7 January 2025

Tom is doing some laundry

Tom is hurriedly loading clothes into the washing machine at Maes-y-Deri, when he hears a knock at the door.   He quickly turns on the machine and goes to see who it is.   

"You took your time"

He can see that it is Mark and lets him in.   “You took your time!” complains Mark and Tom maintains that he was upstairs.

"Mam wants you out"

“I’ve had a message from Mam – she wants you out,” is Mark’s message to him, “As you’ve paid until the end of the week, you have until then to pack.”   

Tom seems surprised

This comes as rather a surprise to Tom and Mark goes on to explain, “Now that Cheryl has gone.”

"I was thinking of moving, anyway"

Tom understands, adding, “To be honest, I was thinking about moving, anyway – it’s been difficult living here since Cheryl left.   I don’t have much, so I’ll be out by this afternoon.”   

"I don't think you'll get any rent back"

Mark does not think that his mother will let him have any rent money back, 

"I'm not expecting anything"

but Tom is not expecting any.   He is told to post the key through the door when he leaves.

"Have you heard from Cheryl?"

As Mark turns to go, Tom asks if he has heard from Cheryl, which he has not.   

Now he plans his next move

Tom looks thoughtful.

Gwern is playing a game

Gwern is playing a computer game at number 9 when Dani comes in and he asks where she has been.   “Food shopping,” she replies, 

"It was nice, not having people staring at me"

“I’ve never enjoyed doing something so boring before – it was nice, not having people staring at me.”

She is troubled by a text message

Then she has a message alert, looking angrily at her phone;  

"Why weren't you at school today?"

she demands, “Why weren’t you at school today?   You promised, Gwern.”   He continues playing the game and refuses to turn it off, 

Dani grabs the console

so she snatches the console from him.

"I'm sorry about what happened with Jinx"

“I’m sorry about what happened with Jinx, OK?” she goes on, but he tells her that this is nothing to do with Jinx, so what she wants to know what it is about.

"I've left school"

“I’ve left school,” he announces, I’m going to start an apprenticeship with Iolo.”

"You're staying at school to do your exams!"

Dani thinks otherwise;  “No, you’re staying in school to do your exams!”   

"Mr Rossiter organised it"

He informs her that the school organised it – or at least Mr Rossiter did.   “He was going to send you a letter, but I’m guessing you haven’t had it”

Dani has not heard anything from them, 

"They're going to hear something from me!"

but as she dashes purposefully out of the house, she promises, “But they’re going to hear something from me!”

"I'll see you later, then"

Hywel is talking on the phone when Cassie comes downstairs;  “I’ll see you later, then,” he says, then informs Cassie that Tom is on his way over.   

"He wants to organise a surprise dinner for Gaynor"

“He wants to organise a surprise dinner for Gaynor – he thought that being among friends would cheer her up.”

"Why can't he do it in his own house?"

“Why can’t he do it in his own house?” she demands.   

"Thanks goodness I'm working . . ."

Apparently he said that there is some problem or other, which he will explain when he arrives.   “Thank goodness I’m working – look, I can’t stand him and I don’t want to see him – 

". . . make sure he's gone when I finish work!"

“so make sure he’s gone by the time I finish work!”

"I feel sorry for him"

Hywel actually feels sorry for Tom, but is warned to be careful.

Dani wants to talk to Ffion 

Dani arrives at Deri Fawr and tells Jinx that she is not there to see him;  “Is Ffion here?”   He calls upstairs to her that Dani is there to see her, then remarks that it is nice to see Dani.

"It would be nice to talk some time"

“I know I don’t deserve it, but it would be nice to talk some time,” he goes on;  

"Leave me alone, Jinx"

Dani curtly tells him to leave her alone.   

"All right, Dani?"

When Ffion comes she asks whether Dani is all right.

"I hear the school has plans for Gwern"

“No, not really – I hear that the school has big plans for Gwern,” Dani complains, “He says you’ve organised for him to leave school and do an apprenticeship with Iolo.”

This is news to Ffion

Of course, Ffion knows nothing of this, 

"You ought to talk to your staff!

and Dani recommends that she should talk to her staff;  “Cai has promised to sort this out!”   

"Can a 15-year-old leave school before the exams?" 

Ffion will speak to him about it, but Dani continues, “Actually, can a 15-year-old child leave school before doing exams?”

Ffion confirms that they cannot;  “So you’re raising his hopes – and I have to sort it out, Ffion!”   

"That's not right"

Jinx interrupts to comment that it is not right, 

Ffion scowls at him

which Ffion does not appreciate.

"I'll strangle him!"

