18 February 2025

"You're not serious, are you?"

For a moment, Diane cannot believe what she has heard;  “You’re not serious, are you?”

"When the time comes . . ."

Anita confirms that she is totally serious;  “When the time comes, I want to go to Switzerland to end my life.”   Diane cannot understand why this is, 

". . . I want to die with dignity"

so she is told, “I want to die with dignity – you know what the doctors said – I’m going to deteriorate quickly.”

"It's not going to happen overnight"

“Yes, but they probably meant over the next few years – it’s not going to happen overnight,” is Diane’s reply.   

"Every case is different"

Anita says that none of them know as every case is different.   Diane points out that is what she is trying to say;  Anita might not deteriorate as quickly as she expects;  people often live a lot longer than expected.   She is convinced that Anita has not thought this through properly.

"I don't want it to take over my body!"

“Yes, I have,” Anita protests, “I don’t want this illness to take over my body!” 

"It happens to everyone one day"

but it is pointed out that this happens to everyone one day.   

"I won't know whom I am!"

“No, Diane, I won’t know who I am – I won’t even recognise you or Ieuan!   

"I don't want to live a life like that!"

“I don’t want to live a life where I don’t recognise the people I love.”

"I've been tidying up the shelves"

Eileen is in the back of the shop and is surprised to see Colin still there;  he says that he has been tidying up the shelves and is about to leave.   

"You're welcome  to join us"

“I’m meeting Iolo in the Deri – you’re welcome to join us – the night at Ceffyl Du wasn’t much cop!”

She thanks him for the invitation, but adds that she has plans for tonight.   

"Pork chops tonight, then"

He notices that she has a tin of apple sauce and comes to the conclusion that it is pork chops tonight, 

"Do those plans involve Siôn White?"

then enquires, “Do those plans involve . . . Siôn White?”   She refuses to answer that question, but wonders if there is something that she should know.

“No, nothing at all,” he tells her, hoping that she enjoys her chops, 

Now she is concerned

but now Eileen is rather concerned.

"How is the plumbing world?"

In the Deri, Iolo is drinking when Ieuan comes in and looks around;  he asks how the plumbing world is treating Iolo, but receives no immediate reply.

"Are you trying to avoid talking about the raffle?"

Then Iolo asks, “Do you really want to know, or are you trying to avoid talking about the raffle?   

"Gaynor is after your blood!"

“Because Gaynor is after your blood!”   

There is a reply from Alex

His phone sounds and he becomes very troubled when he sees a message from Alex, asking if he would like to meet.

"You look as if someone's taking you to court"

Ieuan remarks, “You look like someone’s just told you they’re taking you to court,” but Iolo picks up his drink and goes elsewhere.

"I know it's a bit of a shock"

At number 7, Anita says, “I know that it’s a bit of a shock.”   

"What does Ieuan have to say about this?"

Diane wonders what Ieuan has to say about this, imagining that he would not be in favour.   “Ieuan doesn’t know and I don’t want him to know, either,” emphasises Anita.   

She notices a mark on the carpet . . .

Then she notices a mark on the carpet 

. . . and tries to remove it

and tries to remove it with her slipper.

Diane asks, “Do you remember how you felt when Meic was planning to go to Patagonia to die without telling you?”   

"What has Meic got to do with this?"

 wonders what Meic has to do with this.   

"You're planning to do exactly the same thing"

“Everything – because you are planning to do the same thing to Ieuan – you are, Anita – exactly the same thing – and not just to Ieuan.   What about Kelly – or Darren, your son?”

Anita is fixated by that mark

Anita is still concentrating on that mark on the carpet 

"How will they feel?"

as Diane continues, “How will they feel when they find out you want to run away to Switzerland to Dai, without discussing it with them first?”

Now Ieuan is wanting to chat to Colin in the Deri;  “There’s a video as well,” he says,  

Colin gets away from Ieuan pretty smartest

but Colin is not interested and in a hurry to join Iolo, mentioning that Griffiths wanted to join them, but Iolo does not want that.

