21 May 2024

"Good – I've caught up with you before you go to work"

Anita comes into number 7, trundling her large suitcase, and shouts for Kelly, who is upstairs;  “Good – I’ve caught up with you before you go to work,” says Anita.   Kelly looks at the case and assumes that she is going on holiday.

"I'm going to Canada  to see Darren"

“Yes, I’m going to Canada to see Darren,” she replies, 

"You what?"

which comes as rather a shock to Kelly.

"Do you want some coffee?"

Lleucu is lounging on the sofa in her pyjamas when her father brings in some coffee;  she does not like the sound of coffee 

"I'll have a pancake, though"

but says, “I’ll have a pancake, though.   I need my carbs – I’m worried about my future – with strawberries and chocolate spread!”

"I won't be doing this every day"

Cai warns that he will not be doing this every day and she tells him, “A fresh smoothie and a croissant is usually fine.”   

"Would you like bits of gold sprinkled on the top?"

Her father enquires whether she would like bits of gold sprinkled on the top and she jokes that it has to be Welsh gold.

Then he has a message on his phone;  “It’s Mathew – he wants to know the plans for tomorrow – the Sunday school trip.   I don’t have to go.”

"You did organise it, Dad"

Lleucu points out that he organised it, but he maintains that he has more important things to do now.

"I don't want you in my face all the time"

I want to live with you – but I don’t want you in my face all the time!” she protests, “I’m almost 16 – go!   I might be busy, anyway – I’m meeting Arwen at lunchtime – she’s going to introduce me to some of her mates.   I don’t know whether I shall be friends with her, 

"I have to try with my cousin"

but I have to try with my cousin, so I’m not a complete loner in September.”

"You can't even say the name of the place"

Kelly is obviously not keen on Anita leaving;  “You can’t even say the name of the place properly – how will you cope?”   

"Yes I can – Saskatchewan!"

Anita proves that she can say Saskatchewan and points out that Darren is picking her up from the airport.

“When are you coming back?” is the next question, the answer to which Anita has not yet decided.   

"This is ridiculous, like!"

“This is ridiculous, like!” squeals Kelly.   Anita realises that this has come as a shock to her, 

"I just have to do this, Kelly"

but she just has to do this.

"Is the 'Meddal' mafia after you again?"

Ieuan knocks at the door and Anita lets him in;  ‘What’s the emergency?” he demands, “Is the ‘Meddal’ Mafia after you again?”   Kelly realises that he does not know about Anita’s plans.

"I'm going to Canada to see Darren"

“Listen, I hope you don’t mind, but I had to tell Kelly first,” Anita begins “I’m going to Canada for a while to see Darren and the family.”

Ieuan is shocked

As he looks dumbstruck, 

"She's booked a flight and everything!"

Kelly confirms, “Oh, aye, she’s booked a flight and everything – eight o’clock tonight.”   Ieuan asks if he is going with her and is informed that he is not.

"This is for the best, Ieuan"

Anita tells him that she believes after everything that has happened, this is for the best;  

"I need a break from everything"

“I need a break from the village – from the people and the stress – everything.”   He is very concerned that even includes the two of them.

"Stick to the pavements"

Lleucu is going out for a run;  her father advises her to be careful and stick to the pavements.   

"In case Anita is about again?"

“What – in case Anita is about again?” she laughs.

"Do you still want to borrow my tent?"

Siôn asks Cai, “Do you still want to borrow my tent?”   Cai enquires whether he is perfectly sure he does not want to come and he is.   

"Can you get a few things from APD?"

Then he is asked if he can get a few things from APD;  he will send a text, listing the items.

“Last chance – are you sure you don’t want to come?”   

"Unless there's a pavilion or a Bardic contest . . ."

Siôn replies that unless there is a pavilion or a Bardic contest, he is not interested in sleeping in a field.

"Having her here is doing you the world of good"

Cai is grateful to him for letting Lleucu stay and Siôn replies that having her there is fun;  “And having her here is doing you the world of good as well.”

Cai now realises how much he has missed the children;  “It’s a shame Twm is not here as well.”   

"You need to talk to talk to Nesta"

Siôn recommends that if he wants his son there, he needs to talk to Nesta – this is his chance

Lleucu speeds round the corner

Lleucu comes out of the alley and is adjusting her earphone when she almost runs into Cassie;  

"These things are nothing but trouble!"

“Sorry – these things are nothing but trouble!” she complains, “I was singing a duet with Taylor Swift in my head – I was getting paranoid that I was the only Gog [North Walian] round here.”

