11 June 2024

Kelly is looking at the Western Post . . .

Kelly is reading the Western Post online version of the report on Jason’s disappearance when there is a knock at the door;  

. . . when Ieuan Griffiths arrives

it is Griffiths, 

"I was in the shop when I saw . . ."

who says, “I happened to be in the shop when I saw . . .”

"Missing man faced financial ruin!"

Kelly complete his sentence, “Missing man faced financial ruin!”   He tells her not to listen to that, dismissing it as a ‘chip shop paper’.   

"You can't sell chips on the internet"

“The thing is, though, you can’t sell chips on the Internet, can you?” Kelly snarls, “I seriously thought this would be, like, about a missing rucksack – 

"It doesn't sell as many papers!"

“but I guess ‘Missing man probably fell into the river’ doesn’t sell as many papers as ‘Gambling addict Francis previously faced bankruptcy’!   And do you know what else?   Apparently I demanded thousands from him – thousands!”

Griffiths wonders who told the paper this, and she reads, “Sources close to Mrs Francis-Evans, apparently!”   

"You're not suggesting it was me?"

He hopes that she is not suggesting that it was him, 

"This says I'm responsible"

but she replies, “No – but this says I’m responsible for Jason’s ‘downward spiral of despair and self-destruction’.   This is slander – I could sue them!”

"I've tried that several times"

Griffiths is not so sure about this, as he has tried several times.   “I just can’t believe the Western Post would stoop so low and treat an ex-loyal employee like that!” she exclaims.

"People seriously think I'm responsible"

As she dissolves into tears, she continues, “People seriously think I’m responsible for Jason’s disappearance!” 

She rushes out of the house

then gets up and marches out of the house, leaving Griffiths on his own there.

"Do you want some breakfast, Cassie`/"

In the Deri flat, Kath offers Cassie some breakfast, but she is quite happy with a coffee.   

"It stinks of grease in here!"

The overbearing Eleri walks in, commenting, “Open the windows, will you?   It stinks of grease in here!”

Kath comments on her smart appearance and Cassie says, “I haven’t seen the shoulder pads like that since Joan Collins.   

"Is Tomos ac Ellis ready?"

Kath wonders if Tomos ac Ellis is ready for them.

"You have to show who's boss"

“You have to show who’s boss from day one, don’t you, Kath?” demands Eleri as she leaves the flat.

"How long do we have to suffer this?"

“How long do we have to suffer this?” groans Cassie.   

"Where did she get the money?"

Kath hopes that with this new job she will pay herself enough to rent somewhere else.   “Where did she get the money to buy Tomos ac Ellis, then?” is Cassie’s next question.

"Exactly what I've been asking myself"

“That’s exactly what I’ve been asking myself,” is the reply

Griffiths comes into APD

Griffiths walks into APD, where he greets Mathew;  “You’re open again, then?”   

"People still want patios and damp proof courses"

Mathew points out that people still want patios and damp proof courses – although half his staff is not there.

Griffiths continues that Anita sends her regards, and Mathew remarks, “While she’s stuffing her face with maple syrup, is it?”   

"Anita felt awful about leaving so quickly"

Griffiths maintains that she felt awful that she had to leave so quickly and the last thing she wanted was to let him down, but she needed the time.

"How am I going to manage all these jobs?"

Mathew does not know how he is going to manage all the jobs without Jason and Anita;  he is advised that he needs to find someone else to replace them.   “You need the staff – and I need to help fill the hole that Anita has left.”

"What building experience do you have""

Mathew asks what building experience he has 

"Never touched a shovel in my life!"

and is told, “I’ve never touched a shovel in my life!   But I have dealt with accounts and money – 

"Got a spare fleece anywhere?"

“so have you got a spare fleece anywhere?”

Diane is furious

Kelly has gone to Bryntirion, where Diane rages, “This front page should have an appeal to help find Jason – not a scandal about his ex!   To think you worked for that good-for-nothing paper!”

"The social media comments are even worse!"

“Well, do you know what?   The social media comments are even worse!” Kelly informs her, 

"A money-grabbing gold-digger!"

“One of them calls me a money-grabbing gold-digger!   Who says something like that?   I threw every Western Post from the shop in the bin!   You wouldn’t believe what Megan said – basically she just agreed with the article.”

"Have you got to be so self-obsessed?"

