17 December 2024

Jinx comes out of the house . . .

Jinx comes out of number 9 and walks along the street, crosses the road, passing children on their way to school and meets Eleri, who is just leaving the shop.   “You look smart,” she comments, 

. . . not yet fully awake

which surprises him as he is still half asleep.   “Well, if you come over later, I’ll wake you up!” she promises.   

"I would love to, but . . ."

He replies that he would love to do so, but . . .   

"You're having cold feet"

Eleri finishes the sentence for him, “But you’re having cold feet because Dani’s coming back next week.”

"No, I have to be at school with Gwern"

However, this is not the reason;  “I have a disciplinary meeting in the school with Gwern, and I have to be there,” he informs her.   She describes it as moral support and wonders if he has heard from Dani.   “Just texts,” he answers.

"Well, come over later, then"

“Well, come over later – if you want to – and I’ll make sure everyone’s out.”

Ffion approaches

When Jinx turns round, Ffion is approaching;  “Are you coming with Gwern this afternoon?”   He points out that Britt was not available 

"We want to discuss his behaviour in general"

and Ffion further explains, “Now he’s coming back, we want to discuss his behaviour in general and what we can do to help.”

Jinx enquires whether Cai will be there and is assured that the school will treat Gwern fairly – she will make sure of that, 

Jinx has serious doubts about that

but Jinx is far from confident.

Breakfast-time at Y Felin

At the breakfast table at Y Felin, Lleucu and Iolo hear a knock at the door;  Iolo goes to answer it and finds that it is Gwern.   

"What are you doing here?"

“What are you doing here?” demands Lleucu, “What if Dad saw you?”   He wants to know if she is allowed to go to school today.   

"Please go, before Dad comes down"

She replies that she is not, but urges him, “Please go, before Dad comes down – best of luck with the meeting.”   

So that is why he has come

Before he goes, he sneakily slips the passport back on to the table, after whatever action he has taken with it.

Lleucu is shocked

As he is going out of the door, Lleucu notices the passport, picks it up and looks at it, then quickly hides it as she can hear her father coming downstairs.   

"It was only a delivery"

He asks who called and she comes up with a story about a deliveryman wanting a signature.

“Remember you’ve got enough work to do even if you’re not in school,” Cai tells her, “And I’ll talk to Ffion about work from today.”

"What's this doing here?"

Then he notices the passport and can immediately see what has been done to it;  

"What on earth has happened to this?"

“What on earth has happened to this?”   

Some 'amateur enhancement'

The passport has not been cut up, but rather defaced;  Cai is very well aware who is responsible for that.

Kath has received a letter

At Cysgod y Glyn, Kath is looking carefully at a letter, 

"That looks important"

which Eleri says looks important.   “Quantum Hydro Works,” replies Kath, “They’re offering an opportunity to discuss a fair price for Maes-y-Deri before a compulsory purchase order kicks in.”

Eleri immediate comments, “Do it – you can move somewhere nice then – I’m joking, obviously.”   

"They're moving quickly"

She has a look at the letter;  “Oh, they are moving quickly, aren’t they?”

"Do you think it's dodgy?"

“Do you think it’s dodgy?” Kath asks and Eleri imagines that her father could help.   Kath does not want him involved.   

"Right – why are you still living here?"

“Right, I’ve had enough –if you won’t even talk to him, why are you still living here?”   

Kath thinks seriously

Then, for effect, she marches out of the room, leaving Kath thinking seriously.

"Perhaps we could get an emergency one"

Back at Y Felin, Lleucu suggests, “Perhaps we could go to the Passport Office and get an emergency one.”   

"What – just before Christmas?"

Cai points out that is not going to happen just before Christmas, so she insists that there will be other flights.

“Who would do this?” demands Cai;  

"I think Gwern did it"

she believes that Gwern did it.   “I know that, but how?” he continues and she is forced to confess that it was Gwern who was there earlier – and he was acting weird.   “After I told him to stay away?” snarls Cai, “Get upstairs – now!   I’ll talk to you later.”

Brynmor is up at last

Brynmor is at last out of bed and wishes Kath and Eleri, “Good morning.”   

"I want a chat with you, Brynmor"

Kath wants a chat with him and she does not want Eleri to leave them.   “I want some business advice,” Kath adds.

