31 October 2023

"Thanks for fitting me in"

Cheryl is at Bryntirion, doing Diane’s hair;  “Thank you for fitting me in at short notice – it’s important to have a treat now and again, isn’t it?”   Cheryl agrees that everyone deserves a treat, 

"This smells nice"

and Diane is rather taken up by the smell of what is being applied to her hair.

“Coconut hair serum,” she is told, 

"It's a bargain at twenty quid"

“Nice, isn’t it?   I can sell you some if you like – it’s a bargain at twenty quid.”   Diane decides that she will have some, and 

"To be honest, it's changed my life"

Cheryl goes on that the same company sells face moisturiser as well; “To be honest, it’s changed my life.”

Diane already has plenty of moisturisers, but it is emphasised that this is the best stuff and people even use it instead of having Botox.   

"I buy my stuff from Anita"

“I’d better not – I buy my stuff from Anita,” says Diane.

"The stuff that gave me a rash!"

“Oh yes – that stuff that gave me a rash!” Cheryl grimaces, then she asks, “How much did you pay Anita for that, if you don’t mind me asking?”

"I got it for £40"

“Well, according to Anita, it’s worth £50, but I got it for £40,” answers Diane, and Cheryl seems surprised, stressing that her product costs a great deal less than £50.   She applies a final spray to Diane’s hair.

Siôn is amusing himself

Cai comes downstairs at Y Felin to find Siôn constructing a tower with Jenga, which he found in the attic, and invites Cai to have a game.   

"It's very good for reducing stress"

“It’s very good for reducing stress.”

Cai will give it a miss

Cai turns down the opportunity, and Siôn concedes that there is something sad about seeing all those bricks fall down.   

"Perhaps Ffion would like to play with you"

“Perhaps Ffion would like to play with you,” Cai suggests, as he leaves the house.   

Siôn is disconcerted

Siôn appears very troubled by his comment.

"You know where I am"

Cheryl is about to go and tells Diane, “You know where I am next time you want a treat.”   

"That moisturiser – could I have a little test?"

She is paid, then Diane again mentions that moisturiser which was suggested, and would like a little test on her hand.

"How much is it?"

She is very impressed by the fragrance and enquires how much it is;  

"You can have it for fifteen"

“£20 – but you can have it for fifteen,” Cheryl replies, so Diane will try it – 

"Not a word to Anita?"

“But not a word to Anita?”

Mark looks at his phone and sees . . .

Mark is lounging on the sofa at number 7, watching television, when his phone sounds 

. . . someone is loitering outside Maes-y-Deri  

and he sees a stranger in a crash helmet outside Cheryl’s door at Maes-y-Deri.

He is alarmed when the figure moves round towards the back door and jumps to his feet.   

He pick up the first weapon he can find

He grabs what appears to be Seren’s hockey stick and rushes out of the house.

"I like your hair"

Now Anita is at Bryntirion, where she compliments Diane on her hair, imagining that she has been to Carmarthen.   “No, Cheryl came over and I had a little treat.”

"I hope you didn't buy that 'Beautiss' stuff!"

Anita frowns, “I hope she didn’t persuade you to buy that cheap ‘Beautiss’ stuff she’s got!”   Diane diplomatically changes the subject, asking if she is busy with ‘Meddal’.  

"They've just released this"

Anita lapses into sales-woman mode;  “You know what?   They’ve just released this – it’s the same as the skin moisturiser you bought from me – that’s good, isn’t it?   It must be, because you look so good.   But this one, you just put it under your eyes, like this – it will make you look twenty years younger.   It’s £60, but as it’s you . . .”

"I wanted a chat not a sales pitch"

Diane stops her there;  “A cup of tea and chat with a friend is what I wanted, not a sales pitch.”   

Anita did not like that

Of course Anita is offended by this.

Mark rushes into Maes-y-Deri  

Mark bursts into Maes-y-Deri and Cheryl wonders what is the matter;  

"What are you doing here"

“What are you doing here?” she asks, and is puzzled to see the plastic hockey stick in his hand.

"I thought I saw a guy prowling around"

He breathlessly tries to explain, “I thought I saw a guy prowling around and I was worrying it was that Dave guy.   He came to the door and then went round the back – I was worried.”

"It was the delivery from 'Beautiss'

She explains that it was the delivery from ‘Beautiss’;  “I got a text and he left the parcel by the back door.   

"Have you been watching the house?"

“Have you been watching the house?”   