Diane shouts, “Have you got to be so self-obsessed, worrying about what everyone else says, 

"Jason is . . . wherever he is"

“when Jason is . . . wherever he is.   You haven’t even asked about Ifan – he’s up every hour of the night, unable to sleep – which means that nobody else can get any sleep – and then Dai . . .”

Kelly appreciates this and asks whether she should pick Ifan up from school to give her a break, 

"Ifan needs routine and order"

but Diane insists that he needs routine and order.   

"You need to get yourself in order"

“Yes, for him to have order, you need to get yourself and this place in order,” Kelly reminds her.

The police arrive

Then there is a knock at the door and two police officers come in;  

"You've found him?"

“Is there any news?” asks Diane, “You’ve found him?”

Rhys is late for work

Rhys rushes into Tomos ac Ellis and is informed that he is late;  he says that he had to pop into number 10 as he is letting it at short notice.   

"That's no excuse – where's Kelly?"

“That’s no excuse – where’s Kelly?” snaps Eleri.

"You do know Jason's still missing?"

“You do know that Jason’s still missing, don’t you?” demands Rhys and is told that he will have to work more hours until she is back, in that case.

"The wheels of the business world don't stop for anyone"

“The wheels of the business world don’t stop for anyone,” she goes on and he enquires what plans she has for the future.   “A test period for you and Kelly – 

"A chance to hit your targets"

“a chance for you to show that you can hit your targets, prove your worth – and if you don’t, I've got plenty of high-fliers queueing up to take your place.” 

"Have you heard any more about Deri Fawr?"

The door opens and Ffion comes in to ask if he has heard any more about Deri Fawr;  Eleri decides that it is time she went for some coffee and leaves the office.   

"He wants the sale to go through as soon as possible"

“The last time I spoke to John, he wanted the sale to go through as soon as possible,” Rhys tells Ffion, who wants to know who owns the land around the farm.

Ffion wants to keep chickens

“I’d like to buy a portion of it, just to grow some vegetables – and to keep chickens.”

"Are you having a mid-life crisis?"

Rhys suspects that she may be having a mid-life crisis;  

"Not so extreme as snogging your ex's best friend"

“Mind you, that’s not as extreme as snogging your ex’s best friend,” he adds.   

"There's nothing going on between me and Mathew!"

She makes it very clear that there is nothing going on between her and Mathew (although that is not what she has told Mathew).

“Not that I have to justify myself to you – I just want to know who owns the land.   Find out for me, please.”   

"I'm rather busy, Ffi . . ."

He replies that he is rather busy 

". . . you could ask them yourself"

and obstructively suggests that she could ask John or the council herself.

Ffion notices . . .

As she leaves the office, 

. . . a despondent-looking Kelly

she notices Kelly walking past the deli, looking very downcast and asks if there is any news.   

"They're scaling the operation back"

“They’re scaling the operation back – stopping the ground search in the woods,” Kelly sighs.

"But still keeping the missing person case open?"

Ffion assumes that they are keeping the missing person case open, but Kelly can see that everything is so overwhelming – and exhausting.   

"Why has this happened, Ffi?"

“Why has this happened, Ffi?   And where’s Jason?   It’s not all right to be upset – I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about my husband – who actually isn’t my husband any more – who possibly, probably, is dead, but there’s no confirmation.   

"Am I allowed to grieve?"

“Am I allowed to grieve?   

"What am I going to tell Ifan?"

“And what am I going to tell Ifan?”   

Ffion is moved by Kelly's plight

Ffion feels so sorry for her.

Diane tries to take her mind off it . . . 

Back at Bryntirion, Diane is trying to take her mind off things by doing the washing-up, 

. . . but fails dismally

but it is not working and she breaks down in tears.

"Here you go, boss"

At APD, Griffiths brings in two coffees;  “Here you go, boss,” he says, but Mathew objects to being called ‘boss’.   “As I’m working on the admin side now, I’ve been recruiting 

"I think I've found the man to fill Jason's shoes"

“and I think I’ve found the man to fill Jason’s shoes.”   

". . . I found him in 'Tamed'"

Howard steps forward, as Griffiths explains, I found him in 'Tamed', trying to buy a bacon baguette and his card was rejected – he looked desperate – like you!” 

