4 September 2024

Iolo looks at his phone

Iolo is looking anxiously at his phone when Lleucu comes downstairs in her school uniform, 

Lleucu's skirt seems rather brief

which includes a very short skirt.   She is surprised that her father has already left 

"I think I'm ready"

and thinks that she is ready for her first day.

`"There's a bit of an age gap"

Before she leaves, she asks, “Iol, I have this friend who likes someone – but there’s a bit of an age gap.”   He assumes that something is wrong, but she emphasises that this is a friend, not her.

“What do you think of someone older being in a relationship with someone younger?”   

"As long as one isn't school age"

Iolo maintains that it all depends, but if one of them is of school age . . .   

"No – this friend is old"

She is quick to assure him, “No, this friend is old – well, older – this whole thing doesn’t really make sense.   

"Who were you texting?"

“Anyway, who were you texting?”

"Go on – you're going to be late"

“Nobody,” he says, “Go on – you’re going to be late.”   As soon as she has left the house, 

Something on that phone is troubling Iolo

he continues looking at his phone.

"Are things still not good?"

Gaynor arrives at Maes-y-Deri and Mark thanks her for coming over;  “Are things still not good?” she asks and he shakes his head.

"Long time, no see"

Cheryl comes in and is surprised to see her sister there;  “Long time, no see.”   Gaynor maintains, rather unconvincingly, that she has been busy.   

"I haven't seen you for almost three weeks"

“I haven’t seen you for almost three weeks – and now you land here first thing in the morning.”

"It's important that you talk"

Gaynor says that she is worried about Cheryl;  “You’ve got a strange way of showing it,” is the reply.

“Come on, Cher, we’re both here for you and it’s important that you talk,” Gaynor goes on.

"All I need is for him to go!"

Cheryl makes it quite clear that she does not need to talk, discuss anything, or therapy;  “All I need is for him to go!”   Her sister asks if she fancies going for walk, but the answer is, “I don’t want to risk bumping into him.”

Gaynor proposes that they could go somewhere quiet, just the two of them, as it will do her good to leave the house.   

"Please, Cher!"

Mark also begs her to do so.   

"We've got s lot to discuss"

“And we’ve got a lot to discuss, haven’t we?” says Gaynor.   

"Oh – all right, then"

Finally Cheryl agrees and Mark is very grateful to Gaynor.

The brewing equipment is delivered

Rhys signs for a delivery to the garage in preparation for his brewery business;  he looks very pleased with himself.

"No, thanks, Dani"

At number 9, Dani has burnt one of the breakfast pancakes, so Gwern is not keen on it;  “It will be time for you to leave in a minute,” she tells him, 

"You don't want to be late on your first day"

“You don’t want to be late on your first day.”   He is not exactly eager to go back to school.

She checks if he has packed his bag;  

"Yeah – like I told you last night"

“Yes, just like I had when you asked me last night,” he replies.   There is a knock at the door;  

"Do you want to walk with me to school?"

Lleucu has come to walk with him to school, if he wants.   Gwern suspects that this has been arranged by Dani, but she denies it;  

"I don't meed a babysitter!"

“I don’t need a babysitter!” he growls.

Dani thinks that it is nice that a friend wants his company, but Lleucu reveals her real reason;  

Off they go to school

“I don’t want to arrive with Dad – cringe!”   Gwern says that he will go with her and thanks Dani for the breakfast;  off they go to school.

"A bit of fresh air is beneficial"

As they walk through the park, Gaynor comments, “A bit of fresh air and moving about is beneficial, isn’t it?   Well, that’s what they say.”   

"Have you seen Dave recently?"

Cheryl is more interested in finding out if her sister has seen Dave recently.

"That bloke is so sly, Gaynor"

“Have you talked to him?   That bloke is so sly, Gaynor – he can worm his way in – I’m just worried.”   Gaynor stresses that she has no need to worry, as her sister comes first.   

"I understand that this is difficult"

As they pass the allotments, Gaynor says, “I understand that this is difficult.”

"It's as if he's controlling my life, like he used to"

Cheryl groans, “He has seduced my sister and has been to my house – I can’t think about anything else – it’s as if he’s controlling my thoughts and my life, just like he used to.”

