16 January 2024

Mathew points put Mark's options

Mathew and Mark are discussing the possibilities for upgrading the cupboards in Maes-y-Deri;  “You can have doors, or open shelves if you want.”   Mark says that Dani would prefer shelves, but he considers that they collect dust.

Mark spots someone coming in . . .

Then the bell on the shop door rings and Mark snarls, “Oh, you’re still showing your face then!   How could you?   

. . . and lets him have 'both barrels'

“You’re a coward!” at Jinx.   Mathew attempts to calm things down, 

"After everything she's been through!"

but Mark continues, “After everything she’s been through – what’s wrong with you?”

"Things hadn't been right for a while"

When Jinx is given an opportunity to speak, he replies, “Things hadn’t been right between Dani and me for a while,” so Mark sneers that it makes his actions all right, then.

"She obviously deserves everything you did to her!"

“I’m sorry, I misunderstood – she obviously deserves everything you did to her!   I’m not giving you another second of my time, good boy!   I’ll come back some other time.”

"You're bad for business"

Mathew informs Jinx that he is bad for business.   He actually wants a set of screwdrivers;  “I think Dani has packed mine – 

"I'm not in the best position to ask for them back"

“and I’m not in the best position to ask for them back.”

"Have you heard anything else about the dam?"

Mathew asks him if he has heard anything else about the dam and Jinx denies that he has.   “You’ve got a business in the village as well – should we prepare for more people and more business?” Mathew continues 

"I don't know"

and Jinx maintains that he does not know.

“Because I’ve taken out a loan to pay for this extension,” says Mathew.   

"You've done what?"

This shocks Jinx.

Mark is back at Maes-y-Deri . . .

Mark is back at Maes-y-Deri, where he discovers Dani 

. . . where Dani is having a bad day

curled up in the armchair, cuddling Seren’s favourite toy, ‘Bwni Bwns’.   

"Mathew had a lot of good ideas"

“Mathew had a lot of good ideas for more storage,” he tells her, “Do you want to hear them, or . . ?”

"Oh, Dan – not a good day?"

She does not reply, so he sits down opposite her;  “Oh, Dan – not a good day?”   She shakes her head and is almost in tears, but he tells her not to apologise and suggests she should go to have a shower and get dressed.   

"Going through your routine might help. . ."

“I know it’s easy for me to say, but sometimes going through your routine helps.”

“Helps what?” she mutters, so he concedes that it might not help, but urges her to try anyway.   

". . . and if not, I'll leave you alone"

If she still wants to sit there all day afterwards, he will leave her alone.

"I feel terrible, keeping this to myself"

“I feel terrible keeping this information to myself!” Jinx rages to Eleri, “It’s not fair that Matthew is going into debt for nothing!   The company has a responsibility.”

"I don't know why there has been this change"

She is aware of that, but does not know why there has been this change with Quantum Hydro Works about the local jobs.   Jinx wants to know when this ‘change’ is going to be turned into something more concrete, as it is not fair that he is deceiving people like this.

"I'll have another word with them"

Eleri says that she will have another word with them and get back to him;  he wants to know whether this will be today.   She replies, “I wasn’t expecting you to know this, but it’s my birthday today – and I have plans.”

"Happy birthday"

He rather unenthusiastically wishes her happy birthday;  “Which dress do you think is right?   

"Dad's taking me out for lunch"

“Dad’s taking me out for lunch – lots of champagne and seafood!”

"Perhaps you could talk to him over lunch"

Jinx makes the suggestion that she could talk to her father over lunch in that case;  “Eleri, please – it’s important!”

She imagines that he may be more generous after a couple of drinks;  

"Either that, or he'll be ready for a nap"

“Either that, or he’ll be ready for a nap, there’s no telling.”   She appears to be more interested in selecting the right dress.

Dani is put for a walk with Mark . . .

Mark has persuaded Dani to start moving and now they are walking through the alley;  he suggests going to Tamed for a cup of tea 

. . . when they meet Sioned . . . 

and at that moment they meet Sioned, out for a walk with the twins.   

. . . and the soundly sleeping twins

“You haven’t met Jac and Lili, have you?” says Sioned, “I’m sorry I haven’t been to see you.”

"Come over to Penrhewl for a cup of tea . . ."

Dani appreciates that she has been busy with those two;  she is invited over to Penrhewl for a cup of tea.   “I need to take these home and feed them – and I’ll have no one else to talk to – 

". . . but only if you have no other plans"

“but only if you have no other plans.   Dani would like that.

