16 July 2025

Mathew is just sitting there . . .

Matthew is again sitting on the sofa, staring into space, 

. . . when Rhys comes downstairs

when Rhys comes downstairs;  

"I have to prepare for the carnival"

he says that he has to go to work today as he has a lot to do to prepare for the carnival.

"I'm fed up with this!"

Hywel hurries in, apparently having picked up his breakfast from the deli;  “I’m fed up with this!” he complains, but Rhys points out that Mathew simply needs a bit of time.   “Mathew, I think it’s about time you found somewhere else to stay.   Sort things out with Sioned, if you have to – 

"I want you out by tonight"

“I want you out by tonight – understand?”   

Mathew nods his head

Mathew nods his head and looks at Rhys.

Sioned has been to the pharmacy

Sioned has just collected a prescription from the pharmacy.   (Who is running it in the absence of Maya?)   

"Has Jinx given you a matchbox?"

As she passes the deli, Kelly comes out and asks her, “Has Jinx given you a matchbox?”   Sioned regards this as a rather strange question,

"You know, the matchbox challenge"

so Kelly elucidates, “You know, the matchbox challenge competition – for the carnival.   You and the twins are taking part, aren’t you?”

Sioned had forgotten all about it, as Lili had a bug last week and now Jac has it;  

"I haven't had a chance to think about anything else"

“I haven’t had a chance to think about anything else.”   

"I hope they're better soon"

Kelly appreciates that she has a lot on her plate, 

Then she hears a raised voice

then she hears the angry voice of Eleri along the street.

"You haven't done any work for days!"

She is reprimanding Howard, “No wonder the office isn’t ready – you haven’t done any work for days!”   He points out that APD has got a lot of other jobs at the moment – and Mathew is off work.  

"What's wrong with him?"

“Why?” she demands, “What’s wrong with him?”

"It will be ready in . . . a week"

Howard is not sure of that, but guarantees that the office will be ready in . . . a week, but she protests that she does not have a week.   

"The official opening is in two days!"

“The official opening of the Quantum Hydro Works office is in two days!”

This immediately interests Kelly

At this point, Kelly approaches them, commenting, “Hanger-banger!   

"The carnival is in two days"

“The carnival is in two days – you’re not seriously thinking of having the office’s grand opening on exactly the same day?”

"It will take advantage of the extra footfall"

“Why not – it will take advantage of the extra footfall,” replies Eleri.

"This was your plan all along, wasn't it?"

“OK, I get it,” Kelly realises, “This was your plan all along, wasn’t it?   To use the carnival as the attractive backdrop for the opening of the office.”   

"That's the difference between you and me, Kelly"

She is told that successful business people see an opportunity and go for it;  “That’s the difference between you and me, Kelly.”

"No way will Auntie Anita want to be near it"

Kelly sternly cautions her, “If Quantum Hydro Works hijacks the carnival, no way will Auntie Anita want to be anywhere near it – especially opening the whole thing.”

"We have invited a world-famous celebrity!"

Eleri gleefully announces, “Don’t worry, she doesn’t have to.   We’ve invited a world-famous celeb – he – or she – will open the carnival!   

"I thought Rhys would have told you"

“Sorry, I thought that Rhys would have told you,” she adds as she walks away.

Kelly has a look of grim determination

Kelly’s expression immediately changes.

Mathew has finished packing

Matthew is packing his few belongings into a bag and zipping it up;  

"Are you going now?"

“Are you going now?” says Rhys and he answers that he is going back to Penrhewl.

“Are you sure you’re ready to do this?” Rhys enquires, 

"He won't be pleased if I am still here"

and is told that his father will not be pleased if Mathew is still there when he gets home.   

"Ready to talk to Sioned, I meant"

“Ready to talk to Sioned, I meant,” Rhys goes on.

"Perhaps my memories are wrong"

Mathew maintains that he does not know exactly what happened himself;  “Perhaps my memories are wrong.”   

"It was not your fault, Math"

He is warned that he cannot ignore this, as Rhys emphasises that it was not his fault.

Mathew turns

On his way towards the door, Mathew turns, as Rhys insists that he needs help – from his friends and the people he knows.   

"Don't you dare say a word to anyone"

He walks back and confronts Rhys;  “Don’t you dare say a word to anyone – do you hear me?   

