31 December 2025

Colin cannot sleep

Colin is lying on the sofa, unable to sleep;  

"What are you doing here?"

Britt comes in and asks him, “Col, what are you doing here?”   

He puts it down to too many mince pies

He tells her that he could not sleep, but maintains that it was caused by a bit of indigestion – too many mince pies.   She will get him a glass of milk.

"I saw Jinx in the shop this morning"

At the table in the Deri flat, Cassie comments that she saw Jinx in the shop this morning and he sends his best wishes to Mark.   “I asked about Ffion, but he had not seen her.   Are you going to eat that?”   

"I can't face any food, Cass!"

He is sorry but he cannot face any food 

"I haven't got much appetite, either"

and she admits that she has not got much of an appetite, either .

Kath is back . . .

They are surprised to see Kath return 

. . . and hugs Mark

and she immediately hugs, Mark;  they were not expecting her back until next week, 

"I wasn't going to stay in London"

but she replies, “I wasn’t going to enjoy myself in London with Stacey with everything that’s going on here.

“Listen, the pigs are downstairs in the bar and want to see you – 

"Is it all right for me to send them up?"

is it all right for me to send them up?” she continues.   

Mark is not looking forward to it

Mark prepares himself for the ordeal.

Eleri is at number 9 and you speaking on the phone to someone;  “There’s face-wash and moisturiser in my bedroom – 

"I thought you could look after yourself"

“I thought you were a metrosexual who could look after himself.”

Jinx has come downstairs and caught the last part of that, 

"I'll buy some soap from he shop"

as she goes on that she will buy some soap from the shop.   “Text me if you need anything else.”   He demands who wants soap, 

"That was Brynawelon"

so she improvises that she was talking to Brynawelon, adding that in fact she is going to pop over there now to catch up with some work.

Jinx maintains that she has forgotten something, 

"You don't want a goodbye kiss, do you?"

so she sneers at him, “You’re not turning into a housewife who wants a goodbye kiss?”  

"I thought we were having a day in front of the telly"

He had been under the impression they were having another cosy day in front of the telly.

"Christmas is over, Huw"

“Christmas is over, Huw – it’s time to go out and face the real world,” she informs him.

The police are leaving

The police have ended their visit to the Deri flat and are now leaving.   Mark is in a very emotional state.   

"Cheryl, poor dab"

“Cheryl, poor dab,” says his mother, “I just can’t believe it.”

"I knew that Tom was a nasty bit of work"

Cassie snarls, “I knew it – I knew that Tom was a nasty piece of work.   I said from the start that Cheryl’s disappearance was suspicious – I reported it.   

"The police swallowed that swine's lies"

“But the police swallowed that swine’s lies – like everyone in the village.”

Kath maintains that he threw dust in everyone's eyes, but Cassie goes on, “That’s what they’re like, men like him – 

"She told us what kind of man he was"

“we should have listened to Cheryl right from the start – she told us what kind of man he was!   

Mark is reduced to tears

“And now the poor thing has had to pay – in the worst possible way!   We should have gone into that house much sooner!”

He finds it hard to control himself

Both Cassie and Mark are now in tears, 

"I'm going out to clear my head"

with Cassie saying that she is going out to clear her head.   Kath tells Mark that she will be back in a minute;  

The grief is too much for him

he is really overcome with grief.

On his way to The Pizza Place . . .

Jinx is approaching The Pizza Place 

. . . and sees Eleri with two coffees

when he notices Eleri about to go into Cysgod y Glyn, carrying two takeaway coffees.  

"The police have confirmed it is Cheryl"

At Llwyncelyn, Colin comes in again through the back door and asks Gaynor, “Have you heard?   The police have confirmed that it was Cheryl's body in Tom’s Portacabin.”

"Oh"

She simply responds, “Oh,” 

"Is that all you have to say, Gaynor?"

and he is amazed that is all she has to say;  he wonders what has happened to her.

“I didn't sleep a wink last night,” he adds, 

"I haven't slept since Christmas"

so she tells him that he is lucky, as she has not slept since Christmas.   Colin urges her to talk to him;  

"How did you know he'd done something to Cheryl?"

“How did you know he’d done something to Cheryl?   Answer me!”

"I have some memory of it"

Gaynor says that he admitted it;  “Yes, I have some memory of it.”   

"You can't forget something like that!"

Colin cannot understand what she means, stressing that she cannot forget something like that, 

"Cheryl could be a nasty cow"

but Gaynor goes on, “Cheryl could be a nasty cow sometimes, you know.   It’s true – Tom told me all the time – I’m the only one who knows the real Tom.   

"Tom would never deliberately hurt anyone"

“The real Tom would never deliberately hurt anyone – he must have been defending himself.”

"Stop this nonsense now!"

