25 November 2025

Mathew sits in his car . . . 

Mathew sits in the car 

. . . outside his mother's house

outside his mother's house at Valley and thinks.

"You've prepared all this for me?"

At Llwyncelyn, Tom is preparing breakfast when Gaynor comes into the room;  “Don’t worry, you haven’t forgotten my birthday,” he assures her and she is very surprised that he has prepared all this for her.   

"I wanted to do something nice for my partner"

“I wanted to do something nice for my partner,” he tells her.

“You didn’t have to go to all this trouble,” she replies, 

"I'll send a permission letter next time"

so he jokes that he will send a permission letter next time, then.   

"I don't deserve to be spoiled like this"

She protests that she does not deserve to be spoiled like this.

"You deserve to be treated like a princess"

He, in turn, insists, “You deserve to be treated like the princess you are every day, now take a seat and there’s a Bloody Mary on the way.”   She maintains that it is rather early, but he says that it does not matter as neither of them have anything on today

"You've done enough – I'll do this"

As he is about to add the vodka to the tomato juice, Gaynor tells him that he has done enough already and that she should pour it.   

"The eggs will be ready soon"

As he informs her that the eggs should be ready shortly, 

His glass has vodka . . . 

she adds the vodka to one glass 

. . . while hers is neat tomato juice

and the other is 100% tomato juice, then asks if he wants Tabasco.

He does not miss very much

He is keeping a careful eye on her 

"Oh – lovely"

and they take a sip.

Mathew goes through the gate . . .

Mathew goes in through the gate 

. . . and knocks on the door

and hesitantly knocks on the door;  

Melfa was not expecting to see him

his mother is very surprised to see him.   

"I'm here about the will"

“I’m here about the will,” he says and she lets him in.

"The buyer wants to exchange as soon as possible"

She apologises for the mess, explaining that the buyer wants to exchange as soon as possible and she has left everything until the last minute, as usual.   She assumes that he is there because she is moving next week and asks if he wants a cup of tea, but he shakes his head.

"I've bought a cottage by the sea"

“This place is much too big for one person – I’ve bought a cottage by the sea,” she goes on 

"You should make a tidy profit"

and Mathew comments that she should make a tidy profit on the house.   

"I deserve a bit of happiness"

“Well, I deserve a bit of happiness after being here all my life,” she grumbles.

"Not after what you did to me!"

“You don’t deserve any happiness after what you did to me!” is Mathew’s angry reply.

Tom is to ply Gaynor with alcohol again

Now Tom is pouring more Bloody Marys, giving the excuse that the last ones were much too strong, but he is adding an inordinate amount of vodka to Gaynor’s.   

"Why don't we go for a walk somewhere?"

She refuses any more, suggesting that they go for a walk somewhere.   

"I have to go to work"

“I can’t – work have just been in touch – the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing, so I have to go over there.”

"I'd better not drink these . . ."

Then he makes a great show of looking at the two drinks he is holding and adds, “I’d better not drink these, then – 

". . . you can have them"

“you can have them.   I’ll see you later.”

Some more goes down the sink

As soon as he is out of the house, she takes the two glasses and pours their contents down the sink 

Gaynor sits despondently

then sits down again at the table

"I wish someone would take me to a spa"

In the deli, Sioned is complaining to Ffion, “I wish someone would take me to a spa as a surprise.   Us single mothers don't have it easy, do we?”   Ffion detects  that things are still difficult between Sioned and Mathew, 

"It's complicated"

but ‘complicated’ is the word that Sioned would use.

“What about you?   Have you got anyone in your sights?”

"There's more happening on the Mary Celeste!"

Ffion laughs, “No!   There’s more happening on the Mary Celeste than in my love life.”

Does Ffion not lock her door?   Or does he have a key?

No guesses as to where Tom has gone;  after knocking on the door of Deri Fawr, he lets himself in, 

"Ffion!"

but finds there is no-one there.   

He rings her number . . .

Looking disappointed, he takes out his phone and dials Ffion’s number, 

. . . and she has the audacity not to answer

but there is no reply.

"Are you sure you don't want a sandwich?"

“Are you sure you don’t want a sandwich?   Or custard creams?   There are plenty of those,” says Melfa.

"I'm not here for small talk, all right?"

“I’m not here for small talk, all right?   Who was his solicitor?”   His mother will give him the address and wonders if he wants her to come with him.   

"I shall go on my own"

He is adamant that he will go on his own.   

"I'm glad you're taking the money"

She is glad that he is taking the money.

"Makes you feel better, does it?"

Mathew assumes that it will make her feel better if he does so;  

"It might give you  bit of closure"

she maintains that it might give him a bit of closure, help him to get over everything that happened there.   “Are you serious?” he snarls, 

"I'll have to live with this for the rest of my life"

“My life is in pieces – I’m never going to have ‘closure’.   I’ll have to live with this for the rest of my life.”

