1 October 2024

Diane hears a familiar voice . . . 

Diane is walking slowly along the High Street past MFC, apparently heading for the Deri.   Suddenly she hears a voice calling her, “Mam!”   Startled, she looks round and cannot believe her eyes;  Jason is standing at the bus stop.   

. . . and drops her handbag

She drops her handbag on the pavement in shock 

Diane walks towards him . . .

and they walk towards each other, 

. . . still not believing that it is really Jason

with Diane unsure whether this is a mirage, 

He hugs his mother

then they hug each other.

Hywel and Ieuan are searching

Hywel and Ieuan are frantically searching where it is believed that Rhys’ date with Indeg is taking place;  Hywel does not know where else he can look.   “I’ve tried phoning Rhys, but he’s not answering!” he moans, “Well, would you if you were on a date?”

Ieuan panics, “We have to find out before they . . .”   

"They may be sitting outside"

Hywel suggest that they may be sitting outside somewhere and he will go out the front;  Ieuan should cover the back.

"How, Jason?"

Diane is sitting on the seat in the bus stop and tearfully demands, “How?”   

"I want to go home, Mam"

Jason simply wants to go home, and then he will explain.   “How could you?” she asks, “I thought you were dead.”

Jason recognises the footsteps

He is sorry, then the sound of footsteps can be heard;  Jason has a fairly good idea whose footsteps they are.   

"You're a missing person, presumed dead!"

“Jason,” says Kelly, “You’re . . . you’ve been missing for months – and now what?   You’re just standing in front of me?   You’re a missing person, Jason, presumed dead.   

"Where have you been?   Answer me!"

Where have you been?   Answer me!”   

People are taking notice

“Her voice has been rising to a crescendo and a couple of passers-by are watching.

"Newport"

He replies that he has been in Newport;  “Newport?” Kelly screams, 

"We've been to hell and back!"

“Do you have any idea what we’ve been through?   We’ve been to hell and back, mind – imagining all the awful things – searching for you, grieving – not being able to eat or sleep!   And the whole time you’ve been in Newport!”

"I'm sorry, Kelly"

By this time Jason is almost in tears 

"Everyone thought you were dead . . ."

as she continues, “Everyone thought you were dead – your Mam, me – 

". . . and what about Ifan?"

“and what about Ifan?”   Kelly starts to walk away, 

She almost knocks him flying

then turns and punches Jason, yelling, “What’s wrong with you?”

Jason watches her go

As she disappears round the corner, 

Diane is in tears

Jason turns back to his mother 

He tears down the 'missing person' poster

and rips down the missing person poster from the bus stop.

"Thanks for helping, DJ . . ."

Round the back of APD, Mathew and DJ are loading the van;  “Thanks for helping – I know it’s late, but hopefully we won’t be very long,” says Mathew, 

". . . I can't afford to turn down work"

“With APD’s accounts the way they are, I can’t afford to turn down work – and I promise to give you a lift home after we’ve finished.”

"We can have a drink in the garden"

DJ has a couple of cans in the fridge, so they can have a drink in the garden later.   

"Yeah, why not?"

“Yeah, why not?   We will have worked hard enough to deserve them,” Mathew reckons.

Gwern is waiting for Lleucu 

Gwern is loitering in the alley, waiting for Lleucu to pass;  “Have you seen this?” he asks her, showing her his phone, “A trailer for that new Tom Holland film.”

"I don't have time for chit-chat"

She maintains that she does not have time to chit-chat, so he asks if she wants to go to the cinema some time to see it.   “We didn’t go the other week.”

“Why don’t you ask one of the other girls you’re seeing?” she wonders;  

"There are no other girls"

he has to admit that there are no other girls.   

"That's not the impression I got last week!"

“That’s not the impression I got last week!” she snaps and he realises that he has been very stupid.   “Yes,” she agrees, 

She grabs his hand

but takes his hand and leads him into the alley.

"You haven't answered any of my messages"

“I didn’t mean what I said – but Rhys told me . . . never mind.   You haven’t answered any of my messages,” says Gwern.

"Now you know how it feels"

“Now you know how it feels,” she tells him and does not believe him when he says he is sorry.

"What do you say?   Cinema?"

“Come on – what do you say?   Cinema?”   Lleucu specifies that it must be tonight, and he agrees that he will pay for everything, if she wants.   

