3 July 2025

Mathew has been trying to drown his sorrows

With empty bottles and cans strewn across the table, Mathew is unable to sleep on the sofa in number 21.   

"Are you going to work today?"

Rhys remarks, “Someone had fun last night – are you going to work today?   You’d better clear those up before Dad sees them.”

"Hywel wants me out"

Mathew gets the impression that Hywel wants him out;  

"Don't give him a reason to throw you out"

“I can handle him for now, but don’t give him a reason to throw you out,” Rhys warns, 

"I'll see you later"

“I’ll see you later.”

"How about Barcelona?"

“What do you think about Barcelona, for our next holiday?” Gaynor asks.    

"We've only just got home"

Tom reminds her that they have only just got home.   

She knows that, but maintains that it would be nice to have something to look forward to.

"You don't know where that bottle of wine went?"

Meanwhile, he is looking in the wine rack;  “You don’t know where that bottle of wine went, do you?   That nice St Emilion red we brought back from Paris.”

She knows exactly where it went

Gaynor is immediately worried and asks, “Was that for us?”   He wonders who else he would have bought it for, 

"I must have put it somewhere"

so she quickly improvises that she must have put it somewhere while she was unpacking.

"Well, find it"

“Well, find it – we can have a glass tonight,” he instructs her, before kissing her and leaving, allegedly for work.   

How is she to get out of this?

She looks very concerned.

"I've never had chocolate and chilli before . . ."

At APD, Siwsi has brought in some home-made brownies;  Howard tells her, “I’ve never had chocolate and chilli together before.”   Siwsi says that she loves anything with chocolate, but when the chilli is added, it gives an extra kick.

". . . I can't taste it"

He protests that he cannot taste it, as he helps himself to yet another one, but then, suddenly, the chilli makes itself felt 

Then, all of a sudden, he does

and he gasps, “Wow – it’s more than a kick!” and he has to take a swig of tea.

"Sorry I'm late again"

Anita hurries in and apologises for being late again;  “I’m the one who should apologise, Anita,” Siwsi tells her, “For the other day – I’ve been thinking about it over and over 

"I should never have said what I said"

“and I should never have said what I said – especially when I didn’t know . . . I talk without thinking sometimes.”

"How about a brownie for Anita?"

Howard indicates that perhaps a brownie would help the situation;  

"You sit down and I'll make a cup of tea"

Siwsi urges Anita to sit down and she will make a cup of tea.   “It’s all right, I've just had one,” Anita protests, but is told that she can have another one.

"Then you can make me a list"

“And then you can make me a list of everything you need me to do today,” Siwsi goes on.   

Anita wonders what is going on

Anita looks puzzled at Howard

"I hadn't realised you were back"

Tom arrives at Deri Fawr yet again;  Ffion had not realised that he was back from Paris and comments that it looks like they had a good time there judging by what Gaynor posted online every day.

He does not seem so enthusiastic;  

"Yes, it was all right"

“Yes, the holiday was all right, fair play,” as he hands Ffion some Toblerone, 

"Typical last-minute present from the airport"

which she describes as just a typical last-minute present from the airport.

"Jinx has moved back home"

“And how are you?   Is Jinx giving you some peace now?” Tom enquires.   She confirms that he has moved back home, which Tom thinks is good news.

"Is there anything else?"

However, Ffion appears to be anxious to get rid of him;  “Is there anything else?   I need to finish sorting these bills.”   

"Are you angry with me?"

He gets the impression that she is angry with him, but she denies this.   

"Not missing Jink already?"

“Don’t tell me you’re missing Jinx already?” he jokes.

She snaps, “I just want to finish sorting these – I’ll see you soon, yeah?”   Tom will not take no for an answer, 

"I'll help you with this"

but sits down and volunteers to help her with her paperwork.

"There's no need"

She protests that there is no need, but he maintains, “The sooner we sort out these bills, 

"The sooner I can put a smile on your face"

“the sooner I can try to put a smile on your face.”

