13 November 2024

Dyff is plotting

Dyff comes downstairs with a serious look on his face;  he turns on the kettle, 

He looks at a letter . . . 

then picks up a letter from the table and takes out his phone.   

. . . then contacts Kath

“Hi, are you free today?   I think we need to have a little chat.”

Dani is on a mission

As Gabriel is crying upstairs, Dani comes down in her pyjamas and looks at the prominently placed photo of Seren, then goes into the kitchen.   

"Are you going up to Gabriel?"

Jinx also comes down and asks her whether she is going to go to Gabriel, but she has something else on her mind.

"Have you seen Seren's headband?"

“Have you seen Seren’s headband?   That glittery one she wore all the time?”   He has not seen it, but she insists that she needs it and he is sure that it will turn up, 

"Bwni Bwns turned up"

reminding her that ‘Bwni Bwns’ turned up.

"I have to find it by tomorrow"

He enquires whether she wants something to eat, but Dani does not have time;  nevertheless, he says that he will make them some breakfast.   “No – I have to find it by tomorrow – she’ll want to wear it,” Dani insists.   Jinx points out that there are similar ones upstairs, but is told, “That was her favourite, Jinx!”

Britt and Colin arrive

When there is a knock at the door, she is adamant that he must say she is not there, but as soon as he opens the door, Britt and Colin come in.   

"Do you want us to come here first?"

“Dani, are you all right, love?” asks Britt, “We’ve just come to discuss tomorrow’s arrangements – do you want us to come here first?”

"Its only a small funeral"

Dani answers that it is only a small funeral, 

"You can do whatever you want"

which Britt completely understands that Dani can do whatever she wants;  

"Just me, Jinx and the children"

“Just me, Jinx and the children,” she adds.   As Gabriel begins to cry again, Britt maintains that she cannot do that.

“You just said I can do whatever I want,” Dani points out, but Britt stresses that she is family.   Dani has decided and made the arrangements;  she is not changing things.

"I want to be there, I have a right to be there"

“I want to be there, I have a right to be there – we need to discuss this,” Britt goes on, but Dani goes upstairs to Gabriel.   

"Sorry, I had no idea"

Jinx apologises as he had no idea this is what Dani wanted.

“I want to say goodbye to her!” Britt whines and Colin confirms that she will, 

"We mustn't put pressure on Dani"

but they should not put any pressure on Dani, not today.   

Colin persuades her to leave

He shepherds her out of the door, as Jinx promises to try to change Dani’s mind.

"Nachos without that crisps and cheese sauce"

Eleri approaches the Fflamingos van;  “Can I have nachos without the crisps and cheese sauce?”   

"That only leaves the salas and guacamole"

DJ points out that only leaves the salsa and guacamole.   She also wants salad, maintaining that some people respect their bodies.

"What's going on here?"

Jason joins him, squeezing through the small door at the back of the horsebox;  “What’s going on here?   I thought the shift was starting later.”   

"Big order for the school"

DJ replies that they have had a big order;  “Ffion wants a big buffet in the school at lunchtime – a teacher is leaving or something.”   Jason is glad that at least something good is happening today, as he thinks that he has been caught speeding and already has nine points.

“I need my licence – how many points do you have?   Perhaps you could take my points.”   

"No way, boy!"

There is no way that DJ is going to agree to that, and suggests that he could ask his mother, who would do anything for him.

"Don't think about it, then"

“Thinking about living like this for the next few years,” DJ groans and is told not to think about it;  they do not have much choice.   They need big orders like this so they can pay this debt to Mathew.

"How much?"

Eleri comes back to collect her order and is charged £6;  

"You decided not to have half the ingredients"

“It was you who decided not to have half the ingredients,” DJ reminds her.   

They watch her walk away

She pays contactlessly for it and walks away.

"I'll make us some lunch"

Jinx comes downstairs at number 9 to find Dani staring at her phone;  he says that he will make her some lunch, but she replies that she is going to town now, to get the same headband.   