"That's a bit old-fashioned"

“That’s a bit old-fashioned, but if you insist,” she replies 

They are being watched . . .

and they kiss, just as her father is passing in the car; 

. . . by Lleucu's father

he sounds the horn and they both stand there, looking guilty.

"My head wasn't right to start with"

“My head wasn’t right to start with – before I fell out with Jinx,” Jason explains, “But yes, I did fall into the river – and for a while I did think I was going to drown.   

"I thought you'd be better off without me"

“But I also thought . . . that you’d be better off without me.”

Kelly has heard all this before

They are sitting in number 7 and Kelly sighs in disbelief;  

"What was the point?"

he continues, “After the mess I’d made of everything, what was the point?”

"Not everyone fakes their own death!"

“Do you know what, Jase?   Everyone goes through tough times, like, but not everyone fakes their own death,” Kelly reminds him.

Again he maintains that he is sorry, but Kelly snarls, “How could you do that to us?   To your mother?   And what about your little boy, Jason?”

"That's enough, Kelly"

Diane urges her to stop 

"I just couldn't cope, all right?"

and Jason goes on, “I just couldn’t cope, all right?   I know it’s not an excuse.”   

"We've lost Ifan!"

Kelly wholeheartedly agrees that it is not an excuse;  “And you’ll have to do better than that, because we’ve lost Ifan!”

"Well, how are we going to get him back, then?"

“Well, how are we going to get him back, then?” Jason enquires.

"He's a nice guy, Dad"

As they come back into Y Felin, Lleucu is insisting. “He’s a nice guy, Dad,” but Cai thinks otherwise, reminding her that he set Jinx’s house on fire.   “He was going through a terrible time,” she protests, but he does not regard that as justification.

"I told you to stay away from him"

“I’ve told you to stay away from him!” he exclaims, 

"You don't even know Gwern"

but Lleucu points out that he does not even know Gwern.   “Of course I do, Lleucu, much better than you.”

“When was the last time you had a conversation with him?” she asks, and he answers that he does not need to.   

"He's been in jail, like his Dad and Mam"

Gwern has been in jail, just like his Dad and Mam.   

"Exactly – he hasn't had a chance"

“Exactly,” she insists, “He hasn’t had a chance.   You’re always saying it’s important to give people a second chance.”

As she has demolished this argument, Cai turns to her education instead;  

"This is an important year with your A-levels"

“Listen, this is an important year for you with A-levels – I don’t want anything to affect that – we’re talking about your future here.   I’m worried – OK?   Gwern is a complicated boy – he’s been through a lot – and you need to be careful!”

"I can handle him, Dad!"

She is confident, “I can handle him – Dad, just drop it!” as she goes upstairs.

"In the eyes of the law . . ."

“You do realise we’ve looked at every possible option – but in the eyes of the law, Jason, Sara is his mother, so Sara gets him,” Kelly informs him, 

"We had nothing to challenge that with!"

“And because you left, we had nothing to challenge that with!”

"There must be something, Kelly"

Jason maintains that there must be something, but she insists that there is not;  

"After your disappearing act!"

“And you can’t expect a judge to let you have him now, after your disappearing act!”

"Ifan is doing very well with Sara"

Diane adds that Ifan is doing very well with Sara;  “He’s happy with her – I’ve been to see him several times.”

"Sara put Ifan's life in danger"

Jason, on the other hand, recalls that Sara put Ifan’s life in danger – and that she left him.   

"Wow – that's rich, coming from you!"

“Wow!” gasps Kelly, “That’s rich, coming from you!”

“I thought he would be safe with you – the last thing I expected was that you’d cart him back to Sara the second I turned my back.   

"I trusted you to look after him"

“I trusted you to look after him.”

"You've got a cheek!"

“Trust?” demands Kelly, “You’ve got a cheek to talk about trust – after what you’ve done!”   Diane tries to silence her, but with no success.

"I would never have run off!"

Kelly continues, “Do you know what?   I would never have run off and left him – no matter how difficult things were!”   

"You're pathetic!"

She goes to the front door, shouting, “You’re pathetic!” as she leaves the house, Jason is in a state of humiliation.

"I've done – best newcomer!"

At the MFC flat, Kylie announces, “Britt, I’ve won!   Best Newcomer in ‘Under Milk Wood’ – look, it’s from the Llanarthur Drama Committee – I’ve never won anything before!”   

"I was sure you'd get it"

Britt was sure that she would get it and gives her a hug.   

"We have to tell Colin right away"

She insists that they need to tell Colin right away, so they rush out of the flat.