"I know why as well"

Colin can see that there is something wrong, which Iolo at first denies;  “And I know why as well,” he says, “You haven’t said anything to Siôn, have you?”

"I haven't found the right time, Col"

Iolo confesses that he has not found the right time yet, but he is told that there will never be a ‘right time’ – 

"You have to 'bite the bullet'!"

he has to ‘bite the bullet’ and ‘go for it’.   Now Iolo is feeling more unsure about the whole thing;  

"I'm worried about what could happen"

“I’m just worried about what could happen,” which Colin regards as perfectly natural.

"You're overthinking things"

“Look, by avoiding the conversation, you’ve got too much time to overthink things – and that’s not doing you any good.   Anyway, I’ve got some news for you – we don’t have much time – 

"Things are moving quickly between son and Eileen"

“things are moving quickly between Siôn and Eileen.   It makes me feel awkward that I know very personal things about him, but she doesn’t.”

"That's none of Eileen's business"

Iolo insists that it is none of Eileen’s business, but Colin stresses that she is his friend.   “Don’t tell Eileen!” Iolo instructs him.

"You have to talk to your father!"

Colin is adamant, “But you have to talk to your father!”

"Who are you talking about?"

Just at that moment, Britt arrives and wants to know who they are talking about.

Anita has to clean it up

Anita has got out her cleaning materials, ready to attack the stain on the carpet, as Diane continues, “It’s perfectly natural to be afraid of what you’re facing, but we’ll all be here to support you.   There are very good care homes around here, close to Cwmderi.”

“It’s my life and, however long I have left, I want to feel that it is mine,” Anita declares, 

"That's what Meic said to me"

“That’s what Meic said to me.   You know, I should never have gone after him to the airport.   People die every day, for no reason – why does my death have to be different?”

"You can't do this, Anita"

“Come on, Anita, you can’t do this to them – you can’t do it to me.   It’s against the law – I could go to jail!”   

"It's not against the law over there"

Anita points out that it is not against the law over there, but Diane demands, “What happens when I come home?   What about the questions they’ll ask?   

"You have to think further than Switzerland"

“You have to think further than Switzerland.”

"I'll make sure you don't get into trouble"

Anita angrily replies that she will make sure that Diane does not get into trouble;  

"All I need is for you to agree!"

“All I need now is for you to agree!   We can look at the details afterwards.”

“But why me?” shouts Diane;  she is told that it is because she is Anita’s best friend.   

"Would you be willing to do the same for me?"

“Right, tell me this, then – would you be willing to do the same thing for me if I want this?”

"Of course I would"

Anita agrees that she would, 

"Sorry, I don't believe you!"

but Diane announces, “Sorry, Anita, I don’t believe you.”   Anita simply walks out of the room.

"I said he was a pig!"

The situation has obviously been explained to Britt, whose usual hasty response is, “I said he was a pig!” but Colin insists that they are not there to discuss the ins-and-outs of what happened.   

"We're here to help Iolo"

Rather they are there to help Iolo decide what to do.

“Well, throttle him – that’s what I’d do!” she recommends, 

"Some quality conversation at last?"

then Siôn arrives at the bar and Ieuan hopes that he may have some quality conversation at last.   

Siôn has spotted Iolo and goes over

Siôn, however, goes over to see Iolo, 

Iolo's 'caught in the headlights' look

who looks at him with something approaching horror.

"Everything all right?"

“Everything all right?” Siôn asks his son, “It’s just that you looked very serious from over there – nothing wrong is there?”   Iolo snaps that there is nothing wrong.   “Come on, Iolo – you’ve never been any good at lying.”

"Well, I don't like, Dad"

“Well, I don't lie, Dad,” he says 

"I think I know my own son"

and Siôn stresses that he knows his own son.

"Do you now?   All of them?"

Britt pipes up, “Do you now?   All of them?”   

Iolo cannot stand this . . .

Iolo gets up and storms out of the pub, 

. . . and makes a rapid exit

leaving Siôn very puzzled.   

