20 September 2023

"Right, I'm off, Sioned"

DJ is on his way to the deli and asks Sioned if there is anything that she wants before he leaves;  “Yes,” she replies, “I want you home by five o’clock.”

He maintains that he cannot close the deli, 

"I've got a surprise for you"

but she continues, “Anita’s covering – I’ve got a surprise for you!”   Of course he wants to know what that is and is informed, “If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise – 

"Home by five – no excuses"

“it’s quiet by then, so home by five – no excuses!”

"I hate being late"

In the pharmacy, Delyth grumbles, “I hate being late,” so Maya tells her to blame Rhys and Mathew, like last time.   “That’s not going to wash with my DI,” Delyth replies.

"All right, then?"

As she leaves, Rhys comes swaggering in, asking if Maya is all right;  

“No, not really – you’re the problem – 

"Half two in the morning!"

“did you have to play your music so late?” Rhys argues that it was hardly late, but is told in no uncertain terms, “I don’t want to be listening to Ibiza Club Vibes until half two in the morning – do you know what I mean?   I have asked you nicely to keep it down!”

"I shall be in Ibiza next week"

He brags that he will be in Ibiza next week, so she will not have to worry, so she wants him to keep it down until then;  

"OK, take a chill pill"

mutters under his breath, “OK, take a chill pill.”

"I'd better get a high factor"

He walks across to where Ieuan Griffiths is selecting something, and remarks, “I’d better get a high factor as I’m there for a week.”   Griffiths was under the impression he was only going for a couple of days, but is told that it is down on Rhys’ leave slip.

"I haven't seen any slip"

Griffiths insists that he has not seen that;  “Listen, if you’re going for whole week, how are you going to hit your sales target this month?”   

"I hoped you could cut me some slack"

Rhys have been hoping that his boss could cut him some slack.   

"Oh, did you?"

“Oh, did you?   Well, think again,” is Griffiths’ terse reply.

"We've been offered a massive contract!"

In the deli, Mathew receives some news on his phone;  “Oh damn it!” he moans to DJ, “We’ve just been offered a massive contract to restore the Bailey Hotel – the posh place on the way to Llanelli.   The company doing the work has gone bust and they want us to start tomorrow – but I’m supposed to go to Ibiza with Rhys.”

"Jason could take the reins"

DJ is sure that Jason can take the reins, but Mathew is adamant that they all need to be there;  “All hands on deck – and even then I’ll have to shift some other jobs around, just to fit this in.   

"I'll have to tell Rhys I can't go . . ."

“I’ll have to tell Rhys that I can’t go – 

". . . he'll lose it when he finds out!"

“he’ll lose it when he finds out!”

"Kelly's already sold a bungalow"

As they leave the pharmacy, Griffiths points out, “Kelly’s already sold a bungalow – and she’s got a new listing just now.”   

"I showed the Garvey's around"

Rhys reminds him that he showed the Garveys a bungalow, 

"You didn't seal the deal, did you?"

but Griffiths complains, “You didn’t seal the deal, did you?”

“I can’t help the fact they prefer Kelly to me – they’re from Merthyr,” says Rhys.

Griffiths wants to know what he has sold this week, then answers his own question, “Nothing, nada, zero!   You’re losing your touch.”   

"That's not true"

Rhys refutes this allegation, so Griffiths demands why Kelly is so much better;  “And she’s not the one going away for a week!”

Rhys argues that he has not had a holiday since Christmas;  

"I haven't had a holiday since the previous Easter"

“Well, I haven’t had one since the previous Easter,” counters Griffiths and when Rhys argues that he needs a break, is invited to take ‘a long break’.

"Are you threatening me?"

“Are you threatening me?” asks Rhys, and is told that it is nothing like that;  he is welcome to go on holiday – as long as he hits his sales target, Griffiths does not give a damn.

Then he adds, “I want you to know one thing – the sales targets are going up 15% this month.”   Rhys is of the opinion he cannot do that.   

"Hit the target, or you know where the door is"

“Oh, I can, it’s pretty simple – you either hit your sales targets, or you know where the door is – because there are plenty of people who would love your job.”

This tends to spoil Rhys' plans

This is not what Rhys wanted to hear.

Mark dials a number . . .

