“Since going to see Gwern last week,” she replies.

Sioned is catching up on sleep

Sioned is asleep on the sofa when DJ comes back in, carrying a couple of bags;  

"I'll make us some lunch"

“You need to catch up on your sleep,” her tells her, “I’ll make us some lunch – I’ve brought those olives you like.”

"I don't feel like eating anything"

Once again she does not feel like eating anything, but DJ urges her to try to do so;  

"All right, then – just a little"

she agrees to have just a little.

"You still blame yourself, don't you?"

“You still blame yourself, don’t you, for Gwern going off the rails?” says Colin, but Britt insists that this is not true.   

"It doesn't mean you have to try and save someone else's"

“The fact that you couldn’t save Gwern doesn’t mean you have to try and save someone else’s child, does it?”

She accuses him of not being able to understand;  

"They all had one thing in common"

“I didn’t just see Gwern that day, I saw several of them – and each one had their own tragic story and background, but they all had one thing in common.”

"They were all young offenders?"

“What?   That they were all young offenders?” he suggests.

"They were lost – orphaned"

“No – the look in their eyes – they were lost – orphaned.”   

"Gwern's not an orphan"

Colin reminds her that Gwern is not an orphan, but has plenty of family.   

"A home, stability, love"

“I’m not talking about family, Col, I’m talking about something much more important – a home, stability, love.   And that’s exactly what you and I could offer them.”

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

He wants to know why she did not tell him all this earlier; 

"I wanted to make sure"

“Well, I wanted to be completely sure it really was what I wanted to do.”

"And this is what you want to do?"

“And this is what you really want to do, is it?” he demands, but she says that she cannot make that decision on her own, and that she does not want to put pressure on him.

"You need time to think about this"

“I know you need time to think about this – when you’re ready to discuss it I’ll be here for you, OK?”

DJ is going rather 'over the top'

DJ is putting the final touches to their meal, and now Sioned maintains that it looks fantastic;  

Sioned's appetite has suddenly returned

“I want to try everything,” she says, and he replies that is the idea.   “I don’t know where to start.”

"I've been wanting to try this 'nduja' for a while"

“I’ve been wanting to try this ‘nduja’ [spreadable Italian spicy pork salami with chillies] for a while,” DJ goes on, and puts a piece into his mouth, 

It almost chokes him . . .

but a few seconds later it sounds as if he is choking.   He gasps, “It’s got a bit of a kick!   I was expecting it to be spicy – but not this spicy!” 

. . . which amuses Sioned 

and when Sioned offers him a glass of water, he considers that milk would probably be better.   

A good swig of milk helps to cool him

He hurries to the fridge, and starts drinking from the two pint bottle of full-fat milk, which seems to slightly improve his problem.   

"I almost asked you to get a fire extinguisher"

“I almost asked you to get a fire extinguisher,” he groans.

"We don't want Megan choking on her Bruschetta!"

Sioned proposes to put a health and safety warning on it in Tamed;  “We don’t want Megan choking on her Bruschetta, do we?   

"Thank you – for everything"

“Thank you – for everything – I’ve been feeling this time getting nearer, and I’ve been dreading it.   I didn’t know how I was going to cope.”  He reassures her that she has, and she adds, “We have.”

"Thanks for your help, Iolo"

Siôn is still anxiously looking at his phone, and thanks Iolo for his help today with the food bank.   

"It was the least I could do"

Iolo regards it as the least he could do, but is disappointed that the contributions have dropped lately.   

"It was nice to see the place so busy"

“It was nice to see the place so busy,” says Siôn.

"Wouldn't it be better if we didn't need a food bank?"

Iolo would have preferred it if the place was less busy, but notices that his father is still studying his phone;  “Wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t need a food bank at all?”

"But considering that is is needed . . ."

“But, considering that it is needed,” replies Siôn, “It was a comfort to see people getting the support they need.”   

"Staring at that phone won't help"

Iolo knows that his father is worried about Cai, but warns him that staring at the phone, waiting to hear from the hospital, will not help – and he has been doing it all day.

"Ffion won't answer my messages"

“I’m not waiting for a message from the hospital,” is Siôn’s reply, “Ffion – she won’t answer my messages.”   

"Why are you sending her messages?"

Iolo cannot understand why he is sending messages to Ffion;  

"We kissed – last week"

after a pause, Siôn admits, “We kissed – last week.”

"You did what?"

Iolo finds this unbelievable, 

"We were both emotional"

as Siôn goes on to explain, “We were both emotional about Cai and . . .”

"How could you do such a thing?"

“How could you do such a thing?” his son demands, and is told that it just happened instinctively, naturally.   “How selfish are you?” snaps Iolo, “Your brother-in-law has just admitted himself into hospital!”

"We had strong feelings for each other"

Siôn maintains that it was not a selfish act, but they had strong feelings for each other.   

