21 November 2024

Dani dozes by Gwern's bedside

Dani is dozing by Gwern’s bedside in the hospital when Jinx comes in, asking how he is.   

"I thought I'd lost him, too"

“Asleep, but he’s going to be all right.   I just want to keep my eye on him – I thought I’d lost him, too,” she groans, “What’s wrong with him?   He drank until he passed out.”

"Apart from his terrible hangover"

Jinx says that he has had a hard time, too, “But he’s going to be all right  – apart from the terrible hangover he’ll have when he wakes up, of course – and we’ve all had those, haven’t we?”

"I'm just popping out"

Dani has been thinking and asks Jinx if he will stay with Gwern, as she is just popping out;  he enquires whether she needs a lift anywhere.   “No, you’d better stay, in case he wakes up – I won’t be long.”   Jinx will phone her if the doctor says anything.

"Judas!"

In the deli Ffion and Mark are doing some online research when they see Siôn with Iolo;  “Judas!” snarls Mark.

"I've taken a job – just like your father has"

Iolo points out that it was too good an offer to turn down;  “I’ve taken a job – just like your father has.

Ffion interrupts, “Don’t say you’re in favour of it?” and Siôn is quick to point out that he is not in favour;  he adds that it has fuelled his anger, 

Siôn is not in favour

arguing that the company is turning the community and their families against them with their big promises.

"Sorry, Iolo, I can't let you benefit . . ."

“Sorry, Iolo, I can’t let you benefit to the detriment of our neighbours,” Siôn goes on;  

"See you this afternoon"

he tells Ffion and Mark that he will see them this afternoon.

"That's a bit of a coincidence"

“It’s a bit of a coincidence, them offering Iolo work a day before the meeting,” suggests Ffion, then looks across at Tom, who is having his breakfast nearby.   

"Have you no shame?"

“Have you no shame – working for a company that uses dirty tactics?   Recruiting people from the village – Dyff, Iolo – trying to silence them with dirty money.”

"Nothing wrong with that"

“If Quantum Hydro Works offers work to local people, it’s because they want them on the project – there’s nothing wrong with that,” Tom replies.

"Leave it, Ffion"

Mark urges Ffion to leave it, as Tom is only security;  “Our battle is with the bosses in some posh offices somewhere.”

She acknowledges that he is right, 

"I wouldn't get too comfortable in that cabin"

but warns Tom, “I wouldn’t get too comfortable in that cabin.”   

Tom just smiles

He simply smiles.

"I haven't had a chance to tidy up"

Siôn arrives at Penrhewl and Sioned apologises that she has not had a chance to tidy up;  indeed, the place is in rather a mess.   “Your mother asked me to call in when I saw her yesterday.   She’'s worried about you all.”

"With a bit of luck, she'll be out soon"

Sioned insists that she does not need to be, as everything is fine there and he goes on, “With a bit of luck, she’ll be out soon – we’ve decided to appeal the sentence.”   

Sioned was not expecting that

This comes as rather a shock to Sioned;  she wonders if there is much point.

"Where's the passion and the fight?"

“Where’s your fire, Sioned?   Where’s the passion and the fight?” Siôn demands.   Sioned replies that of course she wants her mother home, 

"I've got a lot on my plate"

but it is six months and she has a lot on her plate as it is.

Siôn assures her that he will take care of it;  

"Anything I can do, just ask"

“And I’ve promised your mother I’ll help around here, so if there’s anything I can do, at any time, you only need to ask.”

"Can you babysit the twins?"

“Can you babysit the twins?” she immediately asks, which he was not expecting.   “They’re asleep – I’m only going to the shop and I can check the app.”   

"I could go to the shop for you"

He volunteers to go to the shop for her, 

"I need the fresh air more than the shop"

but she needs the fresh air more than the shop, to be honest.   If he is not available, it does not matter.

He reluctantly agrees that he will do so and asks that she should not be too long.   

"What have I agreed to here?"

As she leaves, Siôn wonders what he has let himself in for.

Rhys and his father are scheming

In the brewery, Rhys tells his father, “We need this task force to vote in favour today – so if you have to do that to get it through, so be it.”

"Look who I found in the shop!"

Mathew comes in;  “Hey, look who I found in the shop!” he exclaims, as Sioned gets her first look at the brewery.   Hywel asks her how life is as a mother;  she replies that it is a lot of work with two, plus Huwi-John.

"Rhys was a lot of work on his own!"