Mark is tidying up at number 7, then picks up his phone and makes a call;  

. . . but Cheryl does not answer

Cheryl is vigorously polishing her shoes when her phone sounds.   She picks it up and can see who is calling.   Gaynor wonders if she is going to answer it, but is told that it was an unknown number.

"I'm going to go for the job in the pharmacy"

“I’ve got something to tell you,” Gaynor goes on, “I’ve been thinking about what you said – and you’re right.   I’m going to go for the job in the pharmacy – and I’ve had two very good references, not that I’m bragging.”

She is disappointed that Cheryl is not showing much interest;  

"I thought you'd be more excited for me"

“I thought you’d be a lot more excited for me.”   

"I've got a lot on my plate"

Cheryl explains that she has a lot on her plate and continues with her shoes.

Dani comes downstairs

Dani comes downstairs at number 7 and notices that Mark is looking depressed;  

"I've seen that look before"

“I’ve seen that look before,” she comments.   

"Right, spill!"

He walks into kitchen and she instructs him, “Right, spill!”   

"You don't want to listen to my problems"

He insists that she does not want to listen to his problems, with Gwern’s plea hearing tomorrow.

"It would be nice too have a distraction"

She maintains that it would be nice to have a distraction, so continues to demand what is wrong;  

“Cheryl – I don’t know what’s wrong.   Look, we’ve been getting on well recently, OK?   Really well – so I tried to kiss her.”

"So there's romance in the air?"

Dani detects that there is a bit of romance in the air, but is told, “She ran away, Dan.   She told me to leave the Deri straightaway – 

"Am I that disgusting, Dan?"

“I don’t understand it – am I that disgusting?”   Dani maintains that he is lovely, but he continues, “She was really upset, Dan.”

"Are you sure it was only a kiss?"

Dani enquires whether it went further than just a kiss, and he demands, 

"What do you think I am, Dani?"

“What do you think I am?   The only thing she said was that she wanted me to leave – I would never have done it if I knew it would upset her – I really like.   I thought she liked me, too.   She said I wasn’t bad – but then . . .”

"Well, go and see her"

Dani’s advice is to go and see her;  “If there have been crossed wires, sort it out or it will be awkward.”   

"Perhaps she'll never want to see me again"

He is afraid that she will never want to see him again.   “You will have to see her at some point,” says Dani, “Just go to Maes-y-Deri and sort it out – or you’ll only worry.”

The Deri has quite a turnover of barmen

the Deri, where there is yet another barman on duty, Rhys has been summoned by Mathew;  

"Thanks for coming . . ."

“Thanks for coming at short notice,” he says, “I’ve got you pie and chips.”   

Mathew will not let him pay for the drinks 

". . . I've got some bad news"

continues that he has some bad news;  Rhys also needs to talk to him.   Mathew begins, “I don’t know how to say this,” but is interrupted by Rhys.

"Sorry, Math, I can't go to Ibiza!"

“Sorry, Math, I can’t go to Ibiza!   It’s Griffiths, isn’t it?   He’s put up my sales targets and I’ll never hit them if I go away – please don’t be angry!   I explained to him that we had booked.”

"We've got a massive contract"

Mathew then advises that neither can he go;  “We’ve had a massive contract to renovate the Bailey Hotel – I was so worried about how to tell you.”

"You'll have to buy your own pint"

Rhys jokes that it is a disaster and tells him to pay for his own pint;  “I can’t afford it after buying those flights!”

Cheryl does the washing-up . . .

Cheryl is drying the dishes when there is a knock at the door 

. . . then hears a knock on the door . . .

and she is panic-stricken, checking that the back door is locked.   

. . . and Mark's voice

Then there is a further knock and Mark’s voice can be heard, but she ignores him.

Maya is yawning

Gaynor comes into the pharmacy with her application, finding Maya yawning;  “Late night, was it?” she asks, “Did you go anywhere nice?”

“No, I’ve just got noisy, inconsiderate neighbours,” Maya answers, 

"It was 'boom boom' until 2:30am!"

“It was ‘boom boom’ until 2:30am!”   

"Typical Rhys!"

 Gaynor regards that as typical Rhys, her ex’s son.   

"Better watch what I'm saying, then"

“Better watch what I’m saying, then,” says Maya.