"Look, I'll come with you"

“Look, I’ll come with you, but before we go, I just wanted to talk about tomorrow.   Why didn’t you say it was only us going?”   

"I only want a small funeral"

She answers that she only wants a small funeral.

He had assumed that Colin and Britt would be able to come, but she reprimands him for not checking.   

"I'm not a Monk"

“But why don’t you want them there?   They’re family.”   Dani stresses that she is not a Monk, 

"Seren was – it isn't fair"

so he points out that Seren was and that it is not fair.

"Fair?"

“Fair?” she demands and he continues that Britt is really upset – 

"Seren would want her to be there"

Seren would want her there – he just does not want her to regret it.

“Do you know what?   I know what Seren would want, not you and not Britt,” Dani snarls, 

"Go and comfort Britt, instead of saying stupid things!"

“So just go and comfort Britt, instead of saying stupid things here!”   

"You're making me feel worse!"

He emphasises that he is trying to comfort her;  she tells him, “Don’t bother – you’re making me feel worse!”

He says that he will give her some peace and leaves the house;  

"Don't hurry back, either!"

“Don’t hurry back, either,” she comments, “Moping around the place – you’re pathetic!”   He tells her to phone him if she needs anything as he will not be far away.   Her final words before she storms upstairs are, “I don’t need you!”

Eleri visits Bryntirion 

Eleri arrives at Bryntirion;  she remarks on the interesting cushions, but Jason wants to know how he can help her.   

"I'm here to help you, actually"

“I’m here to help you, actually,” she says, “I heard you and DJ talking earlier.”   

"That was a private conversation"

He points out that it was a private conversation, so she advises, “You should have held it somewhere private, then.   You’re in debt to Mathew – 

"I don't want to hear the details"

“I don’t want to hear all the details – it’s not my business.”

"So why are you here?"

In that case, Jason wants to know why she is there;  “Because I’d like to know how you’re going to pay him back.   

"I've got a sum of money I want to get rid of"

“I’ve got a sum of money I want to get rid of.”

When Jason wants to know why, she continues, “I’m not asking questions and neither should you.   How much is the debt?”

"I thought we weren't asking questions"

“I thought we weren’t asking questions,” Jason remarks, so she insists that she is trying to help him.   They both have a problem, but there is an easy way to sort it out – she really does not want to pay tax on this money 

"You don't want to live like a teenager"

and he does not want to live like a teenager on the minimum wage.

"£20,000"

Jason admits that it is £20,000, or actually £23,000 in total.   

"Plus 6% interest"

“Well, of course there will be interest on top of that – 6%,” she advises.   

"Make it 4%"

Jason proposes 4% and they settle on 5%.   “The interest will be £1,250.”

"I'll wait to hear from you"

He asks how much they would be paying back each month and she replies, “£500 between you – that must be less than you’re paying at the moment – I’ll wait to hear from you.   

"Even you two know you won't get a better offer"

“But I’m sure even you two know you won’t get another offer like this!”   

What is going to be Jason's decision?

Jason appears to be torn between two opinions.

"What couldn't you tell me on the phone?"

Kath arrives at Maes-y-Deri and asks if everything is all right;  Dyff says that he did not mean to worry her and asks if she would like a cup of tea.   “I just want you to tell me what you couldn’t tell me over the phone,” she replies.

"Marks been working hard preparing"

“I wanted to discuss this dam – Mark’s been working hard preparing for this big meeting.   

"If he knew his mother was involved"

“I’m sure that he’d break his heart if he knew his mother was involved in the whole thing.”

"What are you talking about?"

Kath wonders what on earth he is talking about, 

"Brynmor has a lot to do with this Quantum company"

so Dyff continues, “I know it’s none of my business, but how do you think Mark would feel if he found out that Brynmor had a lot to do with this Quantum company?   Don’t try and deny it – people in work told me.   

"He has shares in the company"

“Brynmor has shares in the company that’s trying to destroy this valley!”

"You expect me to believe that?"

