16 January 2024

Iolo come downstairs

Iolo comes downstairs and sits at the table;  

"Eggs, mushrooms, bacon, sausages"

his father brings in the food, asking, “What do you want?   I have eggs, mushrooms, bacon and sausages.” 

"A fry-up isn't going to sort anything"

Iolo warns him that a fry-up is not going to sort anything;  “He hasn’t said two words all weekend.”   Siôn’s answer is that perhaps Cai does not want to talk about what happened.   

"It's eating me alive, Dad!"

“But we have to – it’s eating me alive!   How can I go to work today?” Iolo whines.

Siôn doles out another tablet

Siôn takes out some more of the tablets from his pocket and dispenses one to Iolo.   Just then we hear a door close upstairs 

Cai is off to school

and Cai appears, complete with his briefcase, informing them, “I have things to do — work.”

"Isn't it too early?"

Siôn is surprised that he is going to school, suggesting that it is a bit too early;  “You know exactly why.”

"Because he left me half-dead in a pool of blood?"

Cai replies, “Because he left me half dead in a pool of blood?   

"I'll decide if I'm fit for work or not"

“Thank you for your concern, Siôn, but I’ll decide if I’m fit for work or not.”

Cassie and Kath are plotting

In the Deri, Cassie and Kath appear to have devised a plan to get Mark and Cheryl back together;  she is already preparing for the day’s work and then Mark comes in.   

Mark's 'awkward' look

They look awkwardly at each other.

"We're going out"

“Seeing as you’re both here, we’re going out,” Cassie announces, “You don’t mind sharing a shift, do you?   I know you asked Kath, but I didn’t agree to the arrangement.”

"I'm not here to chit-chat anyway"

Cheryl is not at all happy, but says, “Fine – I’m not here to chit-chat anyway.” Cassie and Kath seem to be content with this arrangement and then Brynmor comes downstairs, asking where they are going.

"You're the referee today, Brynmor!"

“Just going out, love,” Kath replies, “You’re the referee today, Brynmor!”   He does not seem to relish the prospect.

"I'm going to have to ask you to move out"

When Hywel visits number 21, Colin wonders if he would like a cup of tea, but he declines the offer;  “Sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to move out,” he says, which comes as a great shock to Colin.

"Gaynor has kicked me out"

Britt rushes in, demanding, “Did I hear that right?”   He explains that Gaynor has kicked him out and he has been looking for somewhere to live, but regards it as silly, because he has his own house there.

"Come off it, Hywel!"

“Come off it, Hywel!” Colin exclaims, “What about Kylie?   She’s staying with us until the end of the month.”   Hywel reminds them that they have the flat above MFC.   

"Can't you just wait until she goes back to her grandmother?"

“Can you just wait until she goes back to her grandmother?” Colin pleads.

"I have to think about Esther"

However, Hywel insists that he has to think about Esther;  “She’s not staying at Llwyncelyn.”   

"You can't just throw us out, Hywel!"

Britt suggest that he could move into the flat above MFC, stressing that they have rights and cannot just be thrown out on to the street.

"I think you'll find I can"

Hywel smugly answers, “I think you’ll find I can, Britt – you haven’t signed a contract – you’re lucky I’m giving you a week.”

"How do you think the council will react?"

“Right – how you think the council will react when they find out that you’ve evicted a family with a foster child?” Britt snarls, “There’s such a thing as squatters’ rights.”

"I'll have to take it further"

Faced with this opposition, he informs them, “If you don’t move out, I’ll have to take it further – and how will that look on your fostering record?”

"What was that about?"

Kylie comes downstairs, in her school uniform, and wants to know what that was about;  Colin tells her that the landlord just popped over 

"Everything's 'ticket-boo'!"

and everything is ‘tickety-boo’.   It is obvious to her that is not the case.

"Want a refill, Brynmor?"

Brynmor is sitting at the bar in the Deri, while Cheryl and Mark are on the other side, not speaking to each other;  Mark asks if he wants a refill of his coffee.   

Cheryl immediately provides it

Cheryl is quick to provide it, while Mark complains, “I was about to do that.”

She suggests that he can do something else instead, so he will go and check the stock.   