"I was at home"

When he says that he was at home, she realises that he can monitor who rings the doorbell on his phone.”

Anita sniffs Diane's hand

Diane pours out another cup of tea and Anita detects an unfamiliar perfume on her hands;  “Hang on!” she exclaims, “That doesn’t smell like ‘Meddal’!   Have you been using Cheryl’s stuff?”

"It was cheaper and smells stronger"

Diane points out that it was cheaper and it smells stronger;  

"Don't take it so personally"

“Don’t take it so personally.”

"A friend betrays me!"

“Of course I’m going to take it personally when a friend betrays me!” Anita shouts 

She even refuses a chocolate biscuit

and decides that she does not want the proffered chocolate biscuit.   “Do you know what?   

"If my skin products aren't good enough . . ."

“If my skin products aren’t good enough for Diane Ashurst, neither is my company!” and off she goes.

"Does that give you the right to spy on me?"

Mark is very apologetic, “But I was just worried about you.”   Cheryl demands whether that gives him the right to spy on her.   

"I thought I'd keep an eye on the place"

“No – the camera was on my phone to check that it was working – I planned to delete the app, but because you were worried about Dave, I thought I’d leave it to keep an eye on the place.”

"I was worried I was making a mistake"

“When I told you what Dave did to me, part of me was worried that I was making a mistake – and then I persuaded myself that you were a good man.   You took advantage of the fact that I live in fear to see exactly who comes and goes from here.   And I can’t go to the cops to complain that you’re stalking me, because I’m worried Dave will find out!   Great – I feel so safe now!”

"I'm sorry, Cheryl"

Mark promises to delete the app and repeats that he is sorry, 

"I just want you to go"

but she just wants him to go.

A few pumpkins remain

Ffion comes out of the shop, where they still have a few pumpkins, 

"How's the leg, Ffion?"

and walks awkwardly towards Cai, who is approaching up with a friend, and asks how he is.   “I’m all right – how’s the leg?” he answers and she says that it is getting better.

"Would you like to come into school"

“I’ve been thinking, would you like to come into school tomorrow?   The place is empty over half-term.”   

"Yes, OK"

He agrees that he will do so 

"Ffion, this is Steve"

and introduces his friend Steve to Ffion.   

"Look  about you and Siôn . . ."

She will text him tomorrow with a time, and he tells her, “Look – about you and Siôn – I just wanted to say that I’m OK about it.”   She asks what he is talking about.

“You two – I heard about the . . .”   

"You don't have to hide anything from me"

She realises this is about the kiss and assures him that Siôn kissed her, but before she can go any further, he continues, “You don’t have to hide anything from me – it doesn’t matter who told me – just don’t tiptoe around me.   I’m fine.   If there’s something going on, don’t let me stop you.”

"There's nothing going on"

She tries to make it very clear that there is nothing going on;  “Can we talk about this somewhere else, please?”   He maintains that there is nothing to discuss;  he is on his way to the gym and will see her in school tomorrow.

Anita marches in

Anita is at Maes-y-Deri once more;  “Well?” she demands, 

"Around here we don't steal customers"

“I don’t know how you do it in Wrexham, but around here we don’t steal other people’s customers.”

"Because I sold moisturiser to Diane?"

“You’re seriously here just because I sold moisturiser to Diane?” smiles Cheryl, 

"This is just a friendly warning"

and is told that this is just a friendly warning.   

"Yeah – you sound very friendly"

“Oh, yeah?   You sound very friendly.”

"I don't want you undermining that friendship"

“Diane is an old friend and I don't want you undermining that friendship,” Anita goes on.   

Cheryl thanks her for the warning, but wonders what happens if the warning is ignored;  

"A horse's head in my bed?"

“Am I going to wake up with a horse’s head in my bed?”

"Skin-care is my niche"

“Listen, I’m happy for you to carry on selling hair products – but skin-care is my niche and I started first!” Anita insists, 

Cheryl laughs

but Cheryl simply laughs.   

"There's plenty of work out there"

“There’s plenty of work out there for both of us without competing for customers,” Anita adds.

Cheryl calmly points out that she does not see Anita as competition;  “Your stuff is more expensive than mine and – 

"Oh yeah – it causes flippin' rashes!"

“oh yeah – causes flippin’ rashes!   Now, unless you’re here to buy a moisturiser to replace the rubbish you sell, you can go.”

"Right, if that's how you feel"

“Right, if that’s how you feel . . .” Anita begins, and then simply walks out.

"Is Ifan going out for this trick-or-treating' nonsense?"