"We get everywhere"

Cassie, who is also from that direction, replies, “We get everywhere – are you on holiday?”   Lleucu replies that she is staying with her father 

"I haven't been in Cwmderi for ages"

and has not been in Cwmderi for ages.

“That ‘Tamed’ place looks lovely – I’ll get cool pictures for the socials there – 

"Not pretty enough to go on the socials"

“and then MFC, the food I really want – but it’s not pretty enough to go on the socials!”

"Tell your father to being you to the Deri"

Cassie points out the Deri Arms, which she and her friend run;  “You should tell your father to bring you there for dinner.”   

"He probably lives there – Cai Rossiter"

Lleucu replies that her father probably lives there – Cai Rossiter – and Cassie is surprised that she is Cai’s daughter.

“Why are you looking so shocked?” Lleucu wonders and describes her father as, “Impatient and dry!”   

"You're related to Ffion, then"

Cassie realises that she is related to Ffion in that case;  “I hope I’m not like her,” Lleucu groans, then discovers that the mobile signal is not great in the village

“No, but we have Wi-Fi in the Deri – you can have the password – as long as you buy something,” Cassie tells her, “Hot chocolate is £2.50.”   

"Any reduction for a 'Gog'?"

Lleucu asks if there is any reduction for a ‘Gog’, and is told that it is still £2.50, but she can have some whipped cream.   As they walk towards the Deri, Lleucu comments on Cassie’s shirt.

"Batteries for the torches"

At APD, Siôn is reading the list sent to him by Cai, which includes batteries for the torches, which Mathew supplies;  

"I'm looking forward to this trip"

he is looking forward to the trip, which he says will be fun.

“I’ll be thinking of you from the comfort of Y Felin,” Siôn replies and Mathew still cannot understand why he is not coming with them.   

"I love camping at the Eisteddfod"

“I love camping at the Eisteddfod every year – there is something magical about sleeping in a field,” Siôn maintains.

"Is Jason here?"

Ffion comes in, looking for Jason;  she is told that he is finishing a job in Llanarthur.   

"He was supposed to be meeting me at Deri Fawr"

“He was supposed to be meeting me at Deri Fawr – I’ve wasted my lunch hour!” she moans.   

"There's nothing in the diary"

Mathew apologises, but nothing has been put down in the diary.   He could have come over, but apparently Jason had insisted he had some ideas for the kitchen.

Siôn is surprised to hear that she is thinking of buying the place, 

"It needs so much work"

and she is still not sure, after realising how much work it needs.   Mathew immediately volunteers to measure the kitchen, but now it is too late and she has to go back to school.

"I can come over about four"

“How about tonight?   I can come over about four,” Mathew offers;  he is warned not to be late, or Ffion will give up on APD and go somewhere else.   

"Yes, Miss!"

“Yes, Miss!” he replies.

"I hope it will be more than a holiday"

In the Deri, Lleucu continues talking to Cassie;  “I hope it will be more than a holiday,” but is reminded that is if her mother agrees, which she regards as a big ‘if’.

"She hates making me happy"

“She hates making me happy and loves going against me on everything,” Lleucu complains, “I’m supposed to meet Arwen and her friends, 

"Can I have a job here?"

“but she’s not answering my messages.   If I stay, can I have a job here?”

"Are you good at washing up?"

Cassie asks if she is good at washing up;  “I’m brilliant at putting them in the dishwasher – and you wouldn’t have to pay me, not in cash anyway, just vodka!”   She is told there is no chance of that, 

"How about £10 an hour?"

so would like £10 an hour.

“We’ll see what your mother says, yeah?” is Cassie’s reply.   

"I'll probably be in Dubai this time next week"

Lleucu sighs that she will probably be in Dubai by this time next week;  

"She wants what's best for you"

she is informed that her mother wants what is best for her.

“I know, but sometimes I know what that is better than she does,” says Lleucu and thanks Cassie for the food.   “It’s nice to have something normal – Siôn cooks some weird things.   

"I'm going to wander the streets, looking for friends"

“Right – I’m going to wander the streets, looking for friends.”

Cassie assures her that she has one there;  “Your mother doesn’t want to lose you – and it’s very difficult to let go sometimes, even though you know it’s the best thing to do.”

"You're the one who's late, Ffion!"

Mathew is at Deri Fawr, where Ffion arrives late;  “It’s lucky you’re not – 

"I would phone Clive Owen in Llanarthur"

“or I would phone Clive Owen in Llanarthur,” she comments.