"I'm not going to tell Sioned"

“I’m not going to tell Sioned – understand?”   Rhys replies that he would never do that.

He leaves the house . . .

Matthew leaves the house, but immediately is accosted by Eleri, 

. . . but Eleri is nearby

who demands to have a word with him.   

"Why hasn't APD finished that office yet?"

“Why hasn’t APD finished that office yet?”   

"I'm not in work"

He explains that he is not in work at the moment, but in her usual officious manner, 

"You're the boss – there are no days off"

she points out, “You’re the boss, Mathew – there are no days off or ‘sickies’!   

"You're responsible for that company"

“You’re responsible for that company and we gave you a huge contract!   

"Hey, you can't just walk away"

“Hey – you can’t just walk away from me, Mathew!” 

But Mathew does just that

but he is doing so, without another word.

"Where's Rhys?"

As he reaches Tomos ac Ellis, Kelly comes clattering along the street, demanding, “Where’s Rhys?” and is told that he is in the house, 

She batters on the door

so she bangs on the door.

"I hope you've got a good explanation"

When Rhys opens it, she sneers, “I hope you’ve got a good explanation – because I swear on my life, 

"If I find out you've been 'blindsiding' me . . ."

“if I find out you’ve been blindsiding me . . .”   

"Hang on – what are you talking about?"

He manages to stop her there, as he has no idea what she is talking about and tells her to cool down.

"Eleri hijacking the carnival"

“Eleri’s reasons for hijacking the carnival – and she says that you knew everything.   Come on, then – are you going to spill the beans or what?”   

"You'd better come in"

He thinks that she had better come into the house.

Howard is not very artistic

At APD, Howard is not very artistically designing a board, headed ‘Who is the child?’ for displaying the various baby photos;  Siwsi does not look impressed, 

"What have I spelt wrong?"

so he assumes that he has spelt something wrong.   

"It looks a bit boring, doesn't it?"

“No, it just looks a little bit boring, doesn’t it?” she remarks, “It’s supposed to be a game – we want to encourage people to compete, don’t we?”

"I'll have a look out the back"

He will have a look out the back to see if he can find something more colourful.   As he goes on the search, Lleucu comes into the shop and he recommends that she has a good eye for designing things.   She has brought some photographs.

"It's a work in progress"

Siwsi tells her that, as she can see, the board is still a work in progress;  

"Did you watch the women's football?"

she asks, “Did you watch the women’s football match in the end?”   Lleucu replies that she was at home with Iolo, gutted that they are not through to the next round, 

"Thy played really well"

“but stressing that they played really well.

"It won't be the last time in the Euros"

Siwsi is confident, “It won’t be the last time we see Wales women in the Euros!”   

"Siôn White . . ."

Lleucu draws her attention to one of the photos – of Siôn White, apparently holding a baby monkey.   “He doesn’t look too happy,” Siwsi comments, 

". . . who may have had a little accident!"

with Lleucu raising the possibility that he may have had a ‘little accident’.

"This one hasn't changed a lot"

Then Siwsi shows another photograph, with the clue that he has not changed a lot;  

"Mischievous eyes, cheeky smile"

“Mischievous eyes, a cheeky smile – he’s still got it.”

“Howard?” exclaims Lleucu.   

"You're very lucky to have that"

He says that they are very lucky to have that, as Rhys forced him to find a photo.   “You haven’t changed, except for the beard,” Lleucu tells him 

"I'll take that as a compliment"

and he takes that as a compliment.   Siwsi describes him as ‘just as cute as the photo’.

Mathew arrives at Penrhewl . . .

Mathew walks silently into Penrhewl and finds that there is no-one about;  there is a lot of noise outside in the farmyard.   

. . . and Sioned finds him

As he puts down his bag, Sioned comes in the room, 

"What's going on?"

wanting to know what is going on.   

"I'd like to move back in – if that's all right"

“I’d like to move back in,” he tells her, “If that’s all right with you.”

"You haven't been in touch for a fortnight"

“You haven’t been in touch for a fortnight – and now you want to move back here to live?” she responds.

Matthew says that he is sorry, 

"Do you have another woman?"

but Sioned demands, “Do you have another woman?”

"Sioned, you know me better than that"

“Sioned, you know me better than that,” he says, 

"Do I?"

but she wonders if he really expects her to believe that.   

