25 February 2025

DJ had a comprehensive beating

It is obvious that DJ has received several hefty blows to his side, as he is applying a packet of frozen peas to try and alleviate the pain, while in the background the twins can be heard crying.   When he hears Jason coming, he hides the peas in the sink and attempts to look normal, mixing up formula for his children.

"Dawn chorus, is it?"

“Good morning,” Jason greets him, “The dawn chorus, is it?   

"Nothing better than little birds singing"

“What better way to wake up in the morning then to the sound of little birds singing?   I’m going to set up the van – see you later.”   

He slaps DJ on the shoulder on his way out . . .

He slaps DJ on the shoulder, causing another wave of pain 

. . . and DJ applies some more pain relief

and the frozen peas procedure is repeated, as the crying intensifies.

Mathew arrives at APD . . .

Mathew comes into APD 

. . . to find Anita is quite a state

where he finds Anita, looking troubled and preoccupied for whatever reason 

"Is something wrong, Anita?"

and can immediately tell that something is wrong.   

She comes up with a weird story

She denies this, then tells him, “I tried to help – one of the dam’s builders.”   

"The dam has not started yet"

He was not aware that the construction had started yet.

“He wanted purple paint and I told him we didn’t have any!” she continues, “But he turned nasty and accused me of lying, then he started throwing things, just now!”

Mathew checks the CCTV

Mathew is not going to stand for this sort of behaviour and gets out his phone to check on the CCTV coverage, which he will be sending to the company.   

"It was only five minutes ago"

Anita tells him not to do this, but still insists that the man was awful when it happened, just five minutes ago.

Mathew cannot see anything amiss

However, Mathew cannot find on the footage any sign of anyone being in the shop except Anita.   

"He was here, Mathew!"

She is now becoming confused and insists that he was there, 

"You were the only one here"

but Mathew points out, “You were the only one here.”

The cleaners are somewhere else today . . . 

Dani and Lleucu arrive in some posh house to start their cleaning;  

. . . with an impressive array of alcohol

“It’s obvious they’ve got money,” says Lleucu, “Even their lush looks posh!”   

"They're not going to miss a shot or two, are they?"

Dani comes to the conclusion that they are not going to miss a shot or two, picking up the bottle of vodka.

“A drink in the morning?” questions Lleucu, “I don’t know what shape I shall be in after that,” but Dani maintains that one will be fine, for a bit of Dutch courage

"Griffiths said something a while ago"

At APD, Mathew says that Griffiths did mention something a while ago, but he was afraid to ask.   Anita is so sorry, but he assures her that she has nothing to apologise for.   

"You don't want to employ someone like me!"

“You don’t want to employ someone like me!” she groans.

"It's not your fault, you're ill"

He stresses that it is not her fault, but she is ill;  

"Do you think I'd sack Howard if he'd broken his arm?

“Do you think I’d sack Howard if he’d broken his arm?   Or Jason if he had a migraine?   

"I would send them both home for the afternoon"

“No, but what I would do is send them both home for the afternoon – that's exactly what I'm going to do with you.”

"But you're not going to be here this afternoon"

She reminds him that he is not going to be there this afternoon, but he replies that Jason will be back by then.   

"But I don't want to!"

“But I don’t want to!” she protests, “No, you’re offering me the afternoon off because you feel sorry for me!”

"I think it will do you good"

He is adamant that he is doing it because he thinks it will do her good, 

"All right, I'm going!"

so she unzips her fleece, “All right – I’m going home – I understand, after all, you’re the boss!”   

She marches out of the shop

She resolutely marches out of the shop.

"The horsebox isn't going anywhere today . . ."

DJ is still evidently feeling the results of his quite comprehensive beating as he heads for Fflamingos;  Jason is also approaching, commenting, “Don’t worry, the horsebox isn’t going anywhere today – 

". . . I don't want to end up in Timbuktu!"

“I don’t want to go to Tumble and end up in Timbuktu!   If only I’d put the postcode in the sat-nav, as you said – and if only you had answered the phone that day . . .”

DJ has just noticed that Ioan is hanging around by the bus stop;  

"The twins been kicking you in their sleep?"

he tells Jason to forget about it.   Jason is so pleased that he grabs him round the waist, causing DJ to wince.