Siôn joins Colin and Britt 

He sits down in Iolo’s place.

Anita deploys the vacuum cleaner . . .

Now Anita is vacuuming that part of the carpet as Diane sits nearby, looking at an iPad 

. . . and cannot hear Diane

and trying to catch Anita’s attention, 

. . . so she has to take action . . . 

but without success, 

. . . and turn off the power

so she is forced to turn off the power to the vacuum cleaner.

"Why did you do that?"

“Why did you do that?   I haven’t finished yet!” Anita exclaims.   Diane asks her to listen;  according to what she has just discovered online, 

"You will need evidence . . .`"

she does not think that Anita can go through with this.   She stresses that they will need evidence that she is making this decision 

". . . you are of sound mind"

while of sound mind.

Anita stubbornly insists that she is doing that, 

"This is a hasty reaction"

but is told, “You’ve been given huge news that’s going to change your life completely.   You haven’t given yourself enough time – this is a shock – a hasty reaction.”

Again Anita insists that she is fine, but Diane doubts that;  “The Anita I know would never consider doing this,” 

She does not like Diane touching her . . .

but when she attempts to put a hand on Anita’s shoulder, she flinches away 

. . . and goes upstairs in tears

and escapes upstairs in tears.

"You're not going until I get an answer"

Colin and Britt prepare to leave the Deri, but they are warned by Siôn, “You’re not moving from here until I get an answer – now, what was that all about?”   Britt points out that it is not their place to say, so Siôn demand to know why that is.

"It's nothing to do with us"

Colin replies that it is nothing to do with them;  

"It's Iolo, then"

Siôn concludes that it is Iolo and is anxious that they should answer him.   

"I'm worried he'll make himself ill again"

“I’m worried about him,” says Colin, “I’m worried that he’s going to make himself ill again.”

"I'm his father!"

“You can’t say something like that without telling me why – I’m his father!” rages Siôn.

"Yes, that's the problem"

“Yes, that’s the problem,” comments Colin, “Look, I’m saying this now for Iolo’s sake, OK?   

"He's found out he's got a half-brother"

“He’s found out that he’s got a half-brother.”

Siôn is taken aback at this news

Siôn is absolutely aghast at this revelation and it is explained that it came from some DNA website.   “So he thinks that I’ve . . .” Siôn gasps 

"All the evidence is there"

and it is pointed out that all the evidence is there.

"Don't reveal a word to anyone!"

Siôn cannot believe it and swears the pair of them to secrecy, not to reveal a word to anyone else.   This is probably rather optimistic, knowing Britt.   Siôn gets up and hurriedly leaves the Deri.

"It's like the Keystone Cops"

Ieuan strolls across from the bar and remarks, “It’s like the Keystone Cops – why is everyone in such a hurry to leave?”   

"Shut up, Ieuan!"

Colin simply tells him to shut up, as he and Britt walk out.

An unusual view of the shop flat

We have a view of the shop flat, taken from behind the hob, where a saucepan is boiling;  Eileen comes into the room and is in the process of preparing their meal.   

Eileen applies lipstick . . .

She applies some lipstick, 

. . . and carries a box to the table

then fetches a box and places it on the table.

"They've told you, then"

Siôn has gone straight back to Y Felin, where Iolo has worked out, “They’ve told you, then.”

"Something about a half-brother and a DNA test"

“Colin said something about a half-brother and a DNA test,” his father replies, “But it doesn’t make sense.”   

"So you're denying it?"

Iolo presumes that he is denying it;  “Denying what?” Siôn demands.

“While Mam was carrying Macs, you had an affair and got another woman pregnant,” Iolo spells it out.   

"I did nothing of the sort"

Siôn declares that he did nothing of the sort, but Iolo cannot understand why he is denying it, 

"The facts are there in black and white"

insisting that the facts are there in black and white.

"It's impossible – it's a lie!"