"I needed time to sort out my head"

He concedes that he should have contacted her but argues that he needed time to sort out his head.   

“And have you sorted out your head?” she rather angrily demands.

"I've missed you all"

“I know one thing – I’ve missed you all.   How are Jac and Lili?”

“They’re ill – and a handful – that’s how Jac and Lili are!” Sioned snaps.   Mathew protests that he did not know, insisting that she should have told him and he would have tried to help.   

"We've been fine without you"

Sioned maintains that they have been fine without him, but he confesses that he has not been fine without her – and that is the truth.   He hates to think that he has hurt Sioned and begs her to forgive him.

"Not unless you're honest with me"

She looks reluctant to do so and shakes her head;  “Not unless you’re honest with me – what’s been going on, Math?   And I want the truth.”

"I didn't want to deceive anybody"

Rhys explains to Kelly, “I didnt want to deceive anybody.”   

"You just accidentally misled everyone?"

“Oh, no – you just accidentally misled everyone in the village about being part of that company!”   He protests that he is not part of the company but was doing his father a favour;  

"And a bit of extra cash on the side?"

“And a bit of extra cash on the side, was it, Rhys?   

"You actually convinced me!"

“You actually convinced me that it was all right to accept sponsorship from them!” she snarls.

She is becoming even more furious now, 

"I'm so sorry for doing this to you!"

as he maintains that he did not know what Eleri’s and his father’s plans were until a few days ago.   “Look, I’m so sorry for doing this to you!”

"You've let everyone down!"

“To me?   Me?” she demands, “Oh, no – you’ve let everyone down, mind – and you know how special this carnival was to Auntie Anita.   

"How could you?"

“How could you?”

"I've put my heart into this, too"

He argues that he was in an impossible position;  “But I promise I won’t let Quantum Hydro Works spoil this.   I’ve put my heart into this, too, Kelly, just like you have.”

"Where people will be selling . . . whatever"

Out in the street, Eleri is demonstrating to Hywel where all the stalls will be situated;  “Where people will be selling . . . whatever,” she adds, disparagingly.

"And how wonderful the company is?"

He comments, “And discussing how wonderful the company sponsoring it is?”   She finds it very frustrating that they have had to cancel the office opening, 

"We could have made a splash in the media"

as they could have made a splash in the press and media.   Hywel predicts that they will get plenty of publicity from the carnival, especially when they find out who the special guest is.

"I may have put my foot in it"

However, Eleri realises that she may have put her foot in it there;  “You haven’t revealed the name, have you?” gasps Hywel.

“No, but I did tell Kelly that they would be opening the carnival instead of Anita – yes, I know, I could have kicked myself!”   

"I'm surprised she didn't actually kick you!"

Hywel is surprised that Kelly did not actually kick her – or worse.

Eleri proposes that they need a damage limitation strategy;  “Because you know how she gets when she’s wound up!”   

"I'll get Rhys to sort Kelly out"

Hywel assures her that he will get Rhys to ‘sort Kelly out’ – surely a process easier said than done.

"I told you it would be a big deal"

“I told you, didn’t I – that it would be a big deal when she came back into your life?” says Sioned, “Is that what’s behind all this?”   Mathew does not reply, 

"What happened, Math?"

so she continues, “What happened, Math?   When you went to see her?”

He answers, “We talked – and they weren’t easy discussions.”   Sioned appreciates that they were never going to be easy, not after all this time.   

"It opened up a lot of old wounds"

“It opened up a lot of old wounds, and it brought a lot of stuff back.”

Sioned grasps his hand

Sioned takes his hand and asks for more details;  “Like when she left me and how upset I was – how upset Dad was – and how he and I haven’t had the best relationship, that might be to do with the fact that Mam left us.”

She can feel for him

Sioned feels for him 

"Sorry I didn't talk to you"

and he says that he is so sorry that he did not talk to her earlier about this.   

"We have to talk to each other"

She insists that they have to talk to each other from now on and she is glad that he is back.   

Then Sioned has to go to one of the twins

At that moment, one of the twins starts crying upstairs, so she goes up.

Eleri threatens the APD staff

In APD, Eleri is issuing another ultimatum;  “The office needs to be finished, or there will be financial and legal consequences, understand?”