"I feel like I've gone back in time"

“I feel like I’ve gone back in time,” comments Brynmor, “It’s like watching children arguing in the playground.”   

"Well, he started it!"

Cheryl points out that Mark started it.

"You remind me of my daughter"

“You remind me of my daughter, Eleri,” he goes on, “She’s stubborn, too.”   

"Men walk all over you otherwise"

Cheryl maintains that men that walk all over you otherwise, and enquires what his daughter is up to.   

"She's in a spot of bother with the law"

“She’s in a spot of bother with the law in New York, of all places,” he replies, and Cheryl admits that she is no angel herself.

"Everyone makes mistakes"

“I’ve had a few run-ins with the police in my time – everybody makes mistakes.”

Brynmor assumes that she believes that everyone deserves a second chance;  

"Even Mark?"

“Even Mark?”   

"This is different"

She insists that this case is different.

"He wants revenge on me, Dad!"

“He wants his revenge on me, I’m telling you,” Iolo moans to his father, who still maintains that they will sort things out.

Cai is being replaced by a supply teacher

The door opens unexpectedly and Cai returns;  “I talked to Ffion and we’ve agreed that a supply teacher will replace me for a while.”   

"That will be for the best"

Siôn considers that will be for the best.   “You think that, do you?” demands Cai.

"I don't why I did it, Cai!"

“Look – I’m so sorry, Cai!” wails Iolo, “I don’t know why I did it – I lost control and . . .”   

"We've been so worried"

Siôn adds that they have both been so worried, and asks where Cai has been all this time.

"I needed time to think"

“I needed time to think,” he answers, “About what to do next.   

"There's a lot to consider when your family does that"

“There’s a lot to consider when your family does that.”   Siôn asks if he has come to a decision 

"When I do, you'll be the first to know"

and is told, “Not yet – but when I do, you’ll be the first to know.”   

They are worried now

He goes upstairs, leaving Siôn and Iolo very concerned.

The Deri is far from busy

As they both have a cup of coffee in the Deri, where there appears to be no customers, 

"Their heart's always in the right place"

Brynmor goes on, “One thing I’ve learned about the Joneses is their heart’s always in the right place.”

"But my sister, of all people!"

“But my sister, of all people!” exclaims Cheryl, “I don’t know if I can forgive him for that.”

Brynmor remarks that people do forgive much worse things;  “Haven’t you ever done anything you regret?   Don’t waste your time holding a grudge – 

"Life's much too short"

“life’s much too short.”

This appears to have had an effect on Cheryl and she changes the subject;  

"So what's happening with your daughter?"

“So what’s happening with your daughter?”   He says that he and Kath will be going out there and she wonders how long they will be gone.

"We'll be out there while the trial's on . . ."

“Well, that’s the thing – we’ll be out there while the trial’s on, to support Eleri – 

". . . and I was going to try and persuade Kath to settle down there"

“though I was going to try and persuade Kath to settle down over there.”   

"Living there?"

Cheryl is surprised that he is thinking about living over there.

Kath overhears this

Coincidentally, Kath happens to be walking through the door and hears this;  

"What?"

“What?” she demands 

Brynmor was not expecting to see her

and he is very shocked to see her there.

"We've been evicted!"

Britt is on the phone;  “We’ve tried that but we don’t have a choice – we’ve been evicted!” she says.   “Phone me back – it doesn’t matter what time.”

"The important thing is that Kylie can stay"

Colin is simultaneously on his phone, stressing that the important thing is that Kylie can stay.   

They are downhearted

When they end their calls Colin reveals that the solicitor does not think things look promising;  “Same with the social worker, “groans Britt.   They reach the reluctant conclusion that Kylie will have to leave;  

"We shall have the assessment done again!"

“Then we’ll have to have the home assessment done again, before we can foster any more children,” Britt complains.

"So you were lying?"

Unnoticed by them, Kylie has just returned from school, and realises that they were lying earlier.   

"Kylie – we're so sorry"

“Kylie – we’re so sorry – we’re trying to sort things out – aren’t we, Britt?” says Colin.

"Where will I go?"

“If I can’t stay with you, where will I go?” Kylie asks.

"Live there?"

Upstairs in the Deri flat, Kath demands, “Live there?   I thought you only  wanted us to stay there a few months.”   