“It’s impossible – it’s a lie!” growls Siôn, but Iolo is similarly adamant that is what the DNA test says.   “Well, the DNA test must be wrong, then,” Siôn says, “Iolo, I would remember having an affair – well, with someone other than Mrs Jenkins, piano.”

"Your word against the DNA test"

“What am I supposed to believe, Dad?   Your word against the DNA test?”   

"This has to stop now!"

Siôn continues to insist that he is innocent and that this has to stop now, before things go too far.

Iolo regrets that things have already gone too far;  

"Alex wants to meet . . ."

“Alex has been in contact and he wants to meet.”   Siôn wonders who on earth is Alex.   

". . . Alex, your son"

“My brother – and your son!”

"Look what I've found, Diane"

“Diane, Diane, look what I’ve found!” calls Anita, as she comes downstairs, “Do you remember the tea sessions we had with Dr Gwyn?   

"Can we do it now"

“Can we do it now, to see if we remember?”

Diane does not think that now is the time to consult the tea leaves, 

". . . or are you worried about what it will say?"

but Anita is insistent that she is worried they will tell her she has to do her best friend a favour.   

“Don’t joke about it,” snaps Diane.

“We have to laugh, or we’ll cry,” is her reply, 

A highly scientific method

so Diane examines the pattern of tea leaves in the bottom of her cup, which appear to indicate ‘wealth’.

"Mine says 'wisdom'"

Anita’s cup, on the other hand, seems to be indicating ‘wisdom’, according to the leaflet, 

"I want you to promise you're not going ahead"

which Diane points out is good;  “I want you to promise me that you’re not going to press ahead with these plans for Switzerland,” 

Anita is disappointed 

which disappoints Anita.

"People pretending to be family"

Siôn is still trying to convince Iolo, “You hear about it all the time, people pretending to be family – like Gaynor and Cheryl.”   

"You can't just accuse Alex"

Iolo protests that he cannot just accuse Alex, because the website gave them the match.

“You need to talk to the website, then!” his father snarls, 

"They can't tarnish my good name like that"

“They can’t tarnish my good name like that – and you can’t meet him, do you hear?   

"I don't want Alex to think he's part of this family"

“I don’t want Alex to think he’s part of this family – I’m telling you the truth, Iolo – 

"You have only two brothers" 

“you have only two brothers, Macs and Huw!”

"You're right, Diane"

Anita now accepts that Diane is right;  “The doctor has said that people suffer from depression after receiving a diagnosis like this.”   

"You should tell the doctor"

Diane suggest that she should tell the doctor about today and these thoughts, but Anita does not consider there to be any need.

"I regret thinking about it now"

She even regrets thinking about it now.   “You wouldn’t be the first to think about going overseas to end your life.   Perhaps the doctor can help with these feelings of losing control.”

"Don't say a word!"

Then they hear the sound of the front door opening, so Anita tells Diane that she must not say a word, as there is no need at the moment.   

"Have you put the world to rights?"

Ieuan asks them if they had a nice evening and whether they put the world to rights.   

"Right, I'll go now"

Diane says that she will leave now and Anita helps her on with her coat;  

"Thank you for today, Diane"

“Thank you for today,” she says and is told that is what a best friend is for.

"A problem came up with Iolo"

Siôn arrives at the shop flat and apologises for his lateness, explaining that a problem came up with Iolo;  he has brought a bottle, 

He is equipped with screwdrivers

and some screwdrivers, as requested.

"Would you put it together?"

“You would think the company would include one with the stool,” Eileen comments, “Would you put it together while I finish the food?   

"Did you sort out the problem with Iolo?"

“Did you sort out the problem with Iolo?”   

"Not completely"

Siôn replies that it has not been completely done.

Ieuan gets out his paperwork . . . 

At number 7, Ieuan sits down and open his briefcase, looking at some papers, 

. . . then opens the iPad, revealing . . . 

then opens the iPad, surprised that it is at a Chwilota [search] search engine page, 

. . . what someone has been searching for . . .

where someone has been searching for ‘Assisted Suicide - Switzerland’.   

. . . which causes him great concern

He is extremely worried.