"I don't want to put you in an awkward position"

Tom is in the Deri with his fellow Quantum workers;  he tells Cassie, “I don’t want to put you in an awkward position – I can leave, but I just wanted to make sure that the others could have lunch here.

"I can't have a member of staff feeling uncomfortable"

“Look, I’m not going to judge without knowing the whole story,” she replies, “But I can’t have a member of my staff feeling uncomfortable.”

"Right, I'll go, then"

He agrees that he will go before Cheryl gets back to the bar, but she points out that as it happens, she is not working this lunchtime.   

"I'm going to get a sandwich"

He appreciates that it is still awkward, then tells his mates that he will see them back on site in about an hour;  “I’m going to get a sandwich.”

"It's not right you miss out on a hot meal"

However, Cassie takes pity on him and calls him back;  “It’s not right that you miss out on a hot meal.”   He is anxious that she does not think he is making trouble.   

"If I thought you were making trouble, you'd already be out!"

“If I thought you were making trouble, you’d already be out!” she informs him and he is very grateful.

Gwern is hiding in the garage again . . .

Later, Gwern lets himself into the garage office again 

. . . but finds things have changed

and can immediately see that things have changed;  

He looks at the noticeboard

he looks at the pictures on the board, one of which reads ‘BRAGDY CEFFYL DU’ [Black Horse Brewery].   

"What are you doing here?"

Rhys comes in and demands what he is doing there.

Daffodils – in September?

As they sit in the park, by a clump of late flowering daffodils, 

"Are you going to work tonight?"

Gaynor asks, “Are you going to go to work tonight?   Mark says you haven't been there for weeks.”

"I don't like you talking about me behind my back"

Cheryl reprimands her, “I don’t like you and Mark talking about me behind my back,” but her sister stresses that they mean well.   

"We don't like to see you shutting yourself away"

They do not like seeing her shutting herself away, refusing to leave the house.   

"Of all the places to get a job"

Cheryl asks, “Did you know he’s got a job here – don’t you think it’s weird?   Of all places to get a job, he chose to take one based in the exact village I moved to.   He’s got the perfect excuse to be here now, hasn’t he?   

"I can't go to work to escape from him"

“I can’t even go to work to escape from him – just seeing Dave – knowing he’s around – it’s too much!”

"You're letting him win, Cheryl"

Gaynor reminds her, “By shutting yourself away, you’re letting him win!   What are you going to do without a job, without a salary?   You’ll lose your home and everything you’ve worked so hard for since moving here.”

She thinks that Gaynor may be right 

Cheryl realises that her sister may be right.

"Lime and soda, please"

Dani comes into the Deri for a lime soda;   Cassie appreciates that it is a   big day and wonders how things are at home;  Dani has her fingers crossed.   

"Thanks for the food, Cassie"

Tom thanks Cassie for the food 

"Wasn't that Gaynor's boyfriend?"

and Dani enquires, “Wasn’t that Gaynor’s boyfriend?”   She is told that it is complicated, from what Cassie has heard.

"So its not just my life that's a mess, then?"

“So it’s not just my life that’s a complicated mess, then?” Dani sighs;  

"Gwern just needs time"

she is reassured that Gwern will be all right and just needs time – he is a good boy.

Then Dani has bad news for the school

At that moment, Dani receives a call on her phone;  “What?” she demands.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

Rhys apologises to Gwern that he cannot stay there;  “Aren’t you supposed to be in school, anyway?”   Gwern gives the old excuse, ‘Free lesson’.   

"I used that excuse, too"

“I used to use that excuse, too,” laughs Rhys.   

"Rhys, have you seen Gwern?"

Dani can be heard coming along the street, asking Rhys if he has seen Gwern, who quickly retreats into the garage.   

"Er – no"

“No, sorry,” Rhys replies and Dani continues her search.   

"Thanks for not saying anything"

Gwern thanks Rhys for not saying anything.

"You'd better get going"

“Look, I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ve got a lot of work to do, so you’d better get going.”   

"I'll stay out of your way"

“Oh, come on – do I have to go?   I’ll stay out of your way – please? begs Gwern.

"All right"

Cheryl arrives home at Maes-y-Deri and Mark asks her how things are.   “All right,” is her reply 

"Any plans for the rest of the day?"

and he wonders if she has any plans for the rest of the day.   