Hywel says that Rhys was a lot of work on his own, but Rhys is quick to point out that he was never there.   Sioned says that she had better not have a drink, but is persuaded to try a non-alcoholic one.

"It will be nice to talk to an adult"

“Go on, then – why not?   It will be nice to talk to an adult,” she sighs.   

"You'll have to make do with Rhys and Mathew"

Hywel maintains that she will have to make do with Mathew and Rhys until she can find an adult;  he must go and get changed for the meeting.

"What have you been doing?"

Dani marches in;  “What have you been doing?” she demands of Rhys 

"Eh, what?"

and he wonders what she is talking about.

"Is Brynmor all right?"

Dyff walks into Cysgod y Glyn and asks Kath if Brynmor is at home and whether he is all right.   

"Oh, fantastic!"

“Oh, fantastic,” she replies, “Apart from the fact that someone tried to kill him!”

"I've been worried about him"

“Yes, I’ve been worried about him,” Dyff admits.   

"How could you do such a thing?"

Kath demands how he could do such a thing, revealing that Brynmor has told her what happened .   

"What has Brynmor ever done to you?" 

“What has Brynmor ever done to you?   Why did you do that to him?   What has he done apart from make me happy?   I really thought we’d started to understand each other – but you’ve gone too far!”

"I think you've misunderstood, Kath"

He thinks that she has misunderstood things, 

"I don't ever want to see you again!"

but she disputes that;  “I don’t think I’ve misunderstood anything, Dyff!   I don’t ever want to see you again – to be honest, I don’t understand why you’re still here – you came back to see Dan, didn’t you?   Well, Dan’s better now, so what’s keeping you here?   

"Apart from making my life hell!"

“Why are you still here, apart from making my life hell?”

"Did you give the beer to Gwern?"

In the brewery, Dani continues, “Did you give the beer to Gwern?”   Rhys denies this;  

"So you've never given him any?"

she asks, “So you’ve never given him any?”   He admits that Gwern has had a sip or two and she shouts, “He’s 15!”

"Lots of 15-year-olds taste beer"

Sioned interrupts to say that lots of 15-year-olds taste beer and is told that it is nothing to do with her.   

"He had his stomach pumped last night!"

“He had his stomach pumped last night – he looks up to you, Rhys, and I thought you’d be a good influence – so how do you think I felt walking home and seeing him like that?   

"I don't want him to have anything to do with you!"

“I don’t want him working here and I don’t want him to have anything to do with you!”

"We'll find out soon enough"

In the site office, Tom tells Dyff that the meeting about the dam is about to start;  “We’ll find out soon enough whether we’re out of work.”

“Well, before we get thrown out of the village, can I ask you a question about the CCTV?” says Dyff, 

"Can I se the footage from last week?"

“Can I see the footage from last week?   And then save it and put it on a USB?”   

"What's going on here, then?"

Tom wonders what is going on.

Siôn still has not arrived

Some of the villagers are assembled in Yr Antur for the meeting, but Ffion is anxious that Siôn is still missing.   Mark has tried phoning him with no success and Ffion is becoming nervous.   

Hywel discusses the agenda

Hywel is discussing the agenda with two other councillors, then Kath arrives and sits by Mark.

"I wouldn't miss this, Mark"

“I wouldn’t miss this, Mark,” she says, “We’ve always done everything together – that’s the Joneses for you.”

"Thank you all for coming"

Hywel begins the meeting and thanks them all for coming, also those who have been in touch beforehand;  “We’ve received a lot of e-mails and letters.   I have to say, in general, opinion is against this development, 

Names like Ben D Gedig

“but we have had to ignore many of those letters because the names on them were not authentic.

“I’m Hywel Llywelyn – for those who don’t know me, I’m one of Cwmderi’s county councillors and I’ll be chairing the session today.”   

"Why can't Diane do it?"

Mark wonders why Diane cannot do it 

"He's leader of the Planning Committee"

and she informs him that Hywel is leader of the Planning Committee, so he always leads these sessions.

"I understand what's at stake here"  — yes, his shares

“Look, I fully understand what’s at stake here, and you’ll have an opportunity to speak for and against the plans before the vote at the end of the session,” Hywel explains.   “I have to say the result of that vote will be presented to the County Council before they decide whether the scheme is given planning permission or not.”

Siôn is becoming anxious

Siôn is anxiously looking at his watch, wondering when Sioned will return.   At last the door opens and Sioned discovers that he has been tidying up in her absence;  

"You didn't have to do that, Siôn"

“You didn’t have to do that, Siôn,” she says.