"Tell him to grow up!"

No, no – it’s OK, Gaynor answers,  “He can be a nightmare.   He was the same when he stayed at ours.   “You should tell him to ‘tyfu fyny’ – grow up!”

"I was firm with him this morning"

Maya has already had a word with him, and while she was nice last week, she was firm this morning, so hopes that will sort the matter out.   

"I want to apply for the job"

Then Gaynor announces that she wants to apply for the job, which Maya finds rather strange.   “Didn’t you use to be a headteacher?” and Gaynor hopes that will not count against her, explaining that she took early retirement – possibly a little too early.  

"I never expected someone of your calibre"

Maya can see that now she is looking for something to do;  “Well, I never expected someone of your calibre to walk through the door.

"I'm going now, Anita"

In the deli, DJ calls to Anita, out of sight in the kitchen, that he is leaving, but on his way to the door he meets Griffiths.   

"DJ, I've got a job for you"

“DJ, just the person – I’ve got a job for you.   Fancy doing a buffet for the council’s vice-chairman?   He’s celebrating twenty years in the job.”

"Can we discuss it later?"

DJ replies that this is great news, but would like to discuss it later, as he has to be somewhere.

“It’s in two weeks time – I need to sort the menu out,” Griffiths insists, and when DJ is still in a hurry to go, 

"Well, if you don't want the work . . ."

he adds, “Well, if you don’t want the work . . .   

". . . no expense spared"

“A buffet for 60 people, no expense spared.”

"I think I can spare ten minutes"

In that case, DJ comes to the conclusion that he can spare ten minutes;  

"I'll have a large cappuccino"

Griffiths will have a large cappuccino while he explains what he wants.

DJ looks rather worried

DJ appears to be worried – with good reason, 

The meal is waiting at Penrhewl . . .

as Sioned has a meal laid out for him at Penrhewl.   

. . . at just after five . . .

 is a couple of minutes past five and the front door opens;  

. . . and Mathew walks in

it is Mathew, 

He likes Sioned's choice of wine

who looks at the food on the table and hears Sioned’s voice, “I’ve been waiting for you.”

"Argh!   Mathew!"

As she walks into the room, seductively dressed, she gasps with horror when she sees that it is Mathew.   

"What are you doing here?"

“What are you doing?” she demands.

He says that he is looking for her mother, 

"Get out – now!"

but she insists that he should get out immediately, which he does pretty rapidly.   

This will not do her heart any good

Now Sioned is looking extremely stressed.

"You missed a bit!"

Maya is doing some window cleaning when Delyth creeps up behind her and exclaims that she has missed a bit.   She announces that she has had a terrible day;  

Delyth has had a bad day

“I spent three hours in the hospital – a 20-year-old beaten to a pulp by her delightful husband.   

"But Cai is doing much better"

“But on a better note, Cai rang – and he’s doing much better.   Right, I’m knackered – I’ve been dreaming about a bath and bedtime all day.”

This is where the noise is coming from

However, once again loud music can be heard emanating from the flat above the shop.   

"Oh, you're kidding me!"

“Oh, you’re kidding me!” snarls Delyth and she heads purposefully towards the door of the flat.   

"Let me deal with this, D"

Maya insists that she will deal with this.

"Turn it down!"

Inside the flat, with his phone in one hand and a can in the other, Rhys swaggers across the room, but just then Maya bursts in, shouting, “Turn it down!   I’ve asked you nicely to keep it down – now I’m telling you!”

"It's hardly late, is it"

Rhys points out that she told him not to pay the music late;  “It’s hardly late, is it?”   Maya points out that it is late for Delyth, who has had a terrible day at work – 

"It's time you showed some consideration!"

“and it’s time you showed some consideration for your neighbours!   It’s not all right,” 

"Grow up, Rhys!"

and before storming out of the flat she adds, ‘tyfu fyny’, Rhys!”   [‘grow up]   

He looks quite amused

He sits down on the sofa with his can and smiles.

"Where did that come from?"

As they leave the shop, Delyth demands, “Maya, where did that come from?”   

"He had it coming – cheeky git!"

Maya snarls that he had it coming, and that he is a ‘cheeky git’.   “I’m so impressed – I love seeing you so passionate like that,” Delyth tells her, 

"I'm not sure if I'm tired any more"

“I’m not sure if I’m tired any more – I’d love some company.”

