19 September 2024

"Everyone's waiting for Hywel"

Cassie comes downstairs and notices it is very busy in the bar this evening;  “Yes, everyone’s waiting for Hywel,” says Kath and Cassie wonders what he has done now.   

"Have you seen this, Cassie?"

“Haven’t you seen this?” demands Kath, showing her the letter.

"Mathew wants we to go over"

Meanwhile Ffion has received a text on her phone from Mathew;  “He wants me to go over,” she tells Kath, 

"Go and have a chat with him"

who advises her to go and have a chat with him.   Kath promises to text her when Hywel arrives.

"If he arrives"

“If he arrives,” groans Mark, but his mother maintains that they can trust Diane;  she will tell them if he is not coming.   Cheryl comments that she has been a long time round there.    Kath will phone her to see what is happening.

"Listen, Diane – I tried to tell you"

Next door, Hywel is trying to extricate himself from the situation;  “Diane, listen – I tried to tell you, but you didn’t want to know at the time – and that’s understandable with everything that was happening.”

"Don't use my son as an excuse"

“Don’t use my son as an excuse,” she warns him, 

"Consider what they have to say"

but Hywel urges her to consider this plan and listen to what they have to say.   “And drown half the village?” she exclaims.

"It's only Maes-y-Deri!"

“It’s only Maes-y-Deri and a couple of farms,” he dismissively replies, but she reminds him that they are talking about people’s homes.

"How would you feel, Hywel?"

“How would you feel if someone threatened to throw you out?” Diane demands, but he insists that no-one will be thrown out, not without a discussion.   

"Plenty will want to move"

He is sure that plenty will want to move if the price is right.

"What about the council tenants?"

“But a lot of them are council houses – what about the tenants?” is her next query.   

"A new estate will be built near Cwrtmynach"

He has heard that a new estate will be built near Cwrtmynach to meet the demands – new houses, not old ones like those in Maes-y-Deri.

“And plenty of opportunities for local businesses as well.”   

"Yo should have told me everything!"

She still insists that he should have told her everything.   

"The meeting was only yesterday"

“The meeting about it was only yesterday – I attended, over Zoom,”

“I asked you yesterday to include me in any developments!” she insists, 

"I didn't know what was going to be discussed"

but he argues that he did not know what was going to be discussed.   “In a meeting to discuss a planning application?” she shouts, 

"I'm not stupid, Hywel!"

“I’m not stupid, Hywel!   We both know how important meetings like that are – that’s the first opportunity we get to ask questions and speak on behalf of the community.   

"Did you do either of those two things?"

“Did you do either of those two things?”   Hywel does not reply.

“Now I understand why you’re so reluctant to face everyone next door!”   Once again he suggests that they can arrange a public meeting after the consultation period comes to an end, which is the usual procedure.

"This could change the valley for ever!"

“That might be the usual procedure, but this could be a huge project which could change the valley for ever!   And it affects our friends!

“There’s nothing I can say to ease their fears – but you, on the other hand, know a lot more about this plan than me.   

"I recommend you sort this mess out!"

“Now, I strongly recommend that you go next door and sort out this mess you’ve allowed to happen!”

"It's about time I took my job back!"

“I’m going home – I’ll be in touch next week to arrange a handover – it’s about time I took my job back!”   

She walks out and slams the door

She walks out, slamming the door behind her.

"Shall I see if Gwern want to go?"

As they walk through the alley, Lleucu suggests that she should see if Gwern wants to go with them.   Siôn agrees but points out that they are late already, “Because someone took so long to get changed.   I’ll see you there.”

Siôn notices Tom

He notices Tom heading in the direction of the Deri 

"I thought someone from the company would be there"

and remarks “I thought someone from the company would be there.”   Tom knows nothing of any meeting and it is explained that it is to discuss Quantum’s plans.   

"I expect the place is boiling"

“I’m on my way there now – I expect that the place is boiling – 

"Immoral company with its dirty plans!"

“everyone will be very angry with the councillors and the immoral company with its dirty plans!”

"I just work for the company"

“Thanks for the heads-up, but I just work for the company.   I think I’ll stay away from any conflict,” says Tom.

"I should have come sooner"

At the shop flat, Mathew thanks Ffion for coming;  she wants to say sorry and admits that she should have come to talk to him sooner.   