Colin insists that she must stop this nonsense – now, but she is adamant that she is going to stick with him;  

"That's what people do who love each other"

“That’s what people do who love each other.”

"You're on your own, then"

Colin reluctantly comes to the conclusion, “You’re on your own, then, because I can’t feel sorry for someone who sides with a murderer.”   

Colin leaves her alone

So saying, he leaves the house by the way he came in.

"Come in"

After checking around the flat, Eleri presses the button to allow Jinx in, 

She removes some evidence

then quickly places the two takeaway coffee cups in the bin.   

"I thought you were going to Brynawelon"

“I thought you were going to Brynawelon,” Jinx tells her.   

"I had to pop in here first"

Her excuse is that she had to pop in there first.

“With two coffees?”   

She realises that he saw her

She realises that he has seen her and then there is a sudden noise from the bedroom.   

"It's a friend"

“Who’s here?” he demands, “I knew there was something going on when I saw you carry a holdall into the flat before Christmas.   Is it a man?   Answer me!”   She replies that it is a friend, 

"What friend?   Do I know him?"

so he wants to know, “What friend?   Do I know him?”

Eleri realises that there is no way out of this so goes to the door 

"He knows you're here"

and calls, “Come through – he knows you’re here.”   

Jinx has rather a shock

Jinx is surprised to see Garry Monk.   

"You remember Garry?"

“You remember Garry?” asks Eleri.

"Sorry if you've had a bit of a shock"

“Sorry if you’ve had a bit of a shock,” says Garry, 

"I thought you were in jail"

but Jinx had been under the impression that he was in jail.   It is explained, “I was released just before Christmas – I’m out on licence.”

"He needed a place to stay"

Eleri takes over to explain, “He needed a place to stay, so I offered here.”   

"How did you come to know each other?"

Jinx cannot understand how the two of them come to know each other, 

"Garry's my boss" 

so she replies, “Garry’s my boss.”

"I own Brynawelon"

Garry reveals that he owns Brynawelon, since a couple of months ago;  “I needed a respectable business for when I came out – I don’t want anyone to find out.”

"We get on pretty well"

Eleri continues that when she got the job, Garry was in touch with her;  “We’ve been writing to each other and meeting up since then – we get on pretty well.”

Garry describes her as, “A catch.”  

"Why weren't you honest with me?"

Jinx simply wants to know why she has not been honest with him, and she says that he did not want anyone to know.

"An excuse to hide Al Capone in the flat!"

“Ah, right – so that’s why you wanted a quiet Christmas, just the two of us.   It was an excuse – a lie – to hide Al Capone in the flat!”   She maintains that is not true and Garry appears to be rather amused by the description.

"Could we have a few moments, Garry?"

Eleri would like a few moments alone with Jinx, so Garry will oblige, commenting that he has to face the village at some point.

"He's indebted to me now"

“I’m sorry for not telling you,” Eleri maintains, “But can’t you see?   He’s indebted to me now – and one day I expect him to repay the debt.”   

Jinx has severe doubts

Jinx does not seem to be very happy with the situation.

Garry, back on familiar ground

Garry strides along the street, by the chapel, 

He looks at the Deri

turning the corner and looking up at the Deri.   

Ffion and Cai are talking

As he sets off along the High Street, Ffion and Cai are sitting on the bench by the alley;  

"He persuaded us all she had run away" 

“I feel awful, Cai – to think he persuaded us all that she had run away – poor Cheryl!”   

Cai sees who is walking past . . .

He puts a comforting arm around her – 

. . . Garry Monk!

and at that moment Garry walks past.

"I don't know what a fused spur switch is"

In MFC, Britt is on the phone;  “I don’t know what a fused spur switch is – you’re the experts.   Next week?   

"Well, if you don't want the business!

“If you don’t want the business, I’ll find someone else!”   

Garry is watching . . . 

Garry is standing in the doorway, watching and when she has ended the call, 

. . . and Britt gets a shock

she turns around to get a shock on seeing him .

Police activity at Maes-y-Deri 

Forensics are still investigating number 39 Maes-y-Deri and Cassie is standing outside, watching.   

"I knew you'd be here"

Kath approaches;  “I knew you’d be here.” Cassie recalls that she and Cheryl were so close 

"I should have faced myself in"

and that she should have forced herself into the house.   

“You can’t blame yourself, Cassie, understand?” Kath insists.

Cassie apologises for losing her temper earlier;  “That girl was suffering under our very noses.”   Kath reminds her that she did everything she could;  “But it wasn’t enough – we’re all to blame, each and every one of us!”   

"We need each other at times like these"

Kath understands that she is angry with everyone at the moment, but urges her not to be;  “We need each other at times like these – that’s why I’ve put a post on Facebook telling people to come to the Deri today if they want company – a small drink, perhaps, share memories – raise a glass to Cheryl.”