In the Deri, Kath asks Diane if Ifan is going out for this ‘trick-or-treating’ nonsense tonight.   “Only if he can eat all his sweets before getting home,” is the reply, “I deserve a medal for getting Dai to stick to his diet – 

"I caught Dani stealing a KitKat from Ifan's lunchbox"

“I caught him stealing a KitKat from Ifan’s lunchbox last week!   He’s at the rugby club today, thank goodness, so that I can get some peace.”

"Do you regret coming home for holiday?"

Kath comments that it sounds as if she regrets coming home from holiday, 

"Getting old isn't easy"

but Diane groans, “Getting old isn’t easy.”

“Dai still thinks he can prop up a scrum, does he?” Kath jokes, and is told that he will not admit that his body is not what it was.   “It’s difficult – 

"Especially if you're still sharp up here"

“especially if you’re still sharp up here.”

After getting back from her holiday, it struck Diane even more when she saw him;  “We’re not in our prime any more.” 

Kath stresses that they all have to go through it – it is just that some are more stubborn than others;  “Do you know what?   

"Even Dai Ashurst has to admit he needs help"

“Even the Dai Ashursts of this world have to admit that they need help.”

Mark comes in and she continues, “Talking of help, where have you been?   We said two o’clock on the dot!”   

"I'm only six minutes late"

He reminds her that he is only six minutes late, and she reminds him that he only lives 30 seconds down the road.

His mother requires some help;  “We’ve had complaints about the Hallowe’en decorations – 

"Is that straight"

“Is that straight?”   After some instructions from Mark, 

"Oh, do it yourself!"

she tells him to do it himself.   

"I can't do anything right today"

He grumbles that he cannot do anything right today.

"I can't believe how brazen she was!"

Along the road at Tomos ac Ellis, Anita is again moaning, this time at Ieuan, “I can’t believe how brazen she was – she knows that I sell skin-care products in Cwmderi!   

"What does she know about skin-care?"

“What does she know about skin-care – she’s a hairdresser!”   He simply grunts, so she turns on him;  

"Are you listening to a word I'm saying?"

“Are you listening to a word I’m saying?”

He explains that he wants to read an article before tonight, but Anita is convinced, “You don’t care at all, do you?”   

"You could drop your prices"

He suggests that she should talk to Cheryl and reach some kind of arrangement – or Anita could drop her prices.

"I could sue her!"

“I can’t drop my prices – that’s where my profit comes from!” she exclaims, “I could sue her!”   

"On what grounds?"

Ieuan wonders on what grounds she could do that.

"Defamation?   Unfair competition?"

“I don’t know – defamation?   Unfair competition?”   He doubts that she has a strong case, 

"It might be possible to change her mind"

but is convinced that it is possible to offer Cheryl something to change her mind.

"He knows about the kiss!"

Ffion arrives at Y Felin and asks if Cai is there;  “He knows about the kiss!” she growls, 

"You haven't told him?"

and Siôn imagines that she has told him.   

"Do you think I want anyone to know?"

“No – do you think I want anyone to know?” she snarls, “You or Iolo must have told him!”

"I'm doing all I can not to upset him"

“Hand on heart – I’m doing all I can not to upset him,” replies Siôn, “I’m trying to keep him busy – do you fancy a game of Jenga – or a cup of tea?”

She is looking furious, so he goes on, “Sometimes these things happen between friends – I’m sure he’ll understand.”

She angrily points out that he kissed her and the only reason she did not stop him was that she was in shock.   

"I wouldn't kiss you if you paid me!"

“I wouldn’t kiss you if you paid me!” she sternly informs Siôn.

Cai walks in and then walks out again

Then the door opens and Cai returns;  when he sees them looking at each other, he turns round and goes into the kitchen.

Ieuan calls to Cheryl

Cheryl is walking past Tomos ac Ellis when Ieuan calls to her;  

"What I suggest is . . ."

“I’m sure you don’t want this bad feeling because you’re competing for the same customers.   So what I suggest is . . .”

"You stick to selling hair products"

Anita takes over from here, “You stick to selling hair products and I focus on skin products.”   

"I've already said no"

Cheryl reminds her that they have already discussed this and that she said no.

"If Anita gives you 5% of her profits"

“But Anita has agreed to give 5% of her skincare profits to you,” Ieuan continues, which Anita considers is more than fair.

"I need this money to live"

“I don’t want handouts – it’s my job, not a project to keep me busy,” Cheryl replies, “I need this money to live,” 

"How about 10%?"

so Ieuan increases the offer to 10%, but Anita objects to that.