"I did try to help"

Melfa protests that she is sorry and did try to help, but he is   a very different opinion;  “You turned your back on me – that’s what you did.   And then you came back here – to him.   

"You chose a paedophile over your own son!"

“You chose a paedophile over your own son.   You left me when I needed you the most.”

"I had no choice"

She argues that she had no choice, but felt a duty – and it is complicated.

"You have no idea what I have to live with!"

Mathew snarls, “You have no idea what I have to live with, do you?   What I have to live with every day – the images I see in my head – the way I feel about myself – 

"No idea!"

“you have no idea!”

"Yes, I do – he did the same thing to me!"

“Yes,” she replies,”Yes, I do – because he did the same thing to me!”   

Mathew is stunned by this

Mathew is very shocked.

Ffion does more shopping

Now Ffion has been in the village shop and, as she is heading for the door she meets Tom;  seeing the box of chocolates in her hand, he remarks, “There was no need.” 

"They're for Arwen"

As she walks past him, she explains that they are for Arwen.

"I was expecting you to apologise"

He follows her out of the door and was expecting her to apologise for earlier;  “We’d made arrangements – I texted and phoned.”   

"I didn't hear my phone"

She makes the excuse that she has forgotten and did not hear her phone.

"This afternoon, then?"

“This afternoon, then?” he proposes, but she replies that she is in school this afternoon 

"We're having a pamper evening"

and furthermore, she and Arwen are having a pamper night and a film tonight.

"Probably a quiet night on the sofa for me"

He predicts that it will probably be a quiet night on the sofa for him as well;  

"I can't stop thinking about you"

adding, “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

"Have you said something to Gaynor about us?"

“Have you said something to Gaynor about us?” Ffion demands, “Because if you have, you need to tell me – I can’t be bothered playing games!”

"Why are you asking?"

cannot understand why she is asking, so Ffion continues, “Well, I’m wondering if that’s the reason for her recent drinking problem – 

"Perhaps she found out somehow"

“perhaps she found out somehow.   It makes sense, doesn’t it?”

Tom promises that Gaynor knows nothing about the two of them, but Ffion is not convinced.   

"I'm glad she's found someone who understands"

He maintains that he is glad she has found someone to talk to about the drinking – someone who understands.

"It's not easy to give up"

“The first step is to admit that there is a problem – but it’s still not easy to give up, just like that,” Ffion continues.   

"She's a pretty determined woman"  – she was until you turned up!

Tom maintains that Gaynor is pretty determined, 

"Good support at home is important"

and Ffion stresses that having good support at home is also important.

"Can we meet tomorrow?"

As she is about to leave, he grabs her arm, suggesting that they should meet tomorrow;  

"Remember me to Gaynor"

“Remember me to her,” says Ffion and simply walks away.

Mathew finds this news nauseating

The news he has just heard causes Mathew to throw up in the sink;  

"I left home as soon as I could . . ."

Melfa, grim-faced, explains that she left home as soon as she could.   “I left here, buried this place and everything that happened here.   

". . . and I've never said a word until now"

“Just . . . I never said a word to anyone about this until now, but when things turned sour with Ray, (Mathew’s father) I had nowhere to go, not a penny to my name – only the coat on my back and you.   I never dreamt that he would touch you.”

"So why bring me here?"

“So why bring me here, if you knew there was a risk?”

His mother replies that his grandfather persuaded her that what he did to her was her fault;  “I’ve lived with that all my life.   

"I thought I was doing the right thing"

“I thought I was doing the right thing bringing you back here.”

"Leaving a child without his mother?"

“Leaving a child without his mother?” Mathew demands;  she maintains that she was not fit to be a mother – she was supposed to protect him and what did she do?   Brought him there.

"You were better off without me"

“You didn’t deserve me – you were better off without me – but I missed you so much.   I came to see you on Christmas Day with a present – I was going to ring the bell, but I saw you through the window and you looked so happy.   You had forgotten about what happened here and I didn’t want to destroy that.   

"I left the box of Lego at the door"

“I left the box of Lego at the door and came home.”

"I thought Father Christmas had left that"

In tears, Mathew recalls, “I thought Father Christmas had left me that box of Lego.   

"The only thing on my Christmas list was Mam"

“If you’d only known that the only thing on my list at Christmas was Mam.   Why did you wait all this time?”

"It becomes a normal part of your life "

She says that it is hard to explain, but he begs her to do so.   She begins, “When it happens to you, time after time, it becomes a normal part of your life.   

". . . just a part of my childhood"

“Just a part of my childhood – like going to the seaside or playing with a ball.   They were happy times – he looked after me if I was ill or hurt – I loved him – he was my father.   And then when he got old and ill, it was my place to look after him.”

"He didn't deserve any of your kindness"

Mathew insists that he did not deserve any of her kindness, but she answers, “I couldn’t turn my back on him.”

"Why are you still defending him?"

Mathew cannot understand why she is still defending him, but she does not expect him to understand.   