Kath still thinks they could save Maes-y-Deri 

He puts on his glasses and peruses the document;  “I still say, if we all stick together, perhaps something will appear to save Maes-y-Deri,” Kath goes on.

"You're going to lose the house anyway . . ."

“Look, Kath,” he begins, “I know how you feel and I know what the house means to you, but . . . this plan is going to happen and you’re going to lose the house anyway, 

". . . so get the best price"

“so my advice is to try and sell as soon as you can to enable you to get the best price.”   

Eleri is taking notice

Eleri is listening carefully to this, but Kath is, as yet, not convinced.

Gwern in engrossed in his phone

Gwern and Jinx are in the deli, with Gwern apparently more interested in looking at his phone.   

"It will just be a general chat today"

“It will just be a general chat today, OK?” Jinx tells him, but Gwern points out that they are still trying to pin the beer business on him.   Jinx is adamant that he will not let that happen and he should not worry.

“Why don’t you show them that business plan of yours?” he suggests 

"Why would I want to do that?"

and Gwern wonders why he would want to do that;  “To show that you’ve been doing something constructive,” is the answer, “I’ll come back to the house later to give you a lift.”   Gwern actually thanks him.

Kath is in the Deri

Kath is sitting in the Deri, looking pensive, 

Brynmor has a large envelope

when Brynmor comes in, carrying a large brown envelope.   

"I've been in touch with Quantum Hydro Works"

“I’ve been in touch with Quantum Hydro Works about the house purchase and they sent over 

Already Kath has a contract in front of her

“this contract.”   Kath comments that was fast.

“The sooner you sign it, the sooner the sales process will start,” he tells her, even providing a pen with which she can sign it.   

"I need more time to think, Brynmor"

After a brief look at the contract, she says that she needs more time to think.   

“All right, that’s fine – take your time,” he says, getting up to go.

"It would make more sense if you sold the shares"

“Say that I do decide to sell,” says Kath, “You know the shares you have in the company – it would make more sense if you sold them as well, because that way you would cut all ties with all this business, wouldn’t you?   The way I see it, that’s the only way we can start afresh.”

"A new start is exactly what I want"

Brynmor maintains that is exactly what he wants – for them both to have a new start.   He sits down again;  “I realise it will take time and I’m willing to do anything to try.   Listen, I know I’m not perfect, but I do love you and I don’t want to lose you.”   

Kath reserves judgment on that 

Kath does not appear to be totally convinced of that.

Gwern waits for Jinx . . .

Gwern is waiting outside the door of number 9 for his lift to the inquisition;  

. . . who has not contacted him

he takes out his phone and looks at it, but there is no message.

Eleri now needs a glass of water . . .

This may be due to the fact that Jinx, with Eleri, who is dressed in her negligée, is just emerging from the bedroom at Cysgod y Glyn.   

. . . while Jinx buttons his shirt

She goes to get a glass of water while he is doing up his shirt;  

"You're just funny"

“You’re just funny,” she says.

"Funny, interesting, handsome?"

“Funny, interesting, handsome,” he suggests, “Shall I list some more?   

"Where are Kath and your father?"

“Where are Kath and your father?”

"Kath's received an offer on the house"

“Kath’s received an offer on the house in Maes-y-Deri, from that Quantum Hydro Works and Dad is helping her with it,” is Eleri’s answer.   

"The whole thing is disgraceful . . ."

Jinx is surprised that they are already giving offers on the houses and describes the whole thing as disgraceful.

". . . someone's been blackmailing councillors"

“Don’t tell anyone, but someone’s been blackmailing councillors to support the scheme,” he alleges.   

"It will bring work and profit"

Eleri says that it is terrible, but the project will bring work and profit to the area.   Jinx wants to know who will profit from it, emphasising that the families are going to be thrown out of homes they were born in;  “I don’t think anything can justify that.”   

"I can't understand the way you're thinking"

Eleri maintains that she cannot understand the way he is thinking, so he sneers, “No, of course you can’t, because you’re a New Yorker – what do you know about the Welsh countryside?

"It's important that we fight back!"

“Your father would understand.   There are some bad people around, just like everywhere, who are happy to profit from communities being ripped apart – it’s important that we fight back!”