“What’s the matter – a bit tender?   The twins been kicking you again in their sleep?”   DJ tells him to look after things for a minute – he has something to do.

"What do yo want?"

He walks across to confront Ioan, demanding, “What do you want?   You did enough damage last night.”   

"You're not supposed to upset people"

Ioan reminds him that he was warned not supposed to upset people, 

Then he sees Mathew 

then spots Mathew walking nearby;  he will talk to DJ later, as he needs a favour.

Mathew stops by the door of Tomos ac Ellis, immediately recognising to whom DJ was talking.   

"He's Tegwen's ex"

“Hey, why are you talking to him?   Ioan is Tegwen’s ex, Ken’s dad.”   

"I didn't know he went out with her"

DJ was not aware that he went out with her, but has been informed that he made their lives Hell.

“You don’t want to know him – a word of advice, stay away from him!”Mathew adds, evidently, still having feelings for Tegwen.

Dani notices a make-up set

Dani is now cleaning in the bedroom of the house when she comes across a box of children’s make up;  

"I don't want a toy – I want one of those"

she opens it and hears in her mind Seren’s voice, from when they were out shopping, “I don’t want a toy – I want one of those.”   

"Are you all right?"

Lleucu has been looking for her and asks if she is all right.

Dani's water (?) bottle

Dani takes a swig from her water bottle (which might well contain not only water) 

"Would you like a makeover?"

and suggests that Lleucu might like a makeover, 

Lleucu was not expecting that

which comes as a surprise, so Dani tells her to forget it.   Lleucu maintains that she is a bit old for that, but in deference to Dani, agrees that actually, it might be fun.   

They are supposed to be cleaning

Dani gets started.

Sioned is doing some manual work

Sioned is out in the farmyard, attempting to remove a split pin from a gate to take it from its hinges, 

"I've tried but . . ."

but with little success, when Matthew approaches.   “I’ve tried, but . . .” she says, “I’m going to paint it in the shed.   

". . . I couldn't shift it"

“I hope you have more luck than me – I couldn’t shift it.”

Mathew effortlessly removes it

Mathew manages to do so with one quick movement, 

"What are you worried about?"

but she can see that he is worried about something.   

"Well, I need some advice"

After first denying it, he admits that he needs some advice.

Anita walks along the street

Anita walks rather absentmindedly from the pharmacy 

"Sorry, Anita – I've got permission from Colin"

when DJ dashes past with two bags of rubbish, assuring her that he has permission from Colin to use their bins because his are full.   He enquires whether everything is all right 

"The feeling people don't want to listen to you?"

and she replies, “No, it’s not, actually – do you get the feeling sometimes people don’t want to listen to you?”   

"These bags are really heavy"

He apologises for being in a hurry to get rid of his rubbish as the bags are heavy.   She regards this as exactly what she meant, 

"Are you free to give me a piano lesson?"

then calls to Iolo, “Are you free today to give me a piano lesson?”   

"I'll be over after lunch"

He promises her to be over just after lunch.

There is no escaping from that Ioan

Outside the back of the shop, DJ is putting the rubbish into the bins when Ioan whistles to him;  

"Why didn't you tell me you used to be with Tegwen?"

“Listen, why didn’t you tell me you used to be with Tegwen?” DJ asks.

"I didn't think you'd be interested in my love life"

“I didn’t think you’ll be interested in my love life – everything is on a need to know basis.   

"Tegwen and I are old history"

“Tegwen and I are old history – I don’t remember the last time she let me see Ken.” 

"I'm not surprised, the way you treated them"

“I’m not surprised, the way you treated them!” snarls DJ.   Ioan can see that he has been talking to Mathew, who is bitter that Tegwen chose him.

"She's a lying cow"

“And she’s a lying cow – lying about me so she can keep Ken to herself,” Ioan snarls.

DJ is not interested in the details;  all he knows is, “I wouldn’t have been beaten up if it wasn’t for you!”

"Look here, mate . . ."

“Look here, mate . . .” Ioan begins, 

"You're no mate of mine!"

but is told that he is not DJ’s mate and that he has had enough.   He is not doing any more jobs for Ioan, who is not at all pleased to hear this.