"I don't thinkI can do this on my own"

As they look at the work plans in APD, Howard tells Anita, “I don’t think I can do this job on Monday on my own if Mathew’s still off work.   As far as I know he’s ill.”   Anita predicts that he might be better by then.

"We ought to give him a 'heads-up'"

“We ought to give Gwyn Bryn Olwyn a ‘heads-up’ – he will understand,” says Howard, 

"I can phone him now"

and Siwsi, who has been working in the background, volunteers to phone him now.

"No, I usually speak to Gwyn"

“No, I usually speak to Gwyn,” Anita replies, but is reminded that she has loads on her plate 

"I can take on a few extra jobs"

and that Siwsi can take on a few extra jobs.   

“You’ve taken every job from me already – all I’ve done today is sit on my behind, drinking cup after cup of tea,” Anita complains, “I’ve been to the toilet three times – what’s going on?”

"I'd better get going, then"

Howard says that he had better get going, as they do not want to lose the job in Bryn Olwyn, on top of everything.

"Are you going to tell me?"

Anita turns to Siwsi, demanding, “Are you going to tell me?”   She replies that she is just trying to make up for what she said.

"You know, don't you?"

“You know, don’t you?   Howard’s told you.”

Mathew is still sitting there . . . 

Mathew is now sitting up on the sofa, but looking very sorry for himself, 

. . . when there is urgent knocking at the door . . .

when there is a knocking at the door of number 21, 

. . . which he ignores

but he ignores it, although it is repeated several times.

"You haven't asked much about Paris"

Ffion has not managed to get rid of Tom, as he is still sitting there;  “You haven’t asked much about Paris,” he comments.   

"It was all on Gaynor's Facebook"

She replies that she does not need to, as she saw everything they did on Gaynor’s Facebook.

"I've never seen you like this before . . ."

“I’ve never seen you like this before,” he tells her, 

". . . jealous!"

“Jealous!”   

"Don't be ridiculous!"

She snarls at him not to be ridiculous, but he simply smiles.

“I know I upset you when I cancelled our day, but I couldn’t let Gaynor down.”   

"You don't have to apologise"

Ffion says that he does not have to apologise, 

"Shall I rearrange the surprise?"

so he offers to rearrange the surprise.

"Only if you want to"

“Only if you want to,” and of course he confirms that he does.   Then there is an inconvenient knock out the door.   “What now?” Ffion groans, 

Two police officers . . .

then discovers that it is two officers from the South Wales police, 

. . . who make Tom rather nervous

which makes Tom rather nervous.

"The truth is I didn't want anyone to know"

Anita is explaining things to Siwsi;  “The truth is I didn’t want anyone here – not just you.”   Siwsi does not think that she is needed there, especially with all the boys around the place.

"I will need you are and more"

“I will need you more and more – it’s just that I’m not ready to admit that – 

"Perhaps Mathew will get rid of me"

“and I’m very grateful to Mathew – he could have got rid of me.   Perhaps he will, now that he can see how well you do the job.”

"You and me – we'll stick together!"

Siwsi declares that she will not let him;  “You and me – we’ll stick together!   Anyway, I’ve got loads to learn from you – those boys don’t know the half of it.   Can you promise me one thing?   That you’ll tell me if you need a bit more help?”

"You do so much as it is"

Anita is becoming rather emotional as she says that Siwsi does so much as it is.   

"I've got experience of dementia"

“I’ve got experience of dementia – I understand how things can vary from day to day, and I never want you to feel like you can’t trust me.”

"I don't want you to walk around on tenterhooks"

Anita answers, “Right, if I have to be honest with you, you have to be honest with me.   I don’t want you to walk around the place on tenterhooks, like you’ve been doing today, OK?   

"I'm going to make you a cup of tea now"

“Right, I’m going to make you a cup of tea now.”

"I've got a better idea"

Siwsi looks at her watch;  “Hang on – it’s almost closing time – I’ve got a better idea.”

The police have left . . .