"I'll see you later, Dan"

Mark has food shopping to do, so will leave the two girls together and will see Dani later.

The Fflamingos van is at the festival

Fflamingos appears to be doing a good trade at the food festival;  Jason has a text from Mathew;  “He wants to know if we are going to be back for this Plygain thing tonight.   He wants us to set up an APD singing group.”   

Ioan is waiting for his opportunity

Meanwhile DJ can see Ioan sitting nearby, keeping an eye on the place.

"Can you pop out to get some mayo?"

DJ makes up the excuse that they are running low on mayo, asking Jason if he can pop out to get some;  “I’m sure I saw a corner shop along that way,” he says.

"Why do I always have to go?"

“I always have to go – why don’t you go?” Jason moans;  

Ioan makes his way across . . .

as soon as he has gone, Ioan walks across to see DJ and is handed the brown envelope.   

. . . to collect the smuggled drugs

DJ reports that there was no problem with security and Ioan gloats that it is easy.   Then he produces a smaller brown envelope, 

"Don't spend it all at once"

containing a little bonus from the boss, warning DJ not to spend it all at once.   

"You should be thanking me"

He is surprised that DJ is not thanking him.

"Your passes for the next festival"

Then there is yet another envelope;  “Your passes for the next festival – a bit more warning this time, as you’re such a diva!   

"See how much cash is in that envelope"

“Trust me, mate, you’ll be glad of the opportunity when you see how much cash is in that envelope.   I’ll be in touch.”

There is indeed a substantial sum

As soon as Ioan has gone, DJ has a look at his ‘bonus’, 

"This is a nice little earner"

which appears to be quite substantial.

"Kath!

Siôn comes into the Deri, looking worried;  “Kath!” he exclaims, when he sees how she has decorated the place, with various imitation cobwebs draped around and a skeleton (was it borrowed from the pharmacy?)   

"We can act as judges"

She advises that people can sing over in one corner, while she and Brynmor can act as judges.

"Plygain isn't a competition!"

“Plygain isn’t a competition!” Siôn reprimands her, but she insists that it will be more fun.   

Jinx comes in

Jinx comes in, looking very disheartened and goes to see Brynmor, wanting a word.

"Quantum Hydro Works . . ."

“Quantum Hydro Works,” he begins, “From what I understand, you’re on the board.”   

"Keep your voice down"

Brynmor angrily jumps up and urges him to keep his voice down.   

"I'm not here to cause trouble"

“I’m not here to cause trouble,” Jinx tells him, “Local businesses are under the impression they will benefit from the dam, but from what I understand, that is not true.”

"Who told you that?"

Brynmor wants to know where he was told this;  “Can you do anything to help?” is Jinx’s next question, “Otherwise I’ll have to go public with the information!   

"I don't like to make threats, but . . ."

“I don’t like to make threats, but the people of this village deserve better.”

"I'll make things move in the right direction"

“Leave it with me and I’ll make sure things move in the right direction – OK?” Brynmor answers – but does he intend to do that?

"I don't know where all these stains come from"

At Penrhewl, Sioned complains about the stains on her jumper;  “I find new ones on my clothes every day!” she says, as she fills the kettle.

The place is in rather a mess

Dani looks around at the state of disarray, 

"I haven't had a shower today"

while Sioned goes on, “I don’t even know how I got these – or what they are – and I haven’t had a shower today, either.”

Dani looks at the twins

Dani turns to look at the twins in their cots;  

"I have no right to complain"

Sioned apologises, “I have no right to complain – not with everything you’ve been through – you’re still going through.”

"It doesn't make any difference"

Dani maintains does not make any difference;  “People talking about their lives doesn’t make it worse or better, really.”   Sioned is sorry that she has not been to see Dani.

“Go and have a shower,” Dani tells her, “I’ll make the tea.”   

Sioned is not going to turn down an offer like that

Sioned needs no second bidding but dashes off to the bathroom, 

Dani looks around the room

while Dani looks at the scene around her.

Eleri has been waiting for some time for her father;  

"You're over an hour late!"

when he does eventually appear, she snarls, “You’re over an hour late!”

"You can forget about your champagne lunch!"

“You can forget about your champagne lunch today,” he tells her, “What the hell have you told Jinx?”   

"I had no choice"

Eleri maintains that she had no choice when he found out she had blackmailed Diane.

"I thought you had more sense than that"

“So you told him everything – I thought you had more sense than that – you could have made up any story!” he growls.

 “Sorry, doesn’t it worry you that you deceiving everyone?   The whole community you live in?”   