Sioned is vigorously sanding the gate and Mathew asks her how she knows about Anita.   She replies that it is a long story 

"Why didn't you tell me?"

and he wonders why she did not tell him.   

"It wasn't my place, Math"

“It wasn’t my place to tell you – it’s such a shame – has something happened?”

"I've made her feel worse now"

Mathew thinks that he upset her earlier;  “I offered her some time off work and she didn’t want it.   I know, I know – I’ve made her feel worse now, but I was trying to be careful, not putting too much pressure on her.”

"Don't take that choice away from her"

Sioned points out that is Anita’s decision;  “Don’t take the choice away from her,” but he protests that he was trying to be nice – trying to be a kind boss.   Sioned quite appreciates that.

Lleucu is now 'madeover'

Lleucu looks in the mirror at her makeover as Dani comes into the room, also dressed up;  

They are supposed to be cleaning . . . 

“The most glam teddy bear I’ve ever seen!” exclaims Lleucu, “I feel like Taylor Swift.”   Dani says that she looks amazing, then Lleucu notices a speaker and quickly couples her phone to it to play some dance music, 

. . . not cavorting around someone's bedroom

so they begin to dance around the bedroom.

Dani comments that they should be in a girl band and thinks up the name, ‘Mop Maidens’ or even 

"Mopheads!"

‘Mopheads’.   “Heading to Glastonbury and Mark organising a minibus for us.”   

"I want you to have this"

She picks up the make-up set from the dressing table and tells Lleucu, “I want you to have this – something to remember today.”

"I can't steal it"

Lleucu is very reluctant to steal it, 

"They've got everything, haven't they?"

but is assured by Dani that the owners of the house have got everything;  

"They won't be any the wiser"

“Perhaps you’re right – they won’t be any the wiser.”   

"They're back!"

Then they hear a car engine outside 

A major panic follows

and panic to replace everything they have been using.   “They’re back – they should have been out all day!”

"When she does get worse . . ."

As they sit in the shed, Mathew admits, “I’m afraid that when she does get worse, 

". . . I won't know how to handle it"

“I won’t know how to handle it.”   

"I read a lot about dementia"

Sioned remembers that when Jim was ill, she read a lot about dementia;  one of the things which really stuck with her was how important it is to let the person who is ill be in control of their life for as long as possible.

"Keeping to a routine is so important"

“Carrying on with work and keeping to a routine is so important – I’m sure the possibility of losing that is scary to Anita.”   

"This was just one afternoon"

Mathew says that today was just one afternoon, but is warned that it will happen again, when it might be a complete day, a week, a month;  

"You can understand why Anita doesn't want to go down that road"

“You can understand why Anita doesn’t want to go down that road,” says Sioned.

"I've been so stupid"

Mathew realises that he has been so stupid and she confirms, jokingly, that he has been a real idiot, 

"You're one of the most thoughtful people I know . . ."

then adds, “No, you tried to do the right thing – you’re one of the most thoughtful people I know – of course you are.   

". . . and it's nice to see you smiling"

“And it is nice to see you smiling.”

What is in Sioned's mind?

A look passes between them and it is possible to imagine that there is something else in Sioned’s mind, 

"Right – we've to work to do!"

but she decides that they must get on with the work as there is a lot to do.

"Jason's upstairs"

Ioan has accompanied DJ back to Bryntirion and is told, “You can’t just barge in here – Jason’s upstairs!”

"I just want a chance to explain"

Ioan says that he simply wants a chance to explain, 

"I don't want anything to do with you"

but DJ is still insistent, “I don’t want anything to do with you!”   

"Everyone swallows their lies"

Ioan can understand that he has swallowed Mathew’s and Tegwen’s lies – everyone does that.

"I am desperate!"

“If I come over as desperate, it’s because I am – I only do these jobs to make money to get Ken back.   A good solicitor costs a fortune – and I really need a favour.   Unless I do what the boss asks me to do., I’ll be the next one to be beaten up.   If you can’t help me . . . I’ll suffer worse than you did last night.”

"I think that has persuaded him"

His strategy has worked, 

"What's this favour, then?"

as DJ wants to know more about this favour.