"Why are you looking at me?"

Lleucu asks, “Why are you looking at me?   I don’t work here.”

"Don't answer me back!"

“No, so don’t answer me back!” Eleri growls, as she walks out of the shop.   

They fall about laughing

As soon as the door slams behind her, the three of them fall about laughing, 

"All right, Miss – sorry Miss!"

with Howard saying, “All right, Miss – sorry, Miss!”   

"I thought she was going to put us in detention!"

Siwsi thought she was going to put them in detention and Lleucu predicts that she will get detention if she does not return to the shop.

"Can I go to lunch now?"

Siwsi asks if it is acceptable for her to have her lunch now, and Howard tells her that it is fine.

"There's such a vibe between you"

When she has gone, Lleucu remarks that there is such a vibe between them;  

"Is there?"

“Come on, it’s completely obvious – you don’t have to be a body language expert to see you both seriously fancy each other.   

"When are you going to ask her out on a date?"

“So when are you going to ask her out on a date, then, Howard?”

"The lodger's packed his bags at last"

Rhys is folding up the bedding on the sofa for the last time when his father comes in and is pleased to see that the lodger has packed his bags at last.   

"A delicate situation has come up"

“Good – about time, too!   Listen, Rhys, a delicate situation has come up with Kelly – I think Eleri has put her foot in it.   She told Kelly that the special guest is opening the carnival instead of Anita.   

"Has Kelly said anything to you?"

“Has Kelly said anything to you?”

"No"

Rhys maintains that he does not know anything about it, so his father goes on, “If and when she gets on her high horse about it, 

"I want you to do your best to keep her quiet"

“I want you to do your best to keep her quiet.   You know what she’s like – with her campaigns and protests, but we don’t want her to spoil this carnival – there’s too much at stake!”

"Whatever it takes, isn't it?"

“Of course – whatever it takes, isn’t it?” Rhys replies 

Hywel thinks that problem is solved . . .

and his father is convinced that the situation is now under control;  

. . . but Rhys obviously has different ideas

Rhys, on the other hand, is wearing a conspiratorial smile.

A young Ieuan Griffiths 

As they look at another childhood photo, Howard is convinced that it is Ieuan Griffiths;  “He had enough hair then for a side parting.”

"Will you be going to this carnival?"

Then he asks Siwsi if she will be going to this carnival, but she is afraid that she cannot, as she has promised to look after her friend’s dog.   

"I thought we could have a couple of drinks"

“That’s a shame – I thought we could have a couple of drinks,” says Howard, disappointedly.   

"We could go for a drink next week . . ."

She can see how he feels, so suggests that they could go for a drink next week instead, 

". . . and you can tell me all about it"

so he can tell her all about it.

"Don't tell Colin you've finished"

Lleucu comes back in and remarks on the much improved picture board, which Howard puts down to ‘teamwork’;  she hopes that they will not tell Colin that the project is already finished, because he has given her the afternoon off to help them.

Howard goes to take a delivery

Howard can see that a delivery has just arrived, so goes out of the shop;  

"I think I've just arranged a date with Howard!"

Siwsi announces that she thinks she has just arranged a date with Howard.

It was a roll of wire netting

When he comes back in with the roll of wire netting which has been delivered, 

"You'll have a laugh on your date"

Lleucu says she is sure that they will have a laugh on their date, but he insists that she has misunderstood;  

"Just a group of us"

“She meant a drink after work – a group of us.”

"I don't think anyone else has been invited"

“Well, I don’t want to freak you out or anything, but I don’t think anyone else has been invited,” she says, winking at him.   

Howard is apprehensive

Now he is looking rather worried.

Rhys has gone to see Kelly at number 7;  he asks if she is all right.   

"No, not really"

“No, not really,” is the reply, 

"Auntie Anita is going on and on about her speech"

“Auntie Anita is going on and on about this speech that potentially she will never deliver.   Honestly, the effort she’s putting into this, it’s heartbreaking.   

"What are we going to do?"

“What are we going to do?”

"Don't worry – I've got a plan . . ."

Rhys simply tells her not to worry;  “I’ve got a plan – 

". . . which I think you're going to like"

“and I think you’re going to like it, too.”   

Kelly is looking forward to it

Kelly smiles excitedly.