"It was easier to ignore it"

“It was easier for me to ignore what he did to me than suffer the pain.   But when I thought he was doing the same thing to you, it brought it all back – I had to get you out of here.   And then things went back to just him and me – and that’s how it was until he died.”

"And then what?"

“And then what?” demands Mathew.   

"There was relief"

She replies that there was relief that the hold he had over her had gone.

Gaynor has been running

At Llwyncelyn, when Gaynor returns home, 

Tom is beating the living daylights out of the steak"

she finds Tom taking out his frustrations with a mallet on the steak.   When he realises that she is there, he comments, “Life is full of surprises, isn't it?   These steaks were a bargain, but they need to be tenderised.   And there’s Dauphinoise potatoes to go with them.”

"I am being spoiled today"

“Wow, I am being spoiled today!” responds Gaynor.   He maintains that she is very brave, going running with all that vodka in her system.   She is sure that it must have worn off by now, surely.

"You have to try this!"

Then he picks up another bottle of wine;  “You have to try this – it’s wonderful!”   

Gaynor is only drinking water

Gaynor does not want any, as she is only drinking water as she is so thirsty.

"There's plenty more!"

“Don’t worry – if I finish this, there’s plenty more.   I went a bit overboard – they all go well with steak 

"I bought the whole job lot"

“and I couldn’t choose, so I took the whole job lot.”   

"I can't wait"

Gaynor says, without enthusiasm, that she cannot wait.

"I don't expect you to forgive me"

Mathew leaves his mother’s house, as she tells him, “I don’t expect you to forgive me, but it would mean everything if you gave me the opportunity to get to know you again.”

"Here's the solicitor's details"

She offers him a piece of paper with the solicitor’s details;  he says that he does not want it.   She insists, “It’s your money.”

"I've already got everything I need"

He replies, “I’ve already got everything I need – I wouldn’t be where I am if you hadn’t given me that chance – and I can see that now.”   Once again she tries to get him to take the piece of paper, explaining that the address of the seaside cottage is on it as well.

He is about to return it the car

He takes it and is about to walk back to the car;  

"Mam, it wasn't your fault"

“Mam,” he says, “It wasn’t your fault.”

Gaynor walks in . . .

Gaynor walks back into the room 

. . . and a glass is thrust into her hand

and immediately is offered a glass of wine by Tom;  he smiles and proposes a toast, “To us!   Love, care and honesty.”   She does not drink her wine, 

"Why aren't you drinking?"

so he demands, “Why aren’t you drinking to my toast?”   

Tom is becoming angry

He is becoming angry that she is not following instructions.

Mathew is back at Penrhewl 

Some time later, when Mathew gets back to Penrhewl, he finds Sioned asleep on the sofa.   He puts his cup down on the table and the sound awakens Sioned; 

"I didn't hear you"

“I didn’t hear you,” she tells him.

“I’m not surprised – you were flat out,” he replies.   

"Didn't  you get what you wanted?"

She asks if he got what he wanted 

"I got what I needed"

and he enigmatically answers, “I got what I needed.”

"You'll be moving out, then?"

Sioned expects that he will be moving out, in that case, 

"Not immediately – if that's all right"

but he says, “Not immediately – if that’s all right with you.”   

"Of course it is"

She agrees that of course it is.

"Have you still got the number for that counsellor?"

“Have you still got the number for that counsellor?” he continues, “It’s about time, isn’t it?”

Tom brings the meal

Tom brings the food to the table, where Gaynor’s glass is still untouched;  while his back is turned, 

She tries to get rid go the wine . . .

she attempts to pour the wine from her glass back into the carafe, 

. . . but he does not miss much

but he is watching, eagle-eyed.   He slams the oven door closed, then sits down and refills her glass;  

"Take a big swig!"

“Take a big swig,” he instructs Gaynor, so she wants to know why.

"I want to see you enjoy it"

“I want to see you enjoy this expensive wine I’ve bought you,” he says, but she would prefer to taste the meat first.

He shoves her plate aside

He roughly shoves her plate aside and put her glass in its place;  “What’s wrong with you?” she demands.

“I don’t think I’m asking too much, am I?   Drink it, Gaynor!”   

"No, Tom"

She refuses, so he once again orders, 

"Drink it!"

with menace in his voice, “Drink it!”

"This is silly"

“This is silly – can’t we just enjoy this food, please?” she begs.

"I hope you haven't stopped drinking"

He gets up, puts his hand on her shoulder and demands, “I hope you haven’t stopped drinking alcohol without telling me?”

"Go on – drink it!"

He holds the glass to her lips and instructs her to drink it;   

It is forced down her throat

she tries to fight back, but he forces it down her throat, 

"Don't ever make a fool of me again!  All right?"

then threatens her, “Don’t ever make a fool of me again!   All right?”

Gaynor looks terrified

She looks terrified as he nonchalantly resumes his seat and presumably carries on eating the meal.