"Any idea where he might have gone"

“I was sorry to hear about Jason – any idea where he might have gone?” asks Howard;  

"If I knew that, I wouldn't need you"

Mathew angrily replies that if he knew that, he would not need the two of them.   

"Are you fit for work?"

He is also dubious that Howard is fit for work.

Griffiths urges him to show some respect to the workers, 

"I was always fair to the workers at Tomos ac Ellis"

boasting that he was always fair to the workers at Tomos ac Ellis.   Mathew has heard otherwise;  “Rhys was always complimentary about you.”

"Perhaps we will make a fortune!"

Griffiths appreciates that the situation is not ideal, but they will do their best until Jason and Anita can come back;  he adds, “And perhaps we will make a fortune!”   Mathew is far from convinced.

"Sorry I'm late, Megan"

Dai hurries into the Deri, where a meeting is taking place;  he joins Megan and a few unfamiliar faces.   

"I was not expecting to see you"

She was not expecting to see him today, under the circumstances;  he agrees that things are looking very bleak, but Diane insisted that he should come out for some company.

He asks Kath for a pint 

"I don't bother with e-mail these days . . ."

and Megan realises that he did not receive the e-mail about the change of venue.   “I don’t bother with e-mails these days, Megan – 

" . . .WhatsApp is the future!"

“WhatsApp is the future!   You know what?   I’ll sort out a group for us now.”

"They're cancelling the bus service!"

Then he notices something troubling on his phone;  “The council has decided to cancel bus service between Cwrtmynach and Cwmderi – Diane will be furious about it.   She has been banging on about it – not enough people use the service, apparently.”

"Well, I use it – and regularly!"

Megan is very concerned about this;  “Well, I use it – and regularly!   What am I going to do from now on?   How will I get to the village?   That’s our second disappointment today – our guest pulled out, too.”

"The strippergram has let Megan down again"

Kath brings over Dai’s drink and he tells her that the strippergram has let Megan down again.   

Kath wonders what he is talking about

When Kath looks confused, Megan explains that Geraint Parry Williams was going to give them talk on the life and work of RS Thomas [one of the leading poets of modern Wales].   

"Well, I'm gutted!"

Dai sarcastically comments, “I’m gutted – as the youngsters say!”

Megan has made a few notes from his books, so she will be filling in the gap;  

Dai is not enthusiastic

he does not look very enthusiastic about this.

"I've brought a Sam Tân DVD for Ifan . . ."

Kelly opens the door of number 7 and Diane comes in, apologising for disturbing her;  she has brought over a Sam Tân DVD [Fireman Sam] for Ifan.

". . . where is he?"

“Where is he?” Diane asks 

"With you and Dai"

and Kelly was under the impression that he was with her and Dai.   “I thought he was here with you,” replies Diane, 

"You said you would pick him up from school"

“You said you would pick him up from school.”   

"No, Diane, I only offered"

Kelly argues that she only offered to do so, but Diane vehemently disagrees with this.

"The poor love is standing at the school gate!"

“So nobody’s picked him up!   The poor love is standing at the school gate on his own!   I’ll go and get him!” Diane snarls, 

"I thought I could rely on you!"

“I thought I could rely on you!”   

Kelly feels even worse now 

Now Kelly is feeling even worse and flings down her keys.

While Megan drones on . . .

In the Deri, Megan drones on about RS Thomas;  “He mused over the Welsh nation’s barren, rocky landscape in his unique way.”   

. . . Dai has dropped off to sleep

Dai has been sent off to sleep, but when waking, tells Megan that she was very good.   

"I'm sorry if I bored you"

“Well, I’m sorry if I bored you,” she growls.

"Do it more often and then we can all get some peace"

Kath maintains that her beautiful voice sent him to sleep;  “Do it more often and then we can all get some peace.”

"Crikey Moses!    Death by lecture!"

“Crikey Moses!” says Dai, “Don’t put ideas into her head – this club is supposed to be fun, not death by lecture!”

"No peace for the wicked!"

Diane comes hurrying in, advising that they have to go and get Ifan;  “No peace for the wicked!” he grumbles as he leaves.   Megan thinks that she had better leave as well, 

"While the buses are still running"

while the buses are still running.

"We're too old for this, Diane!"

Outside, Diane urges Dai to hurry as Ifan is waiting for them;  “We’re too old for this, Diane,” he moans, “I love the boy, like you, but this is silly.”