"I'm sorry I was so nosy"

Mathew regrets that he was so nosy and appreciates that she has every right to keep things a secret.

Ffion is equally insistent that he does not need to apologise;  

"I don't blame you"

“I understand – I know exactly why you were worried after seeing that test – and I don’t blame you.”

"A five star hotel near Bath"

Math insists that he wants to make it up to her;  “So I’ve organised a surprise for you – I’ve booked a five star hotel near Bath – swimming pool, massage – just the two of us – because it’s your birthday next month – Arwen told me.   And don’t worry, Kelly’s agreed to go up to Deri Fawr to look after her while we’re away.   Everything’s sorted.”

"I can't, Mathew"

“I can’t, Mathew – it’s a lovely idea and I don’t want to be ungrateful.   

"You're lovely, but . . ."

“You’re lovely, but . . .”   He interrupts her to say that it is not a party, but a way of apologising.   He wants to do something nice for her.

"We can spend some time together"

“And it will give us the chance to spend some time together,” he adds, but she does not want him to spend all his money on her, not after what has happened at APD.

"A spa weekend isn't going to sort anything"

“To be honest, a spa weekend in Bath isn’t going to sort anything, is it?” says Ffion, 

Ffion tells him they need to talk

I think we need to talk.”

"You'd better keep away from the Deri"

Tom has gone to number 21, in order to warn Hywel to stay away from the Deri;  he has not been in there, but saw Siôn White.   “He said there was a group in there who are furious with councillors and Quantum.   Is everything all right?”

"Perhaps Diane was right"

Hywel thinks that Diane might be right, and that he should go to the Deri, but Tom regards that as mad.   

"We have to make them realise there will be benefits" 

“If we want to move this forward, we have to make them realise there will be benefits.   If they see us they’ll be supportive – probably,” Hywel hopes.

"I'm glad we understand each other better now"

Dan tells Eileen that he had better go;  he is glad that they understand each other now.   Eileen hands him the flowers and he says that he was on his way to the Deri.

"There's a meeting in the Deri at the moment"

“Oh, there’s a meeting there at the moment to discuss some dam – it will be finished soon, if you want to stick around.”   

"I'll stay for a little while"

He will stay for a little while.

"Who are you going to see in the Deri, then?"

Eileen is after some more information;  “Who are you going to see in the Deri, then?” she enquires, but we do not hear his reply.

Siôn is disappointed by the lack of speeches

Siôn is rather disappointed that there have has been no speeches about ‘Y Winllan Werdd’  [The Green Vineyard].   As there is no sign of either Diane or Hywel, 

"Looks like the evening's over"

Cheryl imagines that the evening is over.   Cassie explains they are waiting for them to return from next door.

"I just saw toyed bloke from Quantum Hydro go in"

“You’ll have a long wait, then, says Siôn, “I think I just saw that bloke from Quantum Hydro go in.”

"Listen up, everyone"

Mark again calls for attention;  

"A bloke from Quantum is meeting two councillors"

“We’ve just heard that one of the blokes from Quantum Hydro Works is meeting with two of our councillors next door.”   Cheryl insists that they are trying to get their stories straight, 

"You don't know what they're doing, Mark"

but Cassie points out that no-one knows what they are doing next door.

"Diane's not answering her phone"

“Well Diane’s not answering her phone,” Mark continues 

"We should be going next door!"

and Cheryl thinks they ought to go next door.

“If they won’t come to us, we should go to them!”   This mobilises the villagers gathered there, and Kath reminds them to keep a cool head.   Mark announces that he is with Cheryl and they need answers.   “What are we waiting for?” demands Cheryl, “Come on!”

"A bit late now, isn't it?"

Kath wonders if they should phone Hywel to warn him, but Cassie thinks it is rather too late for that now.

"I love spending time with you . . ."

In the shop flat, Ffion says, “I love spending time with you.”   Mathew feels the same, 

". . . but that's not enough"

but she continues, “That’s not enough – because I’m going through a period of change and it’s just starting.”

"I can be there for you, through everything"

He assures her that he can be there for her, through everything.   “If we’d been together for years and we had children, things would be different – but this just confirms that we’re in different stages of our lives.   