“Wow – I don’t think I’ve ever heard you speak so passionately before!” she  exclaims.   He agrees that he does think passionately about some things.

"Don't look at me like that!"

When she looks invitingly at him, he half-heartedly protests, “Don’t look at me like that – you know I can’t stay – I’ve got a meeting with Gwern.”

"No-one's forcing you to stay"

“So go, then – no-one’s forcing you to stay, are they?” she replies, 

Jinx appears very easily led

but of course he again succumbs to her feminine wiles.

Gwern is alone

Gwern arrives alone at the Deputy Head’s office;  Cai takes his coat and bag, hanging them up.   

"He didn't turn up"

Ffion surprised that Jinx is not with him and is told that he did not turn up, which is why Gwern is late.

Cai plants incriminating evidence . . .

Meanwhile Cai can be seen, removing a bottle of vodka from his own coat 

. . . in Gwern's bag

and placing it in Gwern’s bag.

“How have you been since you’ve been away?” Ffion asks and Gwern replies that he has been fine.   

"Are you looking forward to being back?"

“Are you looking forward to being back?” Is the next question, as Cai joins them.

“Not really,” Gwern growls and is assured that they want to find out the truth in today’s meeting;  Ffion promises that he will be treated fairly, 

Cai has other intentions

but Cai seems to have other ideas.

Kath is back with her contract . . .

As Kath walks back into Cysgod y Glyn, 

. . . then hears Eleri's voice

she hears Eleri’s voice urging someone to, “Get out quickly!”   

"No – there's no-one here"

Eleri appears, still in her negligée, denying that anyone is with her, 

Then the door slams

but the footsteps hurrying down the stairs tend to suggest otherwise.

“Don’t worry – I won’t ask,” says Kath.   

"Did you discuss it with Dad?"

Eleri wants to know if she discussed the house with her father and he told that he was a bit of help, 

"I don't think he quite understands"

“But I don’t think he quite understands.”

“What is there to understand?” Eleri asks;  

"That house means a lot to me"

Kath stresses that the house means a lot to her – it was the first house she could afford to buy and there are more than 30 years of memories in those walls.

"There we go – life goes on"

“That’s a huge chunk of your life, isn’t it?   But, there we go – life goes on.”   She is about to sign the document, 

"I'd better check a few things"

but Eleri stops her, remarking that she needs to check a few things, just to be safe.   

"I know more about houses than Dad"

She points out that she knows more about houses than her father.   

Kath is confused

This confuses Kath.

It looks as if Jinx his not coming

Gwern looks up at the clock in the office, which is already showing 3:45pm.   

"We'll have to postpone this"

Ffion concludes, “Well, we can’t do anything officially without Jinx, so we’ll have to postpone this until the New Year.”

Cai does not agree with this, after the efforts to which he has gone;  

"Why don't we have an unofficial meting?"

he points out, “As Gwern is here we can have an unofficial meeting, just to talk things through – if Gwern is all right with that.”

“Yeah, OK – I don’t need Jinx,” agrees Gwern.   Ffion is not particularly happy about this, but reminds Gwern that they have been concerned about his recent behaviour.   

"I didn't bring that beer into school!"

“Yeah – but I didn’t bring that beer into school!” he is quick to emphasise.   Ffion assures him that they are aware of that.

“Is there anything we, as a school, can do to support you more?   We know that you’ve had such a terrible time recently – we want to help you.”

"Nobody wants me – ask him!"

On the contrary, Gwern insists that they do not want him there;  “Nobody wants me – ask him!” pointing at Cai.   

"I don't have anyone"

“Dani’s on holiday, Jinx hasn’t turned up . . . and Seren . . .   I don’t have anyone.”

Jinx finally arrives

This does not seem to have made any impression on Cai, but at that moment, Jinx finally bursts in, after his little dalliance, apologising profusely for his lateness.   

"Gwern has changed and matured"

He informs them, “It’s important that you know how much Gwern has changed and matured.”

Cai brusquely informs him that Gwern has already had a chance to speak 

"Did you bring your business plan?"

and Jinx continues, “Have you told them about the work you’ve been doing at home?   Did you bring your business plan?”   Gwern confirms that he did, while Ffion did not know anything about that.