"Most of them will benefit from it"

He comes up with the usual answer that most of the community will benefit from it.   

"I can't believe the way you're using people!"

“Especially you!   I can’t believe the way you’re using people.”

"Don't you act innocent"

He cautions her not to act innocent, as she knew exactly what was going on, 

"Not about the jobs!"

but she protests that she did not know about the jobs.   “All right, apart from that,” he concedes.

"And I can't believe the way you're using  me!"

“And I can’t believe the way you’re using me!” she continues.   

"I bought Tomos ac Ellis for you"

He denies that he is doing such a thing, reminding her that he bought Tomos ac Ellis for her and made sure that she would get the contract for the new homes.   

"I could ask another estate agent"

“Don’t you want that?   Because if you don’t, I’ll ask another estate agent!” he threatens.

"And you would, wouldn't you?"

Eleri knows full well that he would actually do that;  “I’ll do anything to make sure I get this project through!” Brynmor declares, 

"I've got a mountain of work ahead of me"

“And thanks to you, I’ve got a mountain of work ahead of me!   Do you understand?”   

He storms out

He walks out of the flat, leaving his daughter stunned.

DJ disposes of the rubbish

DJ has just put some rubbish in the bin and returns to Fflamingos, 

"Look at all this cash . . ."

where Jason is counting the takings;  “Hey, look at all this cash!” he says, 

". . . I can't believe we make this much profit!"

“I can’t believe we made this much profit today!”

DJ maintains that a big gang came by earlier while he was out and at least they will have enough money to pay Eleri this month;  

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”   Jason is in favour of doing more of these festivals.

Sioned dropped off to sleep . . . 

When Sioned comes rushing back downstairs, she is apologising profusely to Dani;  “I’m so sorry – I sat on the bed after my shower, and the next thing I was waking up.”

. . . and in her absence, Dani has been busy

She looks around her to see that in her absence Dani has been tidying up the place.   “Oh, wow!   I don’t know what to say – I’m so grateful!”   

"The cleaning just helps at the moment"

Dani in turn is very grateful for inviting her over – and the cleaning just helps at the moment.

"I can't imagine how you feel"

Sioned cannot imagine how she feels 

"While I have this pain, Seren is with me"

and Dani tries to explain, “Well, while I have this pain, Seren is with me – so I don’t want to let it go.”   

Sioned hugs her

Sioned gives her a hug.   “Anyway, your post is here, before I forget,” 

Sioned has some post

and Dani hands Sioned a couple of items, one of which is from her mother;  this comes as rather a surprise.

"Mam's coming home in a month"

She reads, “She’s coming home in a month.”   

"That will be a help with the twins"

Dani points out that will be a help with the twins, but Sioned groans, “She won’t be happy that I haven’t looked after the house.”

Dani is sure that she will understand, 

"I don't think Superwoman will understand"

but Sioned goes on, “I don’t think Superwoman will understand the struggles of normal people!”   

"I'll help you"

Dani promises to help her;  as she has already said, cleaning is good for her.   

"You have one client already"

Sioned proposes to pay her, as she has done a fantastic job;  perhaps she should consider starting a business, because she has one client already.

The Plygain has begun

In the Deri, the Plygain is under way, with Colin and Britt singing, presumably a traditional song, 

♫“For you a fount breaks open, 

To wash your wounds of darkness, 

Till white as snow on Zalmon,

As you are, as you are.”♫

They do not look very impressed

Brynmor and Kath are watching dispassionately and Howard appears to be deep in thought.   

A rousing finale

When they finish there is half-hearted applause and Kath announces that the Whites are up next, then APD.

Iolo and Cai are not keen

Neither Iolo nor Cai appear to be very happy about this, but they take the stage with Siôn.   

Not a very tuneful trio"

They have difficulty working out their starting note and after a few tries, begin much too high,

♫“Did you see the couple that came in the evening?”♫

"Sioned offered to pay me"

Fortunately, we do not hear any more of that, the scene shifts to Maes-y-Deri, where Dani is telling Mark, “I did some cleaning for her and she offered me money to go back.”   

"Do you want to do that?"

He wonders if she wants to do that and she thinks that she will do so, helping other people as well;  “A business – because I haven’t got a job.”

He points out that she would be able to control her hours as well;  he volunteers that if she will make some flyers, he will post them for her.   She will have to think for a name first, with him suggesting ‘Moppy Monk’, then ‘Deri Dacluso’ [Deri Tidying], 

'Dani Dazzle' seems to strike the right note 

but finally comes up with, ‘Dani Dazzle’.   “I think it’s a brilliant idea, Dan,” he tells her, so they need to celebrate;  

"I'll get a bottle from the Deri"

he will go to the Deri to get a nice bottle.