Tom is sitting in the background, looking very relieved, as the police officers are speaking to Ffion;  when they have gone, 

. . . and Ffion is far from happy

she is not at all happy.   “Next time someone attacks me, don’t bother phoning 999 – 

"You might as well phone MFC!"

“you might as well phone MFC!” she rages.

Tom tries to persuade her to come and sit down, but she protests that she is too angry.   He maintains that it is not as bad as it seems.

"They've given up!"

“But they’ve closed the investigation – they’ve given up!” she shouts.

"They don't think you're in danger any more"

He understands that is frustrating, but insists that the good thing is they do not think she is in danger any more.   “Why come to that conclusion now?” she demands.   He supposes that it is on the basis of the evidence they have.

"I've been worried someone wanted to kill me . . ."

“I’ve been thinking that someone wanted to kill me for weeks – 

". . . worried they might try again!"

“worried that they might try again!”   He assures her that it is all over now – she has to believe that.

"Sometimes we don't get answers to everything"

“The important thing is that you’re not in danger – and sometimes we don’t get answers to everything.   

"Come here and don't get upset"

“Come here and don’t get upset.

"I can't believe this, Tom"

As he hugs her, she sighs, “I just can’t believe this, Tom,” 

"I've actually got away with it!"

and he agrees that neither can he – as he is off the hook at last, after all this time.

"The best red wine you've got"

Gaynor is at the Deri, asking Geraint for the best bottle of red wine they have got, French, if possible;  

"Someone has expensive tastes"

Anita, also at the bar, remarks that someone has expensive tastes.   “Tom bought a very nice bottle in France – and I gave it to Colin as a birthday present,” Gaynor explains.

They sit down for a quiet drink . . .

Anita takes the two drinks over to a table, 

. . . then Howard comes in

where Siwsi is sitting, just as Howard comes into the Deri;  

"You didn't get me one, then . . ."

“Ah – you didn’t get me one, then,” he remarks, 

". . . I'll have to get one myself"

“Well, I will just have to get one myself, then.”   

Siwsi says that Anita did not have to pay, but she wants to apologise for the way she has been behaving since the start.

"It's all water under the bridge"

As far as Siwsi is concerned, it is water under the bridge 

"New friends"

and they drink a toast to, “New friends.”

"Still here, then?"

Mathew is still sitting on the sofa when Rhys returns;  “You’re still here, then – so you were here this afternoon when Sioned was knocking outside – she texted me to say so.   

"What has Sioned done, Math?"

“What has she done, Math?”

"She's upset – and I don't blame her!"

Mathew replies that she has not done anything, but Rhys points out that she is upset;  “And I don’t blame her!   Why leave Penrhewl if Sioned hasn’t done anything wrong?”

"You're going to think there's something wrong with me"

“Because I just can’t be there at the moment,” is the enigmatic reply, “You’re going to think there’s something wrong with me.”   

"What – more than I do already?"

Rhys already knows that there is a lot wrong with him.   

"Because of everything in that house"

“Sioned hasn’t done anything wrong, but I’m just finding it difficult to stay at Penrhewl after seeing Mam.   Because of everything in that house – the twins . . .”

"You're not jealous of Jac and Lili?"

Rhys cannot believe that he is jealous of Jac and Lili;   Mathew snarls that he knew Rhys would not understand, so he apologises.   

"I just can't explain it"

“I just can’t explain it – it’s just difficult to be there after seeing her again.”

"That's only natural"

Rhys regards that as only natural and he goes on, “I’ve worked so hard to push Melfa to the back of my mind – I haven’t thought about her – I haven’t worried about her – 

"Now I can't think of anything else!"

“but now, I can’t think about anything else!”

Howard gets his drink . . .

Howard gets his drink from Geraint, behind the bar 

. . . and is glad they understand each other

and he is glad that Anita and Siwsi understand each other now.   

"I'm not very happy with you"

“Mind you, I’m not sure I’m very happy about you discussing my personal life,” Anita chides him.

"I wasn't gossiping, Anita"

He says that he is very sorry and insists that he was not gossiping, 

"Only pulling your leg"

then realises that Anita is only winding him up, which he is pleased to hear.   “I’m glad you told Siw – because we understand each other now, don’t we?”   