"I don't want you to give up everything for me"

“And I don't wan’t you – no, I’m not willing for you – to give up everything for me.”

"Think about it sensibly, Math"

Mathew assures her that he would not be doing that, but she urges him, “Think about it sensibly for a minute – I am getting to a point where I won’t be able to have children.”   

"I know you don't want children"

He knows that she does not want children, 

"Not wanting to is different from not being able to"

but she is adamant that not wanting is different from not being able to.

"Can you honestly put your hand on your heart?"

“I’m fine with that – but can you honestly put your hand on your heart and say you’re happy to accept you’ll never be a father?   

"Because that's what's going to happen if we stay together"

’Because that’s what’s going to happen if we stay together.”

"I won't be long"

Hywel is preparing to go to the Deri;  he asks Tom to phone him if Esther wakes up.   “I won’t be long.”   Then they hear some shouting outside 

"People are gathering outside"

and Tom advises that there are a group of people gathering outside the house.   He believes that they want to see Hywel.

“I didn’t realise that things next door were so . . .”

Tom supplies the missing word, “Wild?”   

"Passionate!"

Hywel would prefer to call it ‘passionate.”

“Just tell them what you told me – that nothing is definite and there is plenty of time to discuss things, once the application has been made.   That’s what they want to hear.”

"Why are there a lot of people outside?"

Esther comes downstairs, wondering why there are a lot of people outside.   

"Are you going to talk to us or what?"

At that moment, Mark starts hammering on the door.   There is quite a large group out there now and Mark shouts, “Hywel – are you going to talk to us or what?   Come on, we’ve been waiting for ages!”

"I told you this would be better than the cinema!"

As they watch the excitement, Lleucu tells Gwern, “I told you this would be better than the cinema!”

"We're not moving until you come out!"

Now Cheryl is shouting, “What are you waiting for?   We’re not moving until you come out and face us!”

"Come out, Hywel – we want answers!"

Lleucu, deploying the camera on her phone, joins the demands, “Come out, Hywel – we want answers!”   

Siôn is becoming apprehensive 

Siôn seems to be worried that the demonstration is getting out of hand.   

Now Hywel is in a quandary

Inside, Hywel does not know what to do.

"Things have got messy now . . ."

Mathew and Ffion peer from the windows of the shop flat to see a lot of people outside the Deri, so Ffion can see that things have got messy there.   

". . . but we have more important things to do"

However she stresses they have got more important things to do.

"So we're finished"

Mathew sighs that they are finished, 

"I haven't come here to finish with you, Math . . ."

but she replies, “I haven’t come here to finish with you, Math.   You’ve been such a support to me and I think the world of you.   I just want us both to think properly about this – so no-one gets hurt more than they have to.   

". . . and you need to put yourself first for once"

“And you need to put yourself first for once.”

He explains that he wants to be with her, “But, I’ve always wanted children of my own.   

"I want the chance to be a good parent"

“I want the chance to be a good parent, not like Dad and definitely not like Mam.”

"You won't get that chance with me"

Ffion tells him he does not need to explain, because she wants him to get that chance, too – but he will not get it with her.   

"That doesn't mean we can't have a relationship"

“That doesn’t mean we can’t have a relationship,” he argues, but she stresses she does not want more children.

"Does this mean we agree about us?"

“So does this mean we agree about us?” she asks, 

Mathew sadly nods his head

and and he nods his head.

Outside, Cheryl comments that this is ridiculous 

The mob is getting increasingly angry

and Mark bangs on the door once more;  

"We've been here for ages!"

“Come out – we’ve been out here for ages!”   

The door opens and Tom appears;  “OK, I know that you all want to talk to Hywel,” he begins, 

"Lleucu records the moment for posterity"

as Lleucu captures the moment on her phone.   

There's a little girl who's really frightened"

“There’s a little girl in here who is really frightened because you’re all out here.”   

"We wouldn't be here if he came to talk to us"

Mark points out that they would not be there if he had come to talk to them.   Tom confirms that he will come and talk to them;  “He was on his way over, but Esther came downstairs, shaking like a leaf, because you’re all out here!   

"Please give him ten minutes"

“Now, please, give him ten minutes.   Go back to the Deri and once she’s back in bed, he’ll come over.”