"No – I'll get it!"

As soon as Gwern gets up to fetch the business plan, he is overruled by Cai, 

The vodka is swiftly removed

in a great hurry to remove the planted bottle from Gwern’s bag.   While Ffion is promising to look at it tonight, and they can talk about it in the New Year, 

Gwern fishes out the business plan . . .

the vodka is hidden rather riskily behind Cai’s back.

. . . and hands it to Ffion 

When the other three walk out of the office, 

That little plan misfired

Cai breathes a sigh of relief that his plan has not been discovered, but now is at a loss to know what he will do next.

Sprout shortage in the Gwendraeth Valley!

Brynmor is reading the Western Post in the Deri when Eleri comes to find him;  the headline is that ‘local farmers are struggling to keep up with the unprecedented demand for Brussels sprouts’.

"How can you deceiver her so easily?"

She sits down and demands, “How can you deceive her so easily?   The more you push the sale, the more she’ll hate you when the truth comes out.   What is the village going to think?”

"Are you going soft?"

He snarls, “Are you going soft?”   

"It will affect Tomos ac Ellis"

She is worried about how it will affect Tomos ac Ellis.   “Oh right – are you sure about that?” he asks, 

"You keep your eye on that Jinx"

“Listen, I’ll keep my eye on the ball – and you keep your eye on that Jinx, OK?” 

She gets up and walks out without another word.

Gwern has a parcel . . .

Gwern accept a delivery at number 9;  the padded bag is coming adrift at the end, 

. . . which he investigates

so he delves inside to find what may well be one of the Christmas decorations ordered by Jinx – the ones marked ‘bah humbug’.

"Eat it while it's hot"

He puts it back inside, just as Jinx comes in, bringing pizzas for them:  “Right, there we go – eat it while it’s hot,” he says, 

"It was a good result today"

then adds, “It was a good result today – listen, I’m really sorry I was late, OK?”

"Where were you?"

Gwern shouts, “Where were you?” and is told that it was beyond Jinx’s control.   

"Things will be easier" — your affair with Eleri won't be, mate!

Gwern gets up and Jinx tells him that things will be easier once Dani gets back;  “We all miss her, don’t we?”

"Some perfume for Dani"

Gwern hands him the parcel, which Jinx casually describes as being some perfume for Dani;  

Gwern knows better than that

Gwern knows otherwise.

Brynmor is back

Kath is preparing food at Cysgod y Glyn when Brynmor comes back;  

"Have you had time to think?"

“Have you had time to think about that contract?” he asks 

"Eleri stopped me signing it"

and she confirms that she was about to sign it when Eleri stopped her.   

"Eleri"

“Eleri,” he sighs.

"She knows more about houses than you"

Kath continues that she wanted to check a couple of things;  “As she said, she knows more about houses than you.”

"You're going to let Eleri influence your decisions?"

“So you’re going to let Eleri influence your decision, are you?” he goes on 

"This dam's going to destroy half the village"

but Kath is scared that this dam is going to destroy half the village.

Brynmor is adamant that it will not;  “But you don’t know that, do you?” she demands, “That’s why I think it’s important you sell those shares.   That way, your hands will be clean of this business – what do you say?”

"You've lost sight of what's important"

“What I was going to say, Kathleen Pearl, is that we’ve lost sight of what's important in all of this.”   

"Yes – and what's that?"

She enquires as to what that is.   

The answer is a holiday

“You and me,” he replies, “That’s why I was going to suggest that we go on holiday – time for us to relax.”

"Do you think that's going to sort things out?"

Kath laughs, “Do you think a holiday’s going to sort things out?”

"It will be a start"

“No, of course not – but it will be a start,” he maintains.   

"We've just reopened the Deri"

She reminds him that they have just reopened the Deri;  he is perfectly aware of that, adding that he does not want to put her in a difficult spot with Cassie.

"I had the Bahamas in mind"

“But I also know we need to spend time together, just you and me – nobody else.   I had the Bahamas in mind.   Why not?   I know you’ve always wanted to go.   

"Rebuilding things slowly" — and a long way from the dam

“Come on – we need to rebuild things, but slowly – will you think about it?”   

She does not look exactly eager

She does not look very inclined to be swayed by his arguments, persuasive though they might be.