"I don't think Mathew sees you as a problem"

As they sit in front of the keyboard, Iolo tells Anita, “I don't think Mathew sees you as a problem.”

"Life's too short"

She is adamant she does not want him to start a routine of sending her home every time she gets a . . . wobble;  “Life’s too short to sit on the sofa all day.”

"Oh  – Mathew!"

Then there is a unexpected knock at the door;  she discovers that it is Mathew;  

"I want to apologise for this morning"

“Look, I just want to apologise for this morning,” he says, 

"I overreacted"

but she admits that she overreacted.   “Not at all – only you know what’s best for you and I should have listened.”   

"It means a lot to be able to come to work"

She tells him that it means a lot to her to be able to come to work and he assures her that her job is not going anywhere, 

"APD would be a shambles without you"

maintaining that APD would be a shambles without her – he thinks that she knows that, too.

He wants somewhere to stash the drugs

Ioan gets to the point of his visit, “The boss is insisting I find somewhere else to stash the supply because of the recent clampdown by the cops.   Your van would be ideal, unsuspecting, in the middle of the village.”

"I'm not doing that!"

DJ makes it quite clear that he is not going to do that, but is promised that it is worth a lot of money.   

"That's all you have to do"

“All you have to do is keep the stuff until the dealer picks it up.   

"You'll need this"

When DJ starts to object, Ioan pulls a phone from his pocket;  “You’ll need this – another phone – it will make it harder for the cops to trace us.”

Jason can be heard coming downstairs, so Ioan moves out of sight;  

"Do you need anything from the shop"

“Do you want anything from the shop?” asks Jason, “I need some snacks for Ifan.   

"He's not half as excited as me!"

“He’s not half as excited about it as me!   By the way, who was it at the door earlier?”   DJ simply dismisses it as a parcel delivery, 

"All I get in the post are bills"

and Jason moans that all he gets in the post are bills, as he leaves the house.

"We all need help to pay them . . ."

“Oh, bills, is it?” remarks Ioan, “We all need help to pay them – 

". . . especially us single fathers"

“especially single fathers like you and me – and Jason.”

"Why don't you stay for dinner?"

The cleaners are back at Maes-y-Deri, presumably not having been caught, where Dani invites Lleucu to stay for dinner if she likes.   Britt will be bringing Gabriel back shortly.   

"Siôn's making some special curry"

Lleucu replies that Siôn is making some special curry for dinner tonight and also wonders, “Do you think we will be asked back to that posh house?”   

"I don't think so"

Dani is rather doubtful about that, but Lleucu says that they had a laugh, she can see that Dani is looking rather tearful, 

"No, I'm fine"

although she insists that she is fine.

"See you at the weekend, then"

When Lleucu has gone, 

Dani adds some more vodka

Dani takes her bottle of vodka and pours some into the water bottle

"You have to get Jason on board"

Ioan instructs DJ to get Jason on board, as it will be safer for everyone, seeing that the supply is on the van.   “Only you two have access to the place?”   

"I'm not dragging Jason into this"

DJ is unwilling for Jason to be dragged into this, 

"He doesn't have a choice"

but he is told, “He doesn’t have a choice – us single fathers have to stick together – the van will have to stay outside Ceffyl Du.   

"I'll get in touch on the burner phone"

“I’ll get in touch on the burner phone.”

"No – I have to pull out!"

DJ is still protesting, “No, I can’t do this – I have to pull out!”

"There is no such thing as out!"

“Mate, I understand – I’ve been there myself – but unfortunately there’s no such thing as ‘out’!   

"Jason's got a kid, over in Lampeter"

“Jason’s got a kid, too, hasn’t he, over in Lampeter?”

“How do you know so much about Jason’s family?” DJ anxiously demands;  

"The boss knows everything about them"

he is told that the boss knows everything about them – family, friends, everyone.   “But he wouldn’t do anything, would he?”

Ioan does not answer that question, but simply tells him, 

"First drop-off is tomorrow . . ."

“The first drop-off will take place tomorrow – 

". . . you'd better put Jason in the loop before then"

“you’d better put your mate, Jason, in the loop before then,” and with that he leaves Bryntirion.