"I'm sorry, Mam"

Jason gazes out of the window of number 7, then again tells his mother that he is sorry.   

"Don't ever think we'd be better off without you"

“I know that, love – but don’t ever think our lives would be better without you, do you hear me?” Diane replies 

"You've gone through enough for one day"

and they hug again.   “You’re home now,” she whispers, “And I’ll look after you – now go back to the house – you’ve gone through enough for one day.   

"Leave Kelly to me"

“Leave Kelly to me.”

Seren's new trainers

Dani is taking some new trainers out of their box when Gwern comes in;  “Do you think Seren will like them?” she asks and he imagines that she will love them.

"Can I have £30?"

“Can I have some money, too?” he enquires and Dani thinks that she has a tenner somewhere.   “Can I have £30?” he goes on, “You’ve just spent double that on Seren.”

He is rather evasive on why he wants the money, but finally admits it is for the cinema.   

"Cinema tickets don't cost £30"

“Cinema tickets don’t cost £30,” comments Dani, 

"Tickets and popcorn for two"

but he explains that he needs tickets and popcorn for two.   “Who’s going with you?   Why can’t they pay for themselves?” Dani demands.

"Gwen Monk, have you got a girlfriend?"

Then she realises, “Gwern Monk, have you got a girlfriend?   Come on, spill, man!”   He confesses that it is Lleucu Rossiter, 

"She's really pretty"

and Dani says that she is really pretty – and that Gwern is also gorgeous.   

"Share some chips on the way home"

She wonders why she has not been told as she hands over the money, plus some extra, so they can share some chips on the way home.   

"Ah – romantic"

“Ah – romantic!” she says.

"I've got a bottle of whisky somewhere"

When they come into Bryntirion, after a drink out in the garden, DJ thinks that he has a bottle of whisky somewhere.   “You’re a bad influence, DJ,” says Mathew, 

"We've both got work in the morning"

reminding him that they both have work in the morning.

When Mathew opens the door . . .

As he opens the front door to leave, 

. . . there is Jason

he comes face to face with Jason;  “I knew it!” Mathew exclaims, but Jason wants to be allowed to explain.    

"You stole the money!"

As DJ tries to separate them, Mathew continues to shout,  “You stole the money – I want it back!”   

"I didn't take it!"

Jason replies that he does not take it and, when told to calm down by DJ, 

"Then the cash disappears from APD"

Mathew continues to rant, “After what he did?   He faked his own death, then a week later the cash disappears from APD!   

"What kind of psycho does that?"

“What kind of psycho does that, Jason?   I want it back – every penny – by tomorrow – do you hear me?”

DJ separates them

DJ manages to push him away from Jason.

"I'll try Indeg's phone again"

After an unsuccessful search, Hywel and Ieuan are back at number 21;  “I’ll try Indeg’s phone again – perhaps she’ll answer this time,” says Ieuan.

Rhys comes downstairs

At that moment Rhys comes downstairs in his dressing gown and greets them.   He gets a drink from the fridge.   

"Is there anyone up there with you?"

Ieuan asks, “Is there anyone upstairs with you?”

"That's a bit personal"

Rhys considers that a rather personal question and his father demands, “Is Indeg with you?”   

"Why are you acting weird?"

Rhys has only just got back and cannot understand why they are acting weird.   

"We've been looking for you"

“Don’t you ever check your phone?” Hywel asks, while Ieuan insists that they have been looking for the pair of them.

“OK, you’re being really weird now,” says Rhys, as Hywel and Ieuan look at each other.

"Ieuan and I have done an DNA test and . . ."

“Listen, I’ve got something to tell you, Rhys,” Hywel begins, “Ieuan and I have done a DNA test and I found out . . .”

"We're brothers"

“That we’re brothers,” Ieuan interrupts, but Hywel is quick to correct him that they are ‘half-brothers’.   

Rhys is dumbstruck

Rhys looks at them with some concern.

Kelly returns to number 7 and finds Diane still there;  

"Of course I'm not all right"

“All right?   No, I’m not all right – of course I’m not all right.   Are you?” she asks Diane.

"Please don't challenge him again"

Diane knows this is a lot to ask, “But please don’t challenge him again.”

"That's the least `I want to do!"

“That’s the least I want to do, believe you me!” Kelly growls.   Diane  confirms that she is also angry with him, but the last thing she wants to do is to upset Jason – in case he runs away – or does something worse.