“Do you expect me to believe that?” she demands but he insists that it is true.   

"Brynmor would have told me"

“Brynmor would have told me,” she insists, but Dyff maintains that everyone has their secrets, 

"I'm surprised you didn't know"

and feigns surprise that she did not already know.

Colin brings a meal to Dani

Dani opens the door to Colin, who is bringing her some food;  

"The only thing that made Kylie talk to us"

“Britt’s speciality – that pasta bake was the only thing that made Kylie talk to us when she first came to us.”   

"I assume it's a bribe"

Dani recalls that Seren loved it too and assumes that the pasta is a bribe.   Colin assures her that is not the case, 

"I didn't know she wanted to be there"

but Dani says she did not know that Britt wanted to be there.

"You don't have to explain to me, Dani"

He stresses that she does not have to explain to him;  “I know better than anyone that leaving the house to go to the shop is difficult, never mind having to face people tomorrow.”   

"Tomorrow is scaring me so much!"

Dani confesses that tomorrow is scaring her so much.

"When exactly were you going to tell me?"

Kath is leaving a phone message for Brynmor;  “I’d like to know exactly when you were going to tell me that you’re part of this scheme to drown my home.   So when you get this, phone me back straightaway, will you?   Or, do you know what?   

"Or don't bother coming back at all"

“Come back tomorrow with a good explanation for this, or don’t bother coming back at all – do you understand?”

"Did you know your father was part of this Quantum business?"

Eleri walks into the room and Kath demands, “Did you know your father was part of this Quantum Hydro dam scheme?”   

"I had no idea"

Eleri pretends that she knows nothing of it, so Kath goes on, “Well, he is, according to Dyff.   It’s lucky he’s away or I would throttle him!”

Eleri picks up her coat and is about to leave;  

"I've got better things to do"

“I’ve got better things to do than listen to you complaining!” she snaps.

Jinx is ready to start on his third bottle . . .

Jinx has gone to the brewery for a drink;  

. . . so drains the second one

he opens another bottle after having finished two and throws away the cap.

"I knew you were stupid . . ."

Eleri marches into Maes-y-Deri;  “When I first met you, I knew before you opened your mouth that you were stupid,” she tells Dyff, “You are Mark’s father, after all.”

". . . but I never thought you were this stupid!"

He asks whether she would like a cup of tea before she throws the next insult, but she simply continues, “But I never thought you were this stupid!   I warned you not to upset Dad and not to cross me.”

"I thought that she knew"

Dyff maintains that he thought Kath knew;  

"Imagine if you went back and there was no bar left"

“She didn’t – but I’m sure you took great pleasure in telling her.   I love Tenerife – I lived there for a while.   I made some good friends out there – I wouldn’t want to make life difficult for you, but imagine if you went back and there was no bar left – you don’t want that, do you?   

"I'm pretty sure there's a flight tomorrow"

“I’m pretty sure there’s a flight tomorrow morning – safe journey!”

"Where is it?   What's it called?"

As she heads for the door, Dyff asks her where the bar is, as she seems to know a lot about it.   “Where is it?  What’s it called?   You don’t think I’m going to take orders from a little girl like you?   

"Run back to Dadi"

“I’m here to stay – now run back to Dadi.”   

Eleri does not like that

She does not appreciate someone standing up to her.

Is this a self-service brewery?

Jinx is still sitting in the brewery, apparently the only customer, and the toll of bottles has now reached five.   Eleri walks in, talking on the phone;  “I need a favour and you owe me a few!”   

"Are you all right?"

She asks Jinx if he is all right 

"Why is everyone asking me that?"

and he wonders why everyone is asking him that.

"Because your girlfriend's daughter has just died"

“Because your girlfriend’s daughter has just died – the funeral’s tomorrow, isn’t it?” says Eleri, “Don’t you think you should be at home, then?”

"She doesn't want me there"

“No, she doesn’t want me there,” is his reply.