“I hope you have a word with Cai before I do – or I’ll strangle him!” snarls Dani and immediately leaves the house.   

"You could at least have kept your mouth shut!"

Ffion turns on Jinx, maintaining that the least he could have done was to keep his mouth shut, before hurrying off to school.

Tom is cooking in the kitchen

Tom is busy cooking in the kitchen of number 21 when Gaynor arrives at the house;  with a puzzled expression, 

"Tom told me to meet him here"

she tells Hywel, “I’ve just had a message from Tom, telling me to meet him here.”

Flowers – to soften her up

Tom emerges from the kitchen with a bunch of flowers for her;  “And we’ve prepared a special dinner for you as well.”   She wonders what she has done to deserve this.

"For just being yourself"

“Just being yourself,” he ingratiatingly replies, 

"Why is it happening here?"

so she asks why it is happening there.   “Well, I don’t have a kitchen at the moment – I’ve moved out of Maes-y-Deri.   

"I'm back in the hotel"

“I’m back in the hotel – living in that house after Cheryl left feels a bit . . . I don’t know . . . uncomfortable – you know.”

He does not know where he will go then, but is sure that he will find somewhere;  

"Right, shall we open this bottle?"

“Right, shall we open this bottle?” he says 

Gaynor looks rather puzzled

and Gaynor regards the situation as rather strange.

"Gwern will understand it's not your fault"

Now Dani has gone to Maes-y-Deri, where  she furiously tells Mark what has happened;  “And I have to play ‘bad cop’ now, saying that it won’t happen!”   Mark is confident that Gwern will understand that it is not her fault.   

"Why did you want me to come over?"

“Anyway, why did you want me to come over?”

“Tom’s moved out,” he begins and she assumes that he would like some help to bleach the place before the new tenants move in.   

He waves a key in front of her

“Look, I know how difficult it is for you at Jinx’s place at the moment – so . . .”   

He brandishes a house key and she immediately follows his train of thought;  “Move in here?”   He says that there is plenty of room and recalls that they had a lot of fun when they lived at number 7.

Dani is extremely grateful

Her response is to throw her arms around him and exclaim, “Mark – oh, thank you!   

"When can I move in?"

“When can I move in?”   She is very excited when he replies that she can do it today, if she wants.   He will be over to help a little later and, as she is leaving, asks if she saw Jinx at Deri Fawr.

"I might kill him!"

“Yes, he wanted to talk – but I didn’t – because I might kill him!”   She leaves the house, with Mark smiling in anticipation.

Ffion has a bone to pick with Cai

Ffion marches into Y Felin, demanding what Cai has promised Gwern.   “I haven’t promised him anything,” is the reply 

"Dani's been at Deri Fawr!"

and is told that an angry Dani has been at Deri Fawr. 

"We discussed the possibility"

“Look, we discussed the possibility of him doing an apprenticeship.”   

"He hasn't done his GCSEs"

Ffion interrupts to point out that he has not yet done his GCSEs.   “No, but I’ve done the research, 

"In extreme, unique cases . . ."

“and in extreme, unique cases – like Gwern’s – it is allowed.”

Ffion does not accept this, pointing out, “You should have spoken to me before talking to him – not go behind my back!”   Cai argues that this is the best path for him.   “The best path for you, you mean!” Ffion snaps.

Iolo arrives

Iolo walks in on this argument, as Cai insists that Gwern is not happy at school – and is not the only one.   

"Life has been hell after what happened to Seren!"

“Life’s been hell after what happened to Seren!   The only thing keeping me going was knowing that I was going to spend time with Twm!”

"What does this have to do with Gwern?"

Ffion wonders what this has to do with Gwern, so it is explained, by Iolo, that Gwern destroyed Cai’s passport.   She realises that is why he could not go to Dubai and demands why he did not say anything about that.

"Gwern has been through enough"

“I was so angry – but Gwern has been through enough, so I thought about an apprenticeship – which isn’t a punishment.   I thought it would suit everyone – and he wants to do it.”

Ffion reminds him that Gwern is not in a position to make such a big decision;  “No, Cai – if you do anything like this again, I’ll have to tell the governors!”

"I don't know why you agreed to be involved!"

She is about to walk out, but first turns to Iolo;  “And I don’t know why you agreed to be involved!”

"Who does Cai Rossiter think he is?"|

At number 9, Britt’s opinion is, “It’s disgraceful!   Who does Cai Rossiter think he is?”   

Gwern tries to calm her down, pointing out that he is the one wanting to do the apprenticeship – and he would be with Iolo.   