"He needs professional help"

“He’s so vulnerable at the moment – and he needs help – professional help, so nothing like this happens again.”   

"Don't you think he's covering something up"

Kelly laughs, “Don’t you think it’s a front?   That he’s covering something up – like the APD money?”   

"I won't risk losing him again"

Diane does not know the answer, but cannot afford to think like that;  she will not risk losing him again.

"Well, the dirty dog!"

“Well, the dirty dog!” is Rhys’ verdict after being told the truth, “Did Mam-gu know that Tad-cu was cheating?   At least we know where you get it from – it’s in the blood!”

"You're a fine one to talk"

His father tells him he is a fine one to talk, but Rhys is quick to point out, “I didn’t sleep with Indeg, did I?”   Ieuan is adamant that Rhys must not see Indeg again.   

"She wasn't my type"

“She wasn’t my type anyway – a bit dry!” Rhys complains.

"You could do much worse than Indeg Griffiths"

“Hey, you could do much worse than Indeg Griffiths!” snaps Ieuan, then realises that both Hywel and his son are looking at him.   

"Well, it doesn't matter now, anyway"

He adds, “Well, it doesn’t matter now, anyway.”

In the MFC flat, Britt is searching for her phone while Colin looks at Kylie’s certificate;  

"Well done, kiddo!"

“Well, Kylie Williams – Best Newcomer – well done, kiddo!   We'll have to celebrate – a lasagne in the Deri.”

He notices Britt's phone

Then he spots Britt’s phone, which looks as if it has been left in a mixing bowl, and hands it to her.   “Ooh – I’ve got a voicemail from Aaron,” she says.

Colin resumes, “Or we could have a Chinese – 

"I love that place in Llanarthur . . ."

“I love that place in Llanarthur, Dragon Bamboo – 

". . . I've been practising using chopsticks"

“I’ve been practising using chopsticks.”

"Gloria – she's died!"

Britt has heard some distressing news;  “Gloria!” she exclaims, “She’s died – aneurysm!”

"I didn't steal the money!"

At Bryntirion, Jason is stressing, “I didn’t steal the money – I’m not a thief!   Mam, you believe me, don’t you?”   

Diane accepts his word

She accepts that if he says he did not do it then he did not.

DJ can understand why Mathew is so angry – and the CCTV has been deleted.   

"Someone's trying to frame me"

“Someone’s trying to frame me – I don’t know who!” Jason shouts.

"It's nothing, compared with faking your own death"

“Why are you so worried about it?   It’s nothing, compared with faking your own death,” DJ comments.   Jason points out that he has accepted responsibility for that, 

"I won't take the blame for something I didn't do"

but he will not take the blame for something he did not do.

"I'll get my coat"

Gwern comes to Y Felin to collect Lleucu, who will just get her coat;  

Disapproving Dadi appears

Cai comes downstairs and is informed that the two of them are going to the cinema.   

"We won't be back until late"

“Don’t bother making dinner – we won’t be back until late,” Lleucu informs him and they quickly leave.

DJ is down in the cellar

Jason catches DJ down in the cellar of Bryntirion 

"What are you doing here/'

and demands what he is doing there.   

"You look tired"

“I was just sorting the bins out – are you all right – you look tired.”

"How would you feel if everyone thought you were a thief?

Jason asks, “How would you feel if everyone thought you were a thief?   Could you sleep if you found out you had lost your son?”   

"It must be hard"

DJ appreciates that it must be hard.

"Why didn't you tell Mam?"

“Why didn’t you tell Mam you knew where I was?”   DJ says that it was to help him out.   “I find it odd – it’s the last thing I would expect.   I would expect you to go straight to Mam and Dai after talking to Howard – but no, instead you looked for me and offered me money.”

"The food truck business is doing well"

DJ is obviously becoming ‘rattled’;  “Like I said, the food truck business is doing well.”   Jason is very doubtful he can afford to give away £1,000.   

"It's a big coincidence, isn't it?"

He thought that DJ would have needed every penny now that he has babies on the way.

“It’s a huge coincidence, isn’t it?   That you’re flush just when money goes missing from APD.   Did you do it?”

"I'm surprised you're asking"

“Heavens no!   I’m surprised you’re asking after I saved your skin,” DJ snarls, 

"You won't mess up my life, right?"

“You might have made a mess of your life, but you won’t mess up mine, right?”   

Jason's suspicions are confirmed

Jason is pretty certain he is on the right track.