“What – Cowboy Clive?” Mathew jeers, “He would have gone to Tomos ac Ellis first to get to the key to let himself in early and take a look before you arrived.   

"You're grovelling after letting me down"

“You’re grovelling after letting me down!” she reprimands him.

"We installed these a few years ago`'

“Right, these worktops – I’m sure we installed these a few years ago, so they’re not that old.”   

"I'd like a real Aga here"

Ffion would like a real Aga to be installed, because she knows that Clive could do that, so Mathew goes one better by suggesting he could put in two of them.   They go upstairs to sort out the improvements she wants there.

"Where are you going, Anita?"

In the Deri, Anita is sitting alone with her cup of tea and Geraint is on duty behind the bar when Diane walks in, asking where she is going.

"What – just to avoid me?"

“I’m going away for a while to stay with Darren,” which Diane regards as a bit drastic – going to the other side of the world just to avoid her.   

"I'm not sure how long I'll be away"

“That’s not why I’m going and I’m not sure why how long I will be away.”

She confirms that Ieuan will not be going with her;  contrary to her expectations, 

"You haven't been yourself lately"

Diane thinks that it is a good idea, as Anita has not been herself lately.   “How long have we known each other now?   I’ve seen you up and I’ve seen you down – happy and sad – but a friend.”

"And an enemy"

Anita suggests that she has also been an enemy;  

"But I've never seen you like this"

“But I’ve never seen you like this,” Diane goes on, “Sometimes taking a step back does the world of good.   

"I'm sure Siôn will mis you!"

“Mind you, I’m going to miss you – and I’m sure Siôn will as well!”

Ieuan comes in

Then Ieuan Griffiths rushes in, still trying to change Anita’s mind;  

"Please come home, so we can talk'

“Please come home so that we can talk.”   

Diane asks when she is going to leave for the airport and stresses that Anita needs to go;  

"If you won't drive her, I will"

“Now, if you won’t drive her, I will!”

"I need this time to get to know Dad again"

Lleucu is sitting on the bench in the alley, talking to her mother on the phone;  “I want you to know that you’re never going to lose me – you always tell us to follow what makes us happy.   I really need this time to get to know Dad again – and I know I’m going to miss you, but I have to do this, Mam.”

Cassie appears

Cassie is just walking past and asks if she has found any friends yet;  

"Arwen's still ignoring me"

unfortunately Arwen is still ignoring Lleucu.   

"You'll be all right in this place"

“You’ll be fine without her – you’ll be OK in this place,” Cassie assures her. 

Lleucu thanks her for today;  “I didn’t do anything except give you a hot chocolate and chips,” Cassie points out, but Lleucu says she got a lot more than that.

Mathew points out that an en-suite is a waste of money

At Deri Fawr, Ffion obviously has high aspirations;  “An en-suite is possible, then?”   Mathew warns her that it will cost a lot of money just to wash a few feet closer.   

"I thought you were trying to make money"

“Give me a price with and without, then,” she decides, “But I thought you were trying to make money.”

“We offer fair advice to benefit the customer,” he replies and she wonders if they have all learned that script.   

"My people skills and good looks"

“I haven’t, because my people skills and good looks are usually enough!” he boasts.

“Is there room for an island in here?” is her next query, which he finds rather excessive, but recommends that it will not have to be a very big one.

"Are you looking forward to living here?"

As he measures the space, he asks if she is looking forward to living there and she says that she is, if she can do what she wants with the place.   “I’d like it to be a forever home for Arwen and me.”

The measuring tape is rewound and Mathew remarks that there is plenty of room – for the island;  

Hello – what's developing here?

and they look into each other’s eyes for some reason.

“I’ll make an offer, then – I don’t want to miss out again.”   He comments that it is exciting 

"Was there anything else?"

and wonders if there was anything else.  “No, I don’t think so,” she replies, still gazing at him, 

What do you think you're doing, girl?

before leaning forward and kissing him.

Mathew grabs (some of) his belongings . . .

He quickly decides that it is high time that he took his leave;  “I think I’ve got everything I need – I’ll be in touch,” he says 

. . . and beats a hasty retreat

as he rapidly leaves the house, 

Ffion appears disappointed

apparently much to Ffion’s disappointment.

Anita arrives with Diane and Griffiths

Anita once again comes into number 7, this time accompanied by Ieuan and Diane;  “I’m just saying goodbye,” Anita tells Kelly and Griffiths apologises that he could not argue with both of them.