"Siw?"

Howard is relieved to hear it, 

"So I won't have to worry about turning up to work"

so he will not have to worry about turning up to work now.

"I have to go back to help Sioned"

He offers to pay for the next round as his treat, to celebrate the new team, but he cannot stay too long because he has to go back to help Sioned.   

"Orange juice for me and gin and tonic for Siwsi"

Anita will have an orange juice and gin and tonic for Siwsi.

While he is at the bar . . .

While he is at the bar, 

. . . Siwsi asks about him and Sioned

Siwsi asks, “There’s nothing going on between him and Sioned, is there?” 

"He helps out on the farm"

so it is explained that he lives at Penrhewl and helps out on the farm.

Then Siwsi wonders if he has a girlfriend;  

"You don't fancy him, do you?"

“You don’t fancy him, do you?” asks Anita, and she does not really know, 

"He's been really sweet"

adding that he has been really sweet since she started and always checking if she is OK.   He also compliments her on her cakes.

"He's a very complicated person . . ."

Anita warns her, “Howard is a very complicated person, you know?   

". . . please don't rush into things"

“Just, please, don’t rush into things, will you?” and Siwsi looks confused.

"Something smells good"

Gaynor is busy cooking dinner when Tom returns home, remarking something smells good;  

"Paella – I thought it might put its into the mood"

“Paella – I thought it might put us in the mood to book Spain,” she tells him.   

"I put it into a decanter"

Then he notices that she has found the wine, which she says she put into a decanter to let it breathe.

"That's lovely . . ."

He tries a glass of it, and describes it as, 

". . . better than that vinegar you get in the Deri"

“Lovely – better than that vinegar you get in the Deri.”   Gaynor looks very pleased that she has got away with it this time, 

"Will you watch the women's football?"

then informs him that Esther wants to know if he will come and watch the Wales women’s football team play on Saturday.

He replies that he would not miss anything so historic;  apparently Esther is looking forward to it.   

"It's a work call"

Then Tom’s phone sounds;  he says it is a work call and walks out of the room to speak.   

"I'm happy to help"

“I can’t talk for long,” he says, “You don’t need to apologise – I’m happy to help and listen at any time.”

Then, when he is sure that he is out of earshot from the kitchen, 

"Give me half an hour" — obvious who that is

he goes on, “Give me half an hour – all right?”

"I started to remember something"

Matthew continues his explanation, “When she left last week, I started to remember something from when I was a boy.   I remember her standing near my bedroom door and closing it – and then she left.   

"I thought that was the last time"

“I thought that was the time when she left us.”

"With the headteacher?"  — what is this about a headteacher?

“With the headteacher?” Rhys asks, but then the other day Mathew remembers that she said they had seen each other since then – since she left him and his father – but he has no recollection of it.   

“You would think that seeing my mother would be a big thing – that I would remember something like that.”

"You might have to go and see her"

Rhys suggests that he might have to go and talk to her, to ask her about that, but he does not think that he can face her again.   

"I don't know if she's telling the truth"

“In any case, he does not even know if his mother is telling the truth.

“If you’re worried, perhaps Melfa isn’t the only one who can give you answers,” observes Rhys.

"Twice in one day?"

Tom, needless to say, is at Deri Fawr, where he comments, “Twice in one day – people will start talking.”   Ffion’s excuse for calling him over is to find out more about this ‘surprise’.   “You could have asked me that over the phone,” he answers, 

Oh dear — Ffion is falling for him

but the truth is that she wanted to see him again.

“What are you doing next week?” he enquires, “Can Jinx look after Arwen?”   She wonders how long they will be away 

"We could go away for the day"

and he says that he thought they could go away for the day.

"Not for a night?"

“Not for a night?” she wonders.   

"We'll go for a night next time"

Smiling broadly, he proposes that they can go for a night next time 

"One step at a time, yeah?"

and Ffion remarks, “One step at a time, yeah?”