“Right, so you go around picking up sympathy snogs from your granddaughter’s mother!” Iolo snarls.

“You make it sound disgusting,” protests Siôn, but Iolo is adamant that is what it is.   “Two single adults – it was inevitable – at the moment we both . . .”   Iolo refuses to listen to any more this, but his father insists, “I don’t regret it – not for a second.”

"Well, Ffion must be regretting it"

Iolo suggests that Ffion must be regretting it;  “Or she wouldn’t be ghosting you – blanking, ignoring, avoiding . . .”   Siôn says that he has made his point.

Britt is cooking dinner

Britt is cooking dinner and reports to Colin that there was not enough pasta for two, so she has put in an extra garlic bread.   

"Look, I'd do anything to make you happy . . ."

“Look, you know I’d do anything to make you happy,” Colin begins, “But I’m worried, Britt.    

". . . what if the strain made you ill again?"

“What if the strain of fostering made you ill again?”   She simply replies is that illness is illness – 

"I'm more worried about your blood pressure"

and she is more worried about his blood pressure at the moment.

"We should think about retiring"

“We need a rest, Britt, you know – think about retiring, put our feet up – that’s what we should be doing now,  not starting a new chapter by bringing up someone else’s child.”

"There's one reason why we should . . ."

Surprisingly, she agrees that he is right;  there are a million reasons why they should not foster;  “But there’s one reason why we should – me – 

". . . the promise I made when I was 18"

“and the promise I made to myself when I was 18.”   

"And what was that?"

He enquires what that promise was.

"You might as well accept the fact"

“Look, I know how difficult it is, all right, waiting to hear from someone,” says Iolo, “But you might as well accept the fact that Ffion is not interested.”   Siôn maintains that they do not know that;  “So why hasn’t she answered you?”

"She may be afraid of the strength of her feelings"

Siôn suggests that she may be afraid of the strength of her feelings towards him;  “Please!” gasps Iolo, “You don’t really want a relationship with Ffion, do you?   How would Macs feel?   What would Macs say to Arwen?   

"By the way, grandad is going out with your mother"

‘By the way, grandad is going out with your mother’?”

Siôn points out that Arwen never sees Macs, but Iolo believes that they are starting to talk now;  

"You should help that relationship"

“You should help that relationship between father and daughter.”

"I won't contact her again"

Siôn acknowledges that Iolo has made his point and says that he will not contact Ffion ever again;  Iolo is very relieved to hear this, 

That was obviously a total lie

but when he leaves the room and goes upstairs, his father once again picks up the phone.

"I was in prison when I turned 18"

Britt continues, “I was in prison when I turned 18 – and when I got out, Neil and Gloria were still there for me, you know.   They even organised a big party for me in the house – a late birthday party.   So I invited loads of friends and there was loads of beer – 

"Well, I got out of hand!"

“and things got out of hand – well, I did!”

"They all do stupid things at that age"

Colin appreciates that they all do stupid things at that age;  “No, you don’t understand,” she goes on, 

"I trashed the house"

“I did it intentionally.   I got blind drunk, I trashed the house, called Neil and Gloria every name under the sun – I lost the plot.   I had convinced myself that they would be glad to get rid of me – and that’s what the party was about, really – a celebration that their duties as foster parents were over, because I was an adult now, wasn’t I?

"The next morning I packed my bags

“So the next morning I packed my bags, cleared out my room and went downstairs.   I thought they’d never want to see me again.   

"Gloria gave me the biggest cwtch"

“And there was Gloria at the bottom of the stairs and she gave me the biggest cwtch.   In her gorgeous North Walian accent, she said, ‘You’re not going anywhere – Neil and I aren’t going anywhere, either.   We’ll always be here for you and your brothers’.   

Colin listens to her story

“They always have been – and still are.”

"I promised myself that I would do it . . ."

“And that day I promised myself that if I was ever in the same situation, where I could give the same love and security to a young person like me, that I would do it.   

". . . and that's what I have to do"

“And that’s what I’m going to do – that’s what I have to do.”

Colin is initially silent

For a few moments Colin is silent;  

"I understand how you feel strongly about it"

“Well, I understand now why you feel so strongly about it.   

"If you really want to foster, Britt . . ."

“If you really want to foster, Britt,” and here he pauses to take a deep breath, 

". . . you'll have to do it on your own, I'm sorry"

“You’ll have to do it on your own, I’m sorry,”

"I thought we were a team'

“I thought we were a team,” says Britt and he, too, was under the impression that they were.

"You have to keep this promise – not me!"

“But you obviously made this decision years, no, decades ago – and you’re only telling me this now.   You made this promise to yourself – and it is you who have to keep it – not me!” he shouts, 

He storms out of the house

before walking out of the house.