"Work  – to see how things go"

“Well – work – just to see how things go,” she says.   Gaynor will go and put on the kettle, while Mark is very pleased that things seem to be improving.

"I"m sorry for letting him spoil things"

Cheryl apologises, “I’m sorry, Mark, for letting him spoil things for us – 

"Move to where?"

“you’re welcome to move out of the spare room – 

"Back in with me, you idiot!"

“back in with me.”   They have both missed each other – and Mark has missed a comfortable bed.   He complains that the mattress in the spare room is full of lumps.   

They seem to be reconciled

They kiss and Cheryl will have to hurry to get ready for work.

"I'll give you a business lesson"

“I’ll give you a business lesson, as you’re missing school,” says Rhys, 

"The recipé for 'Cic Mul'!"

handing a sheet of paper to Gwern.   “That’s the future of this beer business – the recipé for ‘Cic Mul’.   It’s a really good beer – it was popular as well – 

"Until 'other factors' affected the business"

“until ‘other factors’ affected the business.   Every successful business starts with the product – if the product is bad, you might as well give up before you start.   You’re lucky I’m letting you see this – 

"That's the Golden Ticket, boy!"

“that’s the Golden Ticket, boy, to a successful business!   I’m going to make the first sample today.”

"So why aren't you in school?"

He sits down with Gwern and eats his sandwich;  “So why aren’t you in school?”   

"They talk about me behind my back"

Gwern says that everyone hates him and talks about him behind his back – even the teachers.   “Wasn’t today your first day back?” Rhys enquires, 

"You've only been there for a morning"

“You’ve only been there for a morning!”

“They were staring at me!” Gwern moans, 

"You'r entrée most exciting thing that's happened there for years!"

so Rhys points out that he is the most exciting thing that has happened there for years.

“Don’t worry about what people think, or you’ll go mad – trust me, life’s too short.”

"There's ore life in Brynawelon than here"

In the Deri, Cheryl is cleaning the bar and Cassie is glad that she is there;  “There’s more life in Brynawelon [the local old people’s home] than there is here tonight,” she groans.   Cheryl will not be complaining if she has a quiet night, but Cassie says that she is likely to go mad if she has to stand around doing nothing.

"Do you mind if I . . ?"

Tom comes in and looks across towards the bar;  “Do you mind if I . . .” he begins 

"Do what you like!"

and Cheryl tell him to do what he likes.   

"It's quiet in here"

“It’s quiet in here,” he continues, but Cassie is confident that it will get better;  

"I would hate to have to close early"

she would hate to have to close early, and will now check to see how things are going in the kitchen.   Cheryl and Tom look awkwardly at each other.

"That was a good day's work"

Rhys and Gwern come out of the garage and are satisfied with a good day’s work;  “It’s better than school,” remarks Gwern.

"Stick with me, boy!"

“Stick with me, boy – this place will be a tidy business soon,” Rhys predicts, 

Gwern looks at the name over the door

as Gwern looks up at the name above the door, ‘Monk Motors’.   

"But look at me now – an entrepreneur!"

“It can be tough, can’t it, without a father around?” says Rhys, “I didn’t see much of my Dad, growing up – but look at me now – an entrepreneur!   

"Don't tell Dani – she'll kill me!"

“Don’t tell Dani you spent the afternoon brewing beer – she’ll kill me.   You’d better keep it quiet for now, but you can come here to help sometimes, if you want.   

"Give me those keys"

Before I go, give me those keys – you can knock next time!”

Lleucu approaches

Lleucu comes along the street and complains, “I was abandoned by someone who is supposed to be my friend at school.   Don’t let it happen again!   

"I was walking around like a lemon, looking for you"

“I was walking around like a lemon, looking for you – I had no dinner money and I wanted to borrow some!   I’ll forgive you if you promise to walk with me tomorrow – 

"I don't want to be 'Billy no mates' again"

“I don’t want to be  ‘Billy no mates’ again.”

Cheryl provides Tom with a pint

Cheryl gives Tom his pint and he asks what the specials are tonight;  

"The board is over there"

“The board is over there!” she snaps, then turns to her cleaning, 

Some glasses are knocked off the bar . . .

but accidentally knocks some glasses off the bar, 

. . . which shatter on the floor

where it shatter on the floor.   He offers to help her pick up the pieces.