"She had no idea he had made the offer"

Colin is surprised that Iolo has agreed to this, then Dani comes in, after her confrontation with Ffion.

“She had no idea Mr Rossiter had made the offer, OK?” she begins 

"It will still happen, won't it?"

and Gwern is anxious that it should still happen.   This is destroyed when Dani insists that he will be finishing his exams.   “Mrs Llywelyn won’t agree to it – and neither will I!”

When Britt indicates her desire to throttle Cai, she is told to join the queue, but Dani does have some good news;  

"You need to pack – we're moving out!"

“You need to pack – we’re moving out – to Maes-y-Deri, with Mark.”

"Jinx is not throwing you out?"

Colin is furious that Jinx is throwing her out, but Dani is adamant that she will not stay there.   Britt can spare a couple of hours to help her with the packing.

She and Dani head upstairs, 

"The summer may feel a long way off"

while Colin tells Gwern, “Listen, I know the summer feels a long way off, but it will be here in no time, guaranteed!”   This does not make any impression at all upon Gwern.

Another glass of wine for Gaynor

Hywel pours a glass of wine for Gaynor and she thanks him for accommodating this meal.   

"I'm glad you're here"

He replies that Tom organised it and he is just glad that she is there.   “To be honest, I’m glad he’s around because, well, I would have gone crazy, wondering why Cheryl has done this to us.” 

Tom does not miss much

Tom is listening from the kitchen, but then his phone which has inadvertently been left on the table, starts sounding 

"Looks like a call from work"

and Gaynor points out that it appears to be a call from work.

He answers the phone

He quickly takes the phone and answers it;  

"There's no need to call the police"

“No, there’s no need to call the police – have they gone now?   Let me know if they come back.”   

"Is everything all right?"

Gaynor has caught some of this and asks if everything is all right.

"Someone trespassing on the site"

He replies that someone is trespassing at the site and would like to pop over there to have a look;  he will not be long and hurries away.

Jinx is studying something . . .

Jinx is studying his laptop, particularly a page on ‘Post-16 education and skills’, when his phone sounds, 

. . . when he has a call from Dani

with a call from Dani, which he answers very smartly.   

"I can come over now, if you want"

“Hiya – I can come over now if you want,” he says, “Great, see you later.”   

"Dani actually wants to see me!"

He seems to be under the impression that things are looking up.

"There's a problem at the site"

Tom is walking along the High Street when Mark sees him, but he does not want to stop, as he is hurrying to the site, where there is a problem.   

"I've just been up there"

“Yes, you’re telling me,” says Mark, “I’ve just been up there,” and Tom assumes that he was the trespasser.

“You’re lucky I didn’t call the police after what I found,” Mark continues, 

"There was a hole . . ."

which has Tom really worried.   “There was a hole!”   Is it possible that he is getting too near to the truth?   

". . . in the fence"

“A hole in the fence – children and families go up that way – what if a child got hurt?”

"I'll get someone to sort it out"

Now Tom’s attitude changes;  “Yes, you’re right – I’ll get someone to sort it out today,” he promises, “And we’ll check for any other holes.   Like you said, that place is dangerous – 

"Don't go near the site again!"

“so don’t go near the site again!”   

Mark is puzzled

Mark looks at him, rather puzzled, then goes into the shop.

Dani and Gwern are packing

Dani and Gwern are busy packing things into boxes when Jinx arrives at number 9;  

"I wasn't sure whether to use my key"

“I wasn’t sure whether to use my key or not,” he says.   

"Go and continue packing, Gwern"

Dani tells Gwern to go and continue packing, which comes as somewhat of a surprise to Jinx;  

"Packing?"

“Packing?” he gasps.

"We're moving out"

“We’re moving out,” she announces, so he demands where they are going and whether they ought to talk about this first.   “I’ve nothing to say – we are going to Maes-y-Deri with Mark.”   

"You're welcome to stay here"

Jinx insists that they are welcome to stay there, 

"After seeing you and Eleri on the sofa . . ."

but Dani replies, “Weirdly, Jinx, after seeing you and Eleri on the sofa, I didn’t want to – for some reason.”

"I'm worried about Gwern"

Jinx says that he has been looking into Gwern’s situation at school, because he is worried about the boy.   

"You're not – you just feel guilty!"

“You’re not – you just feel guilty,” insists Dani, “It will take me a few days to pack the rest of the stuff.”   

He tells her to take her time and stresses, “I just didn’t want things to work out like this.”   Dani maintains that if he had respected her and talked to her – 

"Instead of jumping into bed with 'her'!"

instead of jumping into bed with ‘her’, things might have been different.