"We're here to get answers!"

Cheryl shouts, “Lies!   Are you going to let this swine from Quantum Hydro Works chase us away?   We’re here to get answers, not to take orders from someone like you!   

"You don't have an ounce of conscience!"

“You don’t have an ounce of conscience, you coward – not a single person in this village is safe while you’re free!   You’ve always been a selfish, under handed Gwern!   

"You and your sort deserve to be lined up!"

“You and your sort deserve to be lined up!”

"There is a loud crash"

Then a crash is suddenly heard from inside the house;  

Hywel tries to reassure Esther

Hywel tries to reassure Esther that she is all right, 

A brick has landed on the kitchen floor

while Tom discovers a brick on the kitchen floor, which he believes is just a frightening tactic.   He gets out his phone to contact the police.

"Cwmderi's not always like this, you know"

Eileen and Dan are watching the fracas from the deli and she comments, “Cwmderi’s not always like this, you know.   I just hope that Sioned is safe at home.   Do you want to come to the farm to avoid the protest?”

"I need to go to the Deri"

Dan does not think that is a good idea and needs to go to the Deri;  

"I want to know she's all right"

“I want to know that she’s all right with all this going on.”   

"I know some of these people"

Eileen will accompany him, as she knows some of the people that are outside.

“Do you think the flowers are too much?” he wonders, 

"Cassie will love them"

but Eileen predicts that Cassie will love them.

"If you ever fancy a spa weekend . . ."

Mathew has managed to cancel the hotel;  “I didn’t get my money back, but I did get a voucher – so if you ever fancy a spa weekend another time . . .”

"It will be a treat for the next lucky girl"

“No, you keep it – it will be a treat for the next lucky girl.   

"I'm sorry this hasn't worked out"

“I’m sorry this hasn’t worked out, Math.   It’s sad, isn’t it?   

"But we are doing the right thing"

“But we are doing the right thing,” she sighs, 

They embrace each other

as they hug each other.

Mark drags Cheryl away

The crowd are becoming even more vociferous, but Mark grabs Cheryl’s arm and drags her away;  

"Someone's thrown a brick through the back window"

“Someone’s thrown a brick through the back window,” he says, 

"What were you thinking, shouting at Tom like that?"

“What were you thinking, shouting at Tom like that?”

“Me?   You were the one who organised the meeting – you were the one who brought us out of the Deri!” she snarls, “But I wasn’t the one who threw the brick.”

"Cops – I have to go!"

There is the sound of an approaching police siren and Cheryl says that she has to go, but when they turn towards the approaching police, 

Someone is lying in the ground

they can see that someone has been knocked to the ground.

"I told you tonight would be an important night"

Lleucu and Gwern retreat to number 9 and have found the incident hilarious;  “Running away from the police – I told you tonight would be an important night!” she laughs, 

"When people fought form the country!"

“This is how things were in the 60s, when people fought for the country, for the language – for the future!”

A kiss is on the cards . . . 

They are just about to kiss when Siôn comes in;  

. . . but Siôn intervenes . . .

“I’ve been looking for you – 

. . . who is intent on running away

“come on – home, before anyone sees us.”   

Gwern thinks his life has taken a turn for the better

Gwern thinks that his luck has changed. 

Inside the Deri, Kath wonders what is going on, while Cassie looks again at the offending letter.   

"Cassie, you need to go outside!"

Mark comes in to tell Cassie that she needs to go outside;  “Do you know anyone called Dan – Dan Morris?”

"What has happened?"

Cassie demands what has happened;  “Well, he’s out on the street – injured – it doesn’t look good, Cass!”

Dan is lying on the ground . . .

Dan is lying on the ground, 

. . . tended by Eileen 

being watched over by Eileen;  

"Daniel, what happened?"

Cassie calls, “Daniel?   Dan – what’s happened?”   

He was knocked down by the fleeing mob

Eileen explains that he was knocked to the ground when the crowd ran past and hit his head;  an ambulance is on its way and he is still breathing.

"He's Cassie's son"

Kath demands who he is and is told by Eileen that he is Cassie’s son, 

"He's not my son . . ."

but this is denied by Cassie.   

". . . he's Jean's son!"

“He’s Jean’s son!”