"Sorry – it was my fault"

“Sorry – it was my fault for putting you on edge in the first place,” he says.

Lleucu arrives home

Lleucu arrives home at Y Felin and just as she does so Iolo’s unattended phone sounds.   

She looks at Iolo's phone

She has a quick look and then puts it down as she hears footsteps on the stairs.   

"Did you have a good first day?"

Iolo asks if she had a good first day, but she says she is shattered now.

"How's your friend?"

“How’s your friend?” he asks 

"It's an ongoing situation"

and she describes it as an ongoing situation.   “If you ever want to talk about anything, I’m here,” he tells her 

He cannot keep away from that phone

as he looks again at his phone.

"Why are you ghosting Sam?"

“Talking of ongoing situations, why are you ghosting Sam?” she demands;  

"You've been looking at my phone!"

he realises that she has been looking at his phone.   “It was your fault for leaving it on the table – 

"Come on, tell me"

“come on, tell me.”   He insists that it is none of her business.   “Do you like him?”

"He's not the person I thought he was"

Iolo agrees that he does, “But he’s not the person I thought he was.”   

"A creep, is he?"

Lleucu assumes that he is a creep;  

"He's a drag queen!"

“No, but . . . he’s a drag queen and I’m just imagining what people might think.   

"Cwmderi isn't used to things like that"

“Cwmderi isn’t used to things like that, is it?”

"Come on, Iol – he's not a serial killer"

“He’s a drag queen, Iol, not a serial killer – we don’t live in the 1900s!” Lleucu protests.

"It's easy for you to say that"

“It’s easy for to people your age to say that – you ‘Gen Z-ers’.   People can be very narrow-minded especially in rural villages.”   Lleucu wants to know if that is why he left the drag night early – because it was him?

Iolo explains that it was a shock, 

"I thought you'd really clicked"

but Lleucu was under the impression that the two of them had really ‘clicked’.   

"It's not going to work"

He agrees that they had, but he is doubtful whether it will work;  

This time he makes sure he has his phone

he leaves the room, this time taking his phone with him.

Gwern comes home

Gwern returns to number 9 and Dani asks him how it went;  “Yeah, fine – good,” he answers.   

"I had a phone call from the school"

Then she wants him to be honest with her, because she had a phone call from the school that he did not go back after lunch, 

"I don't want to talk about it"

but he does not want to talk about it.

"Gwern, please talk to me!"

“Where did you go?   Gwern, please talk to me!”   

"It's none of your business"

He maintains that it is none of her business.   

"OK, I don't want to argue with you"

“OK, I don’t want to argue with you – I’m just glad you’re safe.   

"Try to stay there all day tomorrow"

“But tomorrow, promise me you’ll try and stay there all day – come on, we don’t give up – and no more lies, OK?  

"Things will get better"

 “Now, time for dinner – and things will get better.”   

Gwern is less confident

Gwern does not seem to believe that.

Tom is served with his curry

Cheryl brings Tom his meal 

Cheryl goes back to the bar

and returns to the bar;  

"There's glass in my food!"

suddenly he exclaims, “There’s glass in my food!”   She denies that she put it there,  

"If I'd swallowed that . . ."

but he insists, “If I’d swallowed that, it could have killed me!”

"You know I wouldn't do that"

“You know I wouldn’t have put that in your food,” she snarls

Cassie comes to investigate

 and Cassie comes to see what is wrong.   

“I found a piece of glass in my curry,” he says and when Cheryl stresses that she did not do it, 

"I'm not suggesting that you did"

continues, “I’m not suggesting for second that you did.”

"Our kitchen is spotless"

Cassie confirms that the kitchen is spotless and does not know how that got there.

"You planted that in your food . . ."

“The glasses that got broke earlier – you planted it in your food – you're trying to frame me!” snarls Cheryl, “Who else would have done it?   

". . . you're playing the same old games!"

“You’re playing the same old games!”  

"I would never do that, Cassie"

Of course Tom swears that he would never do such a thing, 

"I think you should go home"

and Cassie thinks that Cheryl ought to go home.   

Cheryl rushes away

As she rushes out of the Deri, 

Can we believe this Tom?

Tom  looks apologetic – or perhaps gives the impression of looking apologetic.