"Where the hell have you been?"

“Where the hell have you been?” he angrily demands, and she apologises that she saw Mathew and Rhys.   “The twins have been fine - sleeping, but that’s not the point,” he snarls, “I tried to phone – I should be at Yr Antur!”

"I didn't know you wanted to go"

She was unaware that he wanted to go, 

"Of course I wanted to go!"

but he goes on, “Of course I wanted to go – it’s an important meeting for the community – I didn't know I’d be stuck here!”

Sioned is reduced to tears . . .

“I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to – it was just nice,” apologises Sioned as she bursts into tears.   

 . . .which has a defusing effect one Siôn's temper

This softens Siôn’s attitude 

Sioned sits down

and he invites her to sit down.

What a pity – we missed the Quantum Hydro Works spiel

We seem to have missed the presentation in favour of Quantum Hydro Works given by Miss Richards, 

"It was all in English!"

which Ffion complains was all in English.   It appears that no-one has any questions, 

"Let's hear the opinions against"

so Hywel suggests that they move on to hear the opinions against the development.

"We understand that we need more reservoirs . . ."

Ffion and Mark go to the front and she begins, “We understand that we need more reservoirs, especially with climate change, and we accept that it’s a problem that will need to be solved in the future.   

". . . but destroying a community is not the way to do it!"

“But destroying a community is not the way to do it.”   

"Quite right, Ffion!"

Kath voices her approval.

"There must be more appropriate land"

“There must be more appropriate land for such a big scheme, which wouldn’t involve demolishing homes or disturbing the lives of people in a small village for years to come.”   She turns to Mark for his comments.

"Maes-y-Deri has been my home for over 30 years"

“Maes-y-Deri is my home – I’ve lived there for over 30 years and not just me, a lot of our neighbours.   We are a community and Maes-y-Deri means so much more to me than just bricks and cement.   

"It breaks my heart!

“Thinking about losing my home, it breaks my heart.”   

Is Diane actually dropping off?

Diane sits listening, stony-faced.

Gwern is ready to return home

Gwern is now out of bed and dressed;  Jinx comments, “A clean set of clothes always makes things feel better.   I’m worried about you, Gwern,” but he insists that he is fine.   

"This isn't the first time it has happened"

He is reminded, “This isn’t the first time it has happened – I don’t want it to become a habit – it will only make you feel worse.”

"Does Dani know?"

All that interests Gwern is whether Dani knows;  

"She thinks this is a one-off"

“She thinks this is a one-off – and I’m willing to let her think that if you promise me something.”

"OK, I won't do it again"

As Gwern maintains, once more, that he will not do it again, 

Dani is pleased to see him

Dani comes back and gives him a hug.   

"Everyone's drunk a bit too much"

“Come on, everyone’s drunk a bit too much,” Gwern tells her.

"A bit too much?   You were paralytic!"

She squeals, “A bit too much?   You were paralytic!   You may be fine now – but you weren’t last night!   You’re not going near Ceffyl Du again!”   He protest that he really likes the job, but is told, “Tough!   Rhys is a bad influence – until I can trust you, I’m not letting you out of my sight!”   

Gwern storms out

He pushes past her and walks out.   

"Leave him, Dani"

Jinx advises Dani to leave him and embraces Dani.

"If people move to Cwrtmynach . . ."

Ffion continues her impassioned speech, “If people move to Cwrtmynach, to this new housing estate, they won’t shop in our shop, they won’t eat in Tamed, MFC or The Pizza Place – and they won’t drink in the Deri or Ceffyl Du.”

"The whole village will suffer"

Mark agrees, “The whole village will suffer – there won’t be a village – and it will all start with demolishing Maes-y-Deri.”

"Don't vote for this terrible scheme!"

“So we beg you, on behalf of the community, don’t vote in favour of this terrible scheme!” pleads Ffion, for which which she receives a round of applause.   

"I'm proud of you, Mark!"

Kath says that she is so proud of Mark.

"Now someone to argue in favour"

Hywel sums up that they have heard a number of arguments against;  no, he would like to call on someone to argue in favour.   

"Iolo, guaranteed!"

“Iolo, guaranteed!” mutters Ffion to Mark.

"A local man with his own construction company"

“He’s a local man with his own construction company,” Hywel goes on, “Mathew.”

They are shocked

He thanks Ffion and Mark, who glower at him, then points out, “Quantum Hydro Works have made it clear that local companies, like APD, are the ones they want to do the work.   

"Construction companies . . ."