"It's incredible out there, Kath!"

Brynmor explains that if Eleri is released, he would like to be there for her.   He maintains that it is incredible out there and that Kath would really enjoy it.

"You expect me to leave Mark?"

“You expect me to pack up and leave Mark?” she continues, incredulously, but Brynmor assures her that Mark is well able to look after himself.   

"He's going through a hard time"

“He’s going through a hard time now!” she protests.

“When isn’t he going through a hard time?” says Brynmor, “He can come out to visit us any time he wants – it’s time you starting putting yourself first.”

"We've only just bought the Deri!"

Kath raises another objection;  “But we’ve only just bought the Deri!”   He reminds her that they are both ‘silent partners’.   Cassie can run the place and Kath has a tenant in Maes-y-Deri.   He insists that the timing is perfect, but she is far from convinced.   

"At least, 'I don't know' is better than a straight 'no'!"

He comments that, at least, ‘I don’t know’ is better than a straight ‘no’.      

"Brynmor, I can't live without you"

“Brynmor, I can’t live without you,” she insists, “The last nine months have been terribly hard without you.”   

"The perfect reason to go, then" 

He regards this as the perfect reason for her to go, and at that moment Cassie walks in.

"Kath has something to tell you"

She wonders why neither of them is acknowledging her presence and he says that Kath has something to tell her.   

"Don't tell me you're pregnant!"

“Don’t tell me you’re pregnant!” Cassie gasps 

"No – not yet"

and Brynmor replies that she is not – yet.

"We're flying to New York – tomorrow!"

As Kath still says nothing, he is forced to explain, “We’re flying out to see Eleri in New York – tomorrow.”   

"And we might not come back"

Kath adds, “And we might not come back.”   

Cassie was not expecting that

Cassie greets this news with amazement.

Kylie is toying with her food

Colin and Britt, together with Kylie, are enjoying a meal in the Deri;  or rather, Kylie is only playing with hers.   

"It's out of our hands"

“Aren’t you going to eat your food?” Colin enquires, “We’re so sorry about this, but it’s out of our hands.”

"If it was up to us . . ."

“If it was up to us, we’d have you for the whole duration,” Britt assures her, but they have tried everything.

"Where will I go now?"

“Where will I go now?” she wonders and is told that the fostering service will decide.   “I don’t want to go to anyone else,” she protests.   Colin promises that they will stay in touch with her and check that she is all right.   “But I’ll have to move and live with other strangers?” Kylie goes on 

A few inches away, Hywel is feeling his conscience

and we see that just beyond the partition, listening to their conversation, is Hywel, with his pint.

"Why don't we do something nice together?"

“Why don’t we do something after we eat?’ Britt suggests, “Something nice together.”

"For the last time, you mean"

“For the last time, you mean,” groans Kylie.

Iolo is even more desperate . . .

Iolo is once again desperate for another tablet and is searching frantically through various drawers, 

. . . and upturns a drawer

emptying one of them on the table in his frustration.

Cai hurries downstairs to find out what is going on;  

"You're still on those tablets"

“What are you looking for?” he shouts, “You’re still on those tablets!”

"I really need them!"

Iolo cries out in anguish, “I really need them!” 

"Stop, Iolo!"

and Cai attempts to stop him, 

He hugs Iolo

hugging Iolo.

"Is there some special reason you called me over?" 

At Maes-y-Deri, where Mark has been summoned, he sits silently opposite Cheryl, then thanks her for the tea.   “Is there some special reason you called me over here?   I had the impression in work I was the last person you wanted to see.”

"We'll have to work together sometimes"

“Well, that’s the thing – we have to face the fact that we’ll have to work together sometimes,” she says, “Whether we like it or not – 

"'Copping off' with my sister"

“so, perhaps it’s time we moved on from you ‘copping off’ with my sister.”   

Mark hangs his head in shame

He very sheepishly agrees.

“Holding a grudge is draining – and I have better things to do,” she goes on 

"Does that mean we're friends again?"

and Mark dares to enquire whether that means they are friends again.   “I wouldn’t go that far,” she warns, 

"I'm willing to tolerate you"

“But I’m willing to tolerate you.   Remember ‘tolerating’ is different to ‘forgiving’.”