"Do whatever makes it easier for you"

“It’s important that you do whatever makes it easier for you – that’s what’s important and Britt will understand – I’ll make sure of that,” says Colin.   Dani is grateful for that, 

"Is everything ready?"

as he enquires if everything is ready.

"I can't find this headband she wore"

“It was, but I can’t find this headband she wore and I wanted her to wear it,” Dani replies, “Jinx wants me to use another one, but it’s not the same – he doesn’t understand.”   

"I hope he will never have to"

Colin hopes that he will never have to, urging her not to push him away;  “He’s trying his best – he wants to be there for you, but it’s impossible for him to say or do the right things at the moment.”

"Thanks, Colin"

Dani appreciates that and again thanks Colin.

Jinx is certainly putting that Ceffyl Du away!

In the brewery, as Jinx’s bottle count has grown again, he tries balancing one bottle on top of another, so Eleri removes it.   

He drones on unintelligibly

“You know, Dani and me – it’s not how it looks – you know when you’re happy and then you’re not – and there’s something – 

"Do you know what I mean?"

“do you know what I mean?”

"I don't think I make her happy either"

Eleri has no idea and he rambles on, “I don’t think I make her happy either – there is no fuss with you, is there?”   

"I'll take that as a compliment"

She decides that she will take that as a compliment.   Jinx continues, “Life is short, isn’t it?   

"I want to be more like you"

“I want to be more like you – your life is sorted, isn’t it?   Do you know what?   I’d better go.”

By now he is rather unsteady

However, as he staggers to his feet, Eleri tells him, 

"I'll make you a coffee"

“You can’t go back in that state – come with me and I’ll make you a coffee.

Dani's phone is nearby

Number 9 is in darkness when Dani wakes up on the sofa and picks up her phone.   

She dials Jinx's number

She walks into the kitchen and dials a number.

"I don't share wine with drunk people"

At Cysgod y Glyn, Eleri gets herself a drink and makes a cup of coffee for Jinx, warning him, “I don’t share wine with drunk people.”   

He declines to answer the call

At that moment his phone sounds;  when he sees who is calling, he decides not to answer it.

"There use to be a picture on that wall"

“Did you know that for years this was my home?   Here’s a story for you – they used to be a picture on that wall over there and everyone thought I looked like the person in this picture – and do you know what’s funny?   

"It was a picture of a woman!"

“It was a picture of a woman.”

"That's more weird than funny"

She regards that as more weird than funny and he continues, “People think you’re sharp – do you know that?   

"I think you're really funny"

“But I think you’re really funny.   

"Keep it down!"

She tells him to keep the volume down, as Kath and Brynmor are in the small room at the back.

“Oh, that used to be my room – but there we are, 

"That bed's getting more action now"

“that bed’s getting more action now than when I was living here!”

After a hard shift at Fflamingos

DJ and Jason return to Bryntirion after a hard shift at Fflamingos;  they complain about how hard they have been working.   

"There must be an easier way"

“There must be an easier way to make money than feeding drunk people,” sighs DJ.

"Well, there might be . . ."

“Well, there might be – 

". . . Eleri came round earlier"

“Eleri came over to talk to me earlier,” says Jason and DJ looks wary.

"It made me realise how short life is"

Jinx is talking about his lucky escape from the Deri, just before it blew up;  “It’s made me realise how short life is.”   

"I think it feels like Groundhog Day"

On the other hand, Eleri maintains that it feels like Groundhog Day, living in Cwmderi.   “Well, change things, then – there’s no point wasting your time if you’re not happy,” Jinx advises.

Eleri stumbles . . .

On her way back from pouring another drink, Eleri trips and spills it.   

. . . and Jinx helps to mop up

Jinx tries to mop it up for her, and decides that it is time he went.   

"It has been nice"

“It’s being nice spending time with someone who understands me,” he tells her.

"That's not usually a positive thing"

She replies that is not usually a positive thing 

A good night kiss . . .

and he gives her a good night kiss, 

. . . seems to escalate . . .

then another, 

. . . into something else

which metamorphoses into something more abandoned.