“Construction companies, 

". . . plumbers"

“plumbers, labourers.    If there’s more work, it’s a chance for more people to move to the area.   It won’t be the end of the village – it will be a new chapter.   

"This is a fantastic opportunity"

“This is a fantastic opportunity if we want it.”   

Ffion is furious

Ffion is obviously very irked by this speech.

"I'm just so lonely, Siôn"

Siôn has made a pot of tea;  Sioned confesses, “I’m just so lonely, Siôn – and seeing Rhys and Mathew earlier was lovely, just having a chat, enjoying having some company – 

"I felt like myself again"

“feeling like myself again.”

"A little bit of warning would help"

Siôn promises that he is willing to babysit any time if she needs to see friends – or just time to herself – but a little bit of warning would help.   “I just want things to be all right by the time your mother gets out of prison – and that includes you.”

"So you're serious about this appeal?"

She realises that he is serious about this appeal 

"When I have an idea in my head . . ."

and he informs her, “When I have an idea in my head, Sioned, I don’t let it go!” 

"More tea?"

as he pours her another cup of tea.

Dyff is given the recording

Tom has made a recording of the relevant CCTV footage and hands it to Dyff;  

"Are you going to give it to Brynmor?"

“Are you going to give it to Brynmor?” he asks.   

"In case someone needs to see what happened"

Dyff intends to keep it in case someone needs to see what happened – like the cops.

"You only have to ask"

He is told that he if he ever needs to look back at anything else, he should just ask;  Tom is the only one with the password.   

"I probably won't be here much longer"

“I probably won’t be here much longer,” says Dyff, but is assured that they will extend his contract if the scheme is passed.

“I’m thinking of leaving – I was only planning to be here temporarily – 

"Kath doesn't understand why I'm still here"

“Kath doesn’t understand why I’m still here.   I took the job in order to stay close to Dan while he was ill.   Now he’s a lot better – and Kath has a point – Brynmor certainly doesn’t want me to stay here.   I’ll go home to Tenerife – I’ve got a happy life there – I have to go back at some point, but I’m making progress with that son of mine.”

"Perhaps Mark could go back with you"

Tom suggest that perhaps Mark could go back with him;   “Tenerife?” sneers Dyff, 

"He's got a life of his own – work, Cheryl"

“He’s got a life of his own – work, Cheryl.”

Tom maintains that Cheryl would like the peace and wonders whether it is a bad idea;  “If you asked him, Mark might feel the same.”   

Dyff cannot see that working

Dyff does not look optimistic.

"At least, he's eaten something"

Jinx comes downstairs and informs Dani that at least Gwern has eaten.   

"I shouldn't have had a go at him"

“I shouldn’t have had a go at him,” she says;  Jinx consoles her that she was just doing her best, but she is now in tears.   

"I don't know what I would have done without you"

“I don’t know how I would have done this without you,” she sobs.

"You're strong – you don't need me"

“Come on – you’re strong on your own – you don’t need me,” he replies, but she insists that she could never have done this on her own.   “You don’t have to,” Jinx consoles her.

"Will you marry me?"

Dani turns to look him in the eyes and asks, “Will you marry me?”   

That came out of the blue

He finds this very unexpected.   

"I don't want to be without you"

“Yes, I don’t want to be without you,” she wails, “What do you say?”

"Er . . . yes, of course"

“Er . . . yes, of course,” he tells her, 

Now Jinx is worried

but he looks very concerned.

Siôn arrives just in time to see the vote

When Siôn finally arrives at Yr Antur, Hywel is just announcing that everyone has had a chance to air their views and to ask questions.   

"Will the councillors in favour raise their hands?"

“All that is left to do now is to vote.   Will the councillors in favour please raise their hand?”

A tense moment

Everyone cranes forward to see which of them is voting in which way;  Diane sits silently, looking very sullen.

"They need one more"

Mark realise they do not have enough votes and need one more;  

Rhys gives his father the nod . . .

Rhys motions to his father and at that moment, 

. . . and Diane's hand goes up

Diane raises her hand.   Kath gasps in surprise, as do some of the others.

"Right, there we are, I think"

“Right, there we are, I think,” says Hywel, 

"The committee supports the recommendation"

“I can announce that, by one vote, this committee recommends that the county council supports the application to build a dam.

Good news for Mathew . . . 

Rhys and Mathew are looking pleased, 

. . . and Rhys, but Iolo looks ready to burst into tears, as he so often does

Iolo not so much 

Diane looks very sorry for herself

and Diane seems very sorry for herself.