Their singing has not improved

The Whites’ rendition has not become any more tuneful as they sing,

♫“Oh come!   Oh come!   Without further delay

To the animals’ stable to see them.”♫

"There's more pleasure in pulling teeth!"

Cai complains that it was far too high and there is more pleasure in pulling teeth.   Kath tells them that there will be a short break for everyone to get a drink from the bar then it will be the turn of APD.

Mark joins the queue at the bar

Mark arrives and asks for a bottle of champagne.   Jason wonders what the chances are;  “Are we better than the Whites?”   

"A sack of kittens would be better"

DJ maintains that a sack of kittens would be better than the Whites.

"You can't avoid me for ever"

Jinx asks Mark if he is celebrating something;  “Come on – you can’t avoid me for ever!”   

"I'm going to keep trying"

Mark replies that Jinx might be right there, but he is going to keep on trying.

A group text arrives on their phones

Both Britt and Colin receive a text message at the same time, from Quantum Hydro Works 

Most of them seem to have it

and apparently several others also have them.   

"It's time to act"

Mathew reads it out;  “It’s time to act.   Quantum Hydro Works will use English companies only.   You have been warned.”   He adds, “They promised to use local companies, didn’t they?”

Here is the slightly inebriated source of the message . . .

Eleri is sitting in the dark at Cysgod y Glyn, having worked her way through most of a wine bottle and with her phone beside her;  

. . . to the Cwmderi Group Chat

she looks at the message she has just sent to ‘Cwmderi Group Chat’, 

She drains her glass

then turns off the phone.

Brynmor suspects Jinx

Brynmor sits at the bar and looks at Jinx, beside him;  

"It's your place to tell the truth"

“Why are you looking at me?” demands Jinx, “It’s your place to tell the truth – they deserve to know.”

Kath has overheard this and demands to know what is going on.   

"Brynmor is going to try and sort everything"

Jinx announces to everyone, “Right, Brynmor is going to try and sort everything, so don’t panic.”

"What does Brynmor have to do with Quantum Hydro Works?"

Colin, among others, cannot understand what Brynmor has to do with Quantum Hydro Works;  

"Why did you send this?"

“Why did you send this?” Brynmor asks Jinx, who replies that it was not him.

They all want answers

All eyes are turned on Brynmor 

"What is going on, Brynmor?"

and Kath again wants to know what is going on.   

"OK, I'm on the board of Quantum Hydro Works"

He has no choice but to admit, “OK, I’m on the board of Quantum Hydro Works.”

"You organised this!"

Mathew is incensed that he is part of the team which authorised this, 

"They said they were using local businesses"

while Iolo recalls that they said they were using local businesses, so that is why people agreed.

"It's just a done deal, sorry"

“It’s too late – the budget was passed today – so it’s just a done deal, sorry,” Brynmor tells them.   Kath is so upset that she escapes upstairs to the not yet finished flat.

Mathew accuses Jinx, “You’ve been messing around with the enemy, haven’t you?”   Mark is disgusted and walks out of the pub.

"I like the colour you've picked"

Upstairs, Brynmor comments, “I like the colour you’ve picked.”

"How could you, Brynmor?"

She snarls, “How could you, Brynmor?”

"What – do my best for you and me?"

“How could I what?   Do my best for you and me?”   

"You've deceived me – again!"

She points out that he has deceived a whole community and worse than that, he has deceived her again.

"It's just business"

His answer is that it is just business;  “You make it sound personal.”

"This isn't the man I married!"

“I’m your wife – but this isn’t the man I married!” she snarls, 

He is left alone

then storms out of the room.

Jinx leaves the Deri . . .

Jinx comes out of the Deri and walks along the street, 

. . . acids a confrontation with Gwern . . .

then comes face-to-face with Gwern, who glares at him.   

. . . and heads past MFC

Jinx simply walks away, past MFC and into the back street.   

He is rather nervous

He is disturbed by the sound of dogs barking, then as he passes the alley, 

Suddenly he is knocked to the ground . . .

someone emerges from the shadows and hits him over the head, felling him to the ground.

. . . and seems to be unconscious

Jinx lies motionless on the road and we see that the assailant, 

It appears that this was the offensive weapon . . .

apparently armed with a length of timber, 

. . . wielded by none other than Mark

is none other than Mark, who now looks very frightened, wondering what he has done.