"He hasn't got anyone else"

She insists that he has not got anyone else and Kelly is not fit to look after him.   He replies that neither of them are fit to look after him.   “We don’t have a choice – not now,” she says.

Megan might have a very long wait

Meanwhile Megan is heading towards the bus stop, where no bus has actually been seen since 20 October 2015, when Dol arrived.

"Welcome back, Howard"

Cassie welcomes Howard back to the Deri and is pleased that he is better.   

"I wish I'd seen Eileen's face"

He thanks her again for the money;  “I wish I’d seen Eileen’s face when she realised the comedy night was to raise money for me!”

"You're Griffiths' new boss?"

Further along the bar, Rhys says, “Hold on – let me get this right – you’re Griffiths’ new boss?”   Mathew agrees that is the case, then Rhys receives a text;  

"A couple want to book number 10"

“A couple want to book number 10 tonight, but there’s someone there already.”

"The B&B business is going well, then"

Griffiths comments that the B&B business is going well;  “And they’re offering more money, too,” Rhys laments.   

"Can't miss out on an extra £100"

He is anxious not to miss out on an extra £100 and intends to put them in the back room.

"As much as that?"

A plan is beginning to form in Griffiths’ mind.

"How did your first day go?"

Kath asks Rhys how his first day went with the new boss 

"Im never thought I'd miss him!"

and he ruefully replies, “I never thought I’d miss him!” pointing at Griffiths.   Kath is surprised that he has fallen out with Eleri already, but he answers, 

"Jealous that my Dadi didn't buy me the business"

“No – I’m just jealous that my Dadi didn’t buy me the business – I assume that that’s how she bought it.”

Cassie appears to have the same idea and Kath remarks, 

"Brynmor would have told me, OK?"

“If he was going to give her that much money, he would have told me, OK?”   Cassie does not say anything.

Ffion takes pity on Kelly

Kelly again opens the door of number 7 and this time the caller is Ffion, who has brought some food over for her;  “I couldn’t stop thinking about you after earlier.   It’s nothing special, but I didn’t think you would have eaten much over the last few days.”

"Sorry – this is not helping"

Kelly self-consciously picks up a glass of wine and then admits that it is not helping or making her feel better, as Ffion suspected.

"What am I going to do?"

“What am I going to do?” says Kelly 

Ffion hugs her

and Ffion gives her a hug.

Surely Eleri would not leave a laptop lying around

Kath opens Eleri’s laptop and is invited to enter the password;  she tentatively types in something, 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

just as a voice behind her demands, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

She is relieved to find that it is only Cassie;  “You almost gave me a heart attack – I thought it was Eleri!”

"You've hacked her laptop?"

“You’re going through her things?   You’ve hacked her laptop?”   

"How else can I find out what's going on?"

Kath demands how else they are going to find out if she is hiding something.   “Shouldn’t you tell Brynmor that we think she’s hiding something?” but she is told that he would not listen to Kath.

"If Brynmor finds out . . ."

Cassie warns that if he finds out about this, it will be over for them, 

Kath is in a quandary 

so Kath does not know what to do.

"I just feel totally out of control"

At number 7, Kelly confesses, “I just feel totally out of control – and I’ve let everyone down,” 

"You're one of the strongest people I know"

but Ffion insists that is not true;  in fact Kelly is one of the strongest people she knows.

"Ifan needed me and I wasn't there for him"

“Well, do you know what?   Ifan needed me today and I wasn’t there for him.”   Ffion points out that there is always tomorrow;  now she will go and give Kelly some peace, but Kelly would rather that she stayed.

“No, you go to bed – a good night’s sleep do you the world of good,” says Ffion 

Kelly is given another hug

and gives her another hug.   “I’ll see you tomorrow, OK?”

Kelly looks at the meal Ffion brought . . .

Kelly takes off the foil from the dish she has been given, but before she can do anything, there is another knock at the door;  

 . . . but then Griffiths arrives . . .

this time it is Griffiths, who is sorry to call so late.

. . . with a rather puzzling request

He asks, “Can I stay here tonight?”   

She welcomes him 'with open arms' . . .

Kelly throws her arms around him and, in tears, begs him not to leave her on her own, 

. . . which he had not been expecting

which Ieuan finds rather disconcerting.