"I'm so sorry, Dani"

He once again tells her how sorry he is, but she is determined, “I’m not going to forgive you, Jinx,” then adds, “If you want to stay here tonight, you’re welcome to – 

"I'm going to my new home!"

“I’m going to my new home!”

Iolo is not too happy

In the Deri, Iolo pays for his drink, 

Colin comes in for a cider

then Colin comes in for a pint of cider;   Cassie asks if he can put a smile on Iolo’s face.   

"I've just been with Gwern . . ."

He bitterly replies, “I don’t think so – I’ve just been with Gwern – he’s not all right – 

". . . he thought he had a bright future as a plumber"

“he thought he had a bright future as a plumber, but that’s not true, is it, Iol?”

"I don't know what came over Cai"

Iolo does not know what came over Cai, but Colin goes on, “I think we both know he’s trying to get rid of Gwern from the school!”

Iolo maintain that Cai is trying to do what is best;  

"You're not serious?"

“You’re not serious?” Colin snarls, 

"I hope you're not arguing"

as Cassie hopes that they are not arguing.   

"I thought he had permission from the school"

Iolo thought that he had permission from the school, but Colin is adamant, “No, Cai did this himself!”

Iolo insists that Cai is having a difficult time too, but this has no effect.   

"Perhaps he should do an apprenticeship to Timbuktu!"

“Oh, is he, poor dab?   Perhaps he should do an apprenticeship to Timbuktu – one-way ticket!   Why have you got his back?”   Cassie calls a halt to this dispute, alleging that they are supposed to the sensible ones of their two families.

Colin has forgotten his cider

Colin has had enough of this and marches out of the Deri, loudly slamming the door behind him.

"Gwern, I'm so sorry"

Jinx has made himself a meal when Gwern comes downstairs with another box;  “Gwern, I’m so sorry,” he says.   

"Dani got these as a surprise . . ."

Gwern takes something from the box he is carrying;  “Dani ordered these as a surprise,” he explains, 

". . . she definitely won't want them now!"

“She definitely won’t want them now!”   He throws the key down on the table and leaves the house.

Jinx looks into the box

Jinx looks at the contents of the box;   

The Valentine's Day wedding

cards reading, ‘Save the Date – 14 February 2025 – St Valentine’s Day – the wedding of Dani Monk and Huw Jenkins’.   In a fury, he swipes the box off the table and across the room.

A note has been left at Maes-y-Deri

Dani finds a note at Maes-y-Deri to explain that Mark has gone to get a takeaway for everyone.   

Dani looks at the picture . . .

She looks at the picture which is on the sideboard, of the four of them in better times – and which includes Seren.

. . . and Gwern also notices it

She answers a knock at the door and Gwern is bringing in the next box;  he also looks at the picture.   

"Things will be all right, Dan"

He thinks that everything is out of number 9 and assures her, “Things will be all right, Dan.”   

Gwern gives Dani a hug

He gives her a hug.

They argue over their game

At number 21, they are playing a game and Tom wonders why he agreed to play with a former head teacher.   She adds that Hywel is also a former teacher, but Hywel insists, “You don’t have to be a teacher to know that Auckland is not the capital of New Zealand.”

Tom counters that Hywel thought Dolly Parton was in ‘The Bodyguard’.   

"Why are you so competitive"

Gaynor wonders why the two of them are so competitive.   Then they hear a noise upstairs, which indicates that Esther is awake 

"I'll got up to her"

and Hywel goes up to her.

"Just what I needed before going back to work"

“Well, I’ve enjoyed tonight,” comments Gaynor, “Just what I needed before going back to work.   Mind you, it will be nice to have some normality.”

"We were happy, weren't we?"

“We were happy, weren’t we?” says Tom, “before the mess with Cheryl.”   

Gaynor agrees

Gaynor reluctantly agrees that they were, 

"It was one of the happiest times of my life"

while he continues, “It was one of the happiest times of my life.   I’m so angry that I let her ruin everything between us.”

Gaynor agrees with this as he piles it on;  “And I’m so sorry for hurting you – I’ll never forgive myself.”

His plan appears to be working . . .

These calculated comments have the intended effect;  Gaynor leans over to kiss him, 

. . . but then they are disturbed

at which time Hywel comes back downstairs and Cassie simultaneously comes through the front door.

"I won't join you . . ."

Witnessing this touching moment, Cassie decides that she does not want to join them, 

". . . I'm going to bed"

but is instead going to bed.   

"I'll get some more wine"

Hywel will get some more wine, 

Is she really as gullible as she looks?

while Tom and Gaynor look at each other;  it looks as if she has been taken in once again.