“Sell what do you want – hair products, skin products – yourself, even!   

"You can retire and live off 'moneybags'!"

“Or you can just retire and live off ‘moneybags’,” Cheryl tells her, before walking away.

"Well, it was worth trying"

Ieuan and Anita look at each other;  he comments that it was worth trying.

"Right, I'll leave you to it"

Cai has made himself a cup of tea, which he will take upstairs and leave the two of them to it.   Ffion informs him that there is nothing going on between her and Siôn.   

"It's nothing to do with me"

“It’s nothing to do with me,” he replies.

"Yes it is!   We have history"

“Yes it is!” she insists, “We have history – I’m worried about you – I don’t want you to get hurt.”

"I don't give a damn what you do!"

“To be completely honest with you, Ffion, I don’t give a damn what you do!” snarls Cai, “After everything I’ve been through recently, do you think I’m going to let this worry me?   

"I've got more important things on my plate!"

“I’ve got more important things on my plate!”

"I didn't want to make things worse for you"

Ffion explains that she did not want to make things worse for him;  “I know I’ve just come out of hospital, but I don’t want you treat me any differently – 

"If being together is what you want . . ."

“and if being together is what you want . . .”

"It was a mistake, wasn't it – Siôn?"

Ffion is very quick to emphasise, “It’s not what we want – it was a mistake – wasn’t it, Siôn?”   He has no choice but to confirm this, and Cai suggests that they forget about it now.   

"Are you still coming to school?"

“Please!” sighs Ffion, “Are you still coming to school tomorrow, like we discussed?” 

"Enjoy the Jenga!"

“Of course,” says Cai, “Enjoy the Jenga!” and he goes upstairs.   Siôn realises that they were worried for no reason, 

"The kiss was not the end of the world"

and the kiss was not the end of the world after all.   

Ffion hurries away

Disgusted, Ffion walks out of the house.

Cheryl receives texts from Mark

Cheryl is sitting at Maes-y-Deri at four o’clock when her phone sounds with a message from Mark;  ‘I’m really sorry.   I’ve deleted the app.’   

He hopes they are still friends

It is quickly followed by another one;  ‘Still friends?’ 

She is not so sure about that

and she tosses down the phone.

"You could ask them not to use Cheryl's stuff"

Ieuan has made tea and suggests that Anita could ask her customers not to use Cheryl’s stuff;  

"I can't do that!"

“I can’t do that – it sounds as if I’m worried her products are better than mine.”

"Theyr'e not better, are they?"

“Just so that I understand, they’re not – are they?” he enquires, 

"Of course not!"

which she vehemently denies.

She goes on complaining that everything was fine until Cheryl copied her;  “I had a tidy market just to myself!”   

"You don't have to do this, Anita"

Ieuan ventures to suggest that Cheryl has a point;  “You don’t have to do this – you have a pension, a good job at APD, money from number 10 – you don’t have to sell soap.”

"It's not soap!"

Anita protests that it is not soap;  “You don’t have to do it – that’s my point,” he explains, 

"Stop worrying and let me spoil you"

“You might as will sit back, stop worrying and let me spoil you.”

Of course, Anita does not welcome this;  “And I might as well retire because I’m old, is it, Ieuan?   

"When are you thinking of retiring?"

“When are you thinking of retiring?”   

"No chance of doing that!"

He is adamant that there is no chance of him so doing.   

"Me neither!"

“Me neither!” she snarls.

"I'm going to destroy him!"

As Cai walks down the stairs at Y Felin, he is talking on the phone;  “I’m going to destroy him!” he says, “But I need to be careful – I’m popping into school tomorrow.   I’ll see you later.”

He is surprised to see that Siôn is there, expecting him to be out trick-or-treating with Greta.   

"Silly American tradition!"

“No, that’s a silly American tradition,” Siôn tells him, “Who was that you were talking to on the phone?   Where are you going, then?   Are you meeting someone?”

"What is this – question time?"

“What is this – question time?” demands Cai, “I’ve told you that I’m going to the gym.”

"If you've fallen out with someone . . ."

“Listen, Cai, if you’ve fallen out with someone, don’t be rash,” Siôn goes on.

Cai knows that Siôn is worried after what happened, 

"You can't keep me on a leash for ever!"

but he cannot be kept on a leash for ever;  

"Just leave me alone, will you?"

“I’m off – Siôn, just leave me alone, will you?