"Sioned, sorry I'm late"

DJ at last arrives at Penrhewl where the food is still on the table;  “Sioned – I’m sorry I’m late,” 

She is not happy

but then she comes in, now dressed in her usual attire, and looks disapprovingly at him.

"I don't know what to say, Sioned"

“I don’t know what to say,” he whimpers, and she suggests that ‘sorry’ would be a good start.   

"It's all ruined now"

“I didn’t know you’d gone to so much trouble,” he says, but she growls that it is all ruined now, and cold.

"Ieuan Griffiths wanted a big buffet"

He explains that Ieuan Griffiths turned up, wanting a buffet for a council bigwig – 60 people at £15 a head;  “He would have taken the business somewhere else.”

"And you couldn't phone to tell me?"

“And you couldn’t phone to tell me?” she snarls, but he points out that this could be a good thing for the business;  

"It is a lot of money"

it is a lot of money and it could open more doors.   She grudgingly agrees that could be true and he calls it, “A reason to celebrate – what if I put this in the microwave?”

"I won't be the same"

She grumbles that it will not be the same, but he maintains it will be fine;  “Sioned, please don’t be angry with me!”   She invites him to open the wine and then she will see how she feels.   

"Are you sure you should drink?"

“Are you sure you should drink?” he asks, 

Sioned's disapproving look

then seeing the disapproving look on her face, concedes that she can have a small one.

Dani, by the shop . . .

Dani comes out of the shop just as Mark emerges from the alley;  

. . . asks how it went

“Did you go and see her?”   

"I'm still none the wiser"

He nods his head and replies that she was not at home, so he is still none the wiser what went wrong.

"I thought you'd left the country"

When she turns round, Jinx is approaching;  “Hello, stranger – I haven’t seen you for ages – I thought you’d left the country,” he says.

"Gwern's plea hearing tomorrow"

She reminds him that Gwern’s pleas hearing is tomorrow, and her head has been all over the place.   

"Shall we have a cup of tea?"

Jinx suggests that they could go for a cup of tea, because he just wants to support her.   

He takes Dani's hand

They walk across the road, hand in hand.

"I shall have to make my 'small one' last"

At Penrhewl, Sioned is determined to make her ‘small one’ last 

DJ finishes it off

and tells DJ he can finish the wine;  “I don’t want a row.”   

"It was a takeaway"

He notices the takeaway bag in which the meal was delivered;  

"I've been praising your cooking"

“I’ve been praising your cooking for half an hour and you didn’t make it!” he reprimands her.”

She maintains that she wanted to do something nice for him – a treat;  

"You're a fraudster, Sioned"

“It’s not a treat if you have to slave over the stove.”   He describes her as a fraudster, and she maintains he ought to be saying thank you, as she sorted a lovely takeaway, adding, “You deserve it, especially after everything you do for me.”

Are things looking up?

She kisses him and proposes that they go upstairs;  he imagines that she is tired after all her hard work.   “No – why don’t you come with me?” she adds.

He agrees that he is knackered, especially after that feed;  

"After I've cleared up and fed the dogs"

he will follow her after he has cleared up and fed the dogs.   

No – things are not looking up

She goes upstairs, disappointed again.

"I don't think he wants me dead"

At Cysgod y Glyn, Jinx appreciates that tomorrow will be tough;  “Gwern was angry that I got the house – but I don’t think he wants me dead.”

"I'm worried I've raised a monster"

Dani is less sure about that;  “And even if he doesn’t, he tried to burn a house down.   I’m just worried I’ve raised a monster.”

"He doesn't know how to control his feelings"

He assures her that is not true;  “He’s just a young boy and he doesn’t know how to control his feelings.”

"So I'm not making things worse?"

“So I’m not making things worse, suggesting they keep him in prison?” Dani wonders, 

"This is my fault, Jinx"

“This is my fault, Jinx – because I knew something like this would happen!   There’s stuff going round and round in my head – how did I lose him?”

"No-one knows what is going on in his head"

Jinx points out that no-one knows what goes on in the heads of boys that age.   That is what is bothering Dani;  

"What will happen to him?"

“What will happen to him?   

"What have I done?"

“What have I done?”