"I don't expect you to forgive me"

“I don’t expect you to forgive me for what I did,” he replies, and that is all Cheryl wanted to say, so he thinks that he had better go.   

"I'll see you, then"

“I’ll see you in work, when we’re sharing a shift,” he says, as he leaves, 

He realises he still has the mug

then realises that he is still carrying his mug and so brings it back.   

Is that a hint of a smile?

Cheryl permits herself the trace of a smile.

"Maya had a plan"

At Y Felin, Iolo explains to Cai that Maya had a plan to get him off the tablets, but his father has taken over.   

"Why won't he let you follow Maya's plan?"

“Why won’t he let you follow Maya’s plan?” Cai asks, and is told that he blames her for starting all this.   

"It should have been something temporary"

“She gave me the tablets in the first place – it should have been something temporary to settle me,” Iolo whimpers, while Cai realises that now he is dependent on them.

"Is there something else wrong?"

“Is there something else wrong?” Cai further enquires.

"Whatever you're going to do – just do it!"

Iolo begs, “Whatever you’re going to do – just do it – I can’t carry on like this.   You told Dad we were going to pay what we did.”

"People like you never think of anyone else!"

Hywel pays another visit to Number 21;  “What do you want now, Hywel?   People like you just take and never think of anyone else!” Britt snarls.

"You can stay until the end of the month"

Hywel tries to explain that they can stay until the end of the month;  “From what I understand, Kylie won’t have to leave so quickly then.   There’s no point her moving twice.”

"That's what we've been trying to tell you!"

Britt reiterates, “That’s what we’ve been trying to tell you!” she rants on, but Colin simply thanks Hywel.   

Kylie comes into sight

Kylie is coming downstairs as Britt wonders what changed Hywel’s mind.

"I can think of other people sometimes"

“Well, I can think of other people sometimes,” he says, as he leaves.

"Did you hear that, Kyles?"

“Hey, did you hear that, Kyles?   You don’t have to leave us early,” which she is pleased to hear.   Britt reminds him that I still have to move and will have to redecorate the flat, so that they can continue fostering.

"We don't have to worry about that now"

“We don’t have to worry about that right now – we need to enjoy this time with Kylie,” Colin tells her.

She still 'has it in' for Hywel

Britt however is still harping all about Hywel;  “Saying he’s thinking of other people!”

"Now I know that I was to blame"

Cai continues, “I couldn’t believe what you’d done – I wanted you to suffer and that’s why I disappeared.   Now I know that there was no point and I was to blame.   You were vulnerable and I knew that.”   

"What I did was unforgivable!"

Iolo continues to insist that what he did was unforgivable.

"I pushed you too far"

Cai admits, “I pushed you too far – with those tablets you weren’t yourself.”   Iolo imagines that perhaps he was . . . 

"The meeting went on"

but then Siôn arrives home, after his meeting has overrun.

He assures Iolo that he is all right without another tablet, 

Yet another tablet is doled out by Siôn 

but Iolo is desperate for one now, so is doled out another one, as Siôn tells Cai that it is all under control.

Iolo goes upstairs for a glass of water.   

"We're going to put it all behind us"

“Iolo and I have had a chat about what happened,” says Cai, “We’re going to put it all behind us – but I want him to get help to get off those tablets – real help!”   

"Yes, that's what we want"

Siôn seems keen to do that, but Cai is adamant that he will sort it.

"I'm glad you've forgiven us"

“Oh, Cai – these last few weeks have been a nightmare, to say the least, but I’m so glad you’ve forgiven us,” sighs Siôn.

"I heard everything in the gym"

Cai informs him, “When you came back to the gym with Iolo, I was still there – I was in the toilet, sorting out my face, and I heard everything.   

"It was your idea not to report it"

“It was your idea not to report it.   You persuaded Iolo to keep quiet – after everything I’ve been through!

"Perhaps I have forgiven Iolo . . .

“You have no idea what these last few weeks have been like!   Perhaps I have forgiven Iolo – 

". . . believe me, I haven't forgiven you!"

“but believe me, I haven’t forgiven you!”   

Now Siôn is dissolving into tears

Now it is Siôn’s turn to be gripped with fear.