“I’m going – I’m not going to change my mind,” Anita stresses, 

"I've let you down, Auntie Anita"

but Kelly cannot help feeling that she has let her Auntie down.

"Don't talk nonsense"

She is told not to talk nonsense, 

"I know something's not right, OK?"

but maintains, “I know something is not right, OK?   I’m really sorry for stressing you out with the divorce and everything.”   

"It's not your fault – or theirs"

Anita insists that none of this is her fault, or that of the other two.

“I’ve said, this is about me and the fact that I need a break,” Anita continues, 

Kelly has alternative suggestions

so Kelly urges her to use her annual leave and have a few days off, go to the doctor, have sleeping pills, have a weekend away – but begs Aunti Neet not to go

"What I need is some distance"

“Do you know what?   When I heard about that girl, Lleucu, having the chance to escape to Dubai, I realised that’s exactly what I need – some distance.   

"The three of you mean everything to me"

“The three of you mean everything to me, all right?   

"I'm not leaving you, but I am leaving the valley"

“I’m not leaving you, but I am leaving the valley.”

Ffion catches up with Mathew 

Mathew is outside APD when Ffion catches up with him;  “You’re still here, then?   

"I thought you might have left the country"

“I thought you might have left the country, the speed you disappeared.”   He tells her that he has things to do 

"You're not my only customer, Ffion"

and that she is not his only customer.

"You left this behind"

She informs him that he forgot his notebook in his haste to get away;  as he grabs it, she says, “Math, listen, about earlier . . .” 

"You were looking for a lightbulb the other week"

but before she can say anything else, Cassie approaches and he reminds her that she was looking for a lightbulb a while ago.

He says that he has found a suitable one and invites her into the shop, which Ffion regards as rather strange behaviour.   

Is she trying to make Rhys jealous?

Does she actually look strangely pleased with herself?

"I shall make a gluten-free pie"

Cai is sitting on the stairs at Y Felin when Siôn and Lleucu come in, with Siôn proposing to try a recipé for a gluten-free pie tonight.  

"Nesta has just phoned"

Cai announces that Nesta has phoned 

"She said no, didn't she?"

and Lleucu is expecting the worst.

"She's agreed!"

“She’s agreed,” he replies, which comes as a great surprise.

"That's amazing!"

“That’s amazing!   I didn’t think she’d say yes!   

Lleucu wants some alterations to her room

“I’ll have to give my room a makeover, though – can I paint it and get rid of that fitted wardrobe?”   Cai tells her to deal with one thing at a time, so she wants to know when she can fetch her stuff;  “I can’t live much longer without my straighteners!”

A brief message from her mother

Her phone sounds and we see that it is 17:30;  there is a brief message from her mother, ‘Love you!’   Now she is going to phone her mother and suggests that later they could have a pizza to celebrate.

"How about my pie?"

Siôn asks about the gluten-free pie 

"I enjoy gluten when I'm celebrating!"

and she answers, “I enjoy gluten when I’m celebrating!”   When she has gone upstairs, 

"Are you sure you're happy for us to stay?"

Cai asks Siôn if he is sure that he is happy for them to stay.   Siôn says that of course he is and wonders if Cai managed to get hold of Twm. 

"Twm is looking forward to going to Dubai"

“He says he’s looking forward to going to Dubai – I have to respect what he wants to do, like Nesta has with Lleucu.”

"I won't be going tomorrow"

Siôn has purchased all the things he wanted from the village, but Cai has now decided that he will not be going tomorrow;  “I’ve got a lot to sort out and I don’t want to leave her again.   Look, I don’t want to kick you out of your own home, 

"Please, Siôn, for Lleucu and me!"

“but there’s an empty seat on the bus – and I need a leader – please, Siôn, – for Lleucu and me!   

"You'll love being with the boys"

“Come on – you’ll love being with the boys.”

The taxi is being loaded

Ieuan loads the case into the back of the car 

"Phone us as soon as you land"

as Kelly instructs Anita to phone her as soon as they land.   Anita is keen that Mathew should be informed of what has happened.

"I'm willing to wait for you"

“Just so you know, I’m willing to wait for you,” says Ieuan and she advises him not to hide in his mother’s house for too long;  

They kiss

they hug, then Anita gets into the car.

The taxi leaves the village

As it drives away along the street, the three of them wave;  “Do you think she’ll come back?” wonders Kelly.   

"She'll come back, stronger than ever!"

Diane is quite convinced that she will come back, stronger than ever.