"Why are you out?'

Britt turns the sign on the door of MFC to read ‘closed’, then wants to know why Garry is out;  

"I'm out on licence"

“I’ve done half my sentence – I’m out on licence now for the rest,” he informs her.

"After everything you did at Gloria's funeral?"

Britt is not sympathetic;  “Licence?   After everything you did during Gloria’s funeral?”   Garry acknowledges that what he did was unforgivable, but argues that he was not thinking straight.   

"I was desperate to speak to Gwern"

“He was desperate to speak to Gwern, he knew the police were coming.   

"Don't make excuses"

Britt angrily tells him not to make excuses, but he protests that he is not.

"The police made me an offer"

“I spent months in that cell, thinking about that day over and over again – regretting, grieving.   I thought I’d rot there – but the police made me an offer – they wouldn’t charge me if I shared intel with them – some gang in Newport.”

"So you're a grass?"

Britt realises that he means that he is a ‘grass’, 

"I didn't have any choice, Britt"

but he argues that he had no choice.   “I was losing my mind – I needed to come out – to see you, Gwern and Dani.   How are they?”

"Why didn't you contact them – or me?"

“How do you think they are?   Why didn’t you contact them – or even me?   Garry, I’ve been through hell – not just since Seren died, but since you went to jail.”

"I want to show just how sorry I am"

He stresses that he is back now and will show everyone just how sorry he is, but she stops him there.   

"You can't just swan back in"

“You can’t just swan back in as if nothing has happened and solve everybody’s problems.   

"We had to cope without you for years"

“We’ve had to cope without you for years – and I think we’re doing a good job!   So excuse me, I need to find an electrician.”

Jinx prepares a meal

At number 9, Jinx is preparing a meal when Eleri comes back in, 

Eleri is extending the Christmas break

announcing, “I’ve brought some clean clothes to extend the Christmas break.”

He grumbles, “Is there any point?”   

"I thought that's what you wanted"

She thought that was what he wanted.   

"The key was for Garry, wasn't it?"

“The key was for Garry, wasn’t it?   The one with the note that said, ‘welcome to the flat’?   I saw it in your flat before Christmas – and I thought that was how you were going to ask me to move in with you.”

"You misunderstood"

She points out that he misunderstood 

"Do you even want us to move in together?"

and he wonders whether she even wants them to move in together.   

"Of course I do"

She confirms that she does, “But I can’t give you a key while I have a lodger.   That doesn’t mean I’m not serious about us.”   

Jinx turns on the television

Jinx is far from convinced and turns on the television to indicate the end of their conversation.

Britt clears the tables . . . 

Britt is clearing the tables in MFC, 

. . . while Garry sorts the electrics

while Garry is telling her, “There’s no point paying a sparky just to change a fuse.   

"Are you going to see if it works?"

“Are you going to see if it works?”   

The name shines out once more . . .

She steps outside and the sign illuminates once more.   

. . . and they both look at it

He joins her outside and they look up at the sign.

"I don't expect you to welcome me back . . ."

“Britt, I don’t expect you to welcome me back as if nothing’s happened – and I’m not going to force anyone to talk to me – or forgive me.   

"But I want to try to do right"

“But I want to try to do right for what I did – even if I have to take small steps to start with.”

"Like changing a fuse"

“Like changing a fuse,” she replies.

Gaynor looks at her phone . . .

Gaynor is looking at her phone and has a glass of wine in her hand;  

. . . and what she sees on it . . .

she sees a picture of some of the villagers gathered in the Deri, with the message that they welcome everyone who wants company tonight.   

. . . causes great anger

She appears outraged by this and gets up to go out.

Jinx is still watching television  

Jinx is still watching the television when Eleri comes downstairs.   

"I can't offer you a key, but . . ."

“Until Garry moves out, I can’t offer you a key – and I’m sorry, but . . . 

". . . if you want me to keep this key . . ."

“if you want me to keep this key, I’d be more than happy to accept.”

This makes Jinx laugh

Jinx chuckles and she continues, “I’m not saying that you have to offer it to me, 

". . . it's your choice

“but if you want me to prove my commitment, it’s your choice.”

"Are you willing to keep my house key?"

“OK, Eleri Beynon, are you willing to keep my house key?” he asks.

"Erm . . . go on, then"

After some lengthy thought, she replies, “Go on, then.”   

He pulls her down . . .

He pulls her down on to his lap 

. . . and kisses her

and kisses her, warning that she should just be careful, 

"I don't trust that Garry Monk"

as he trusts her, but not Garry Monk.

"A pint each of Cheryl's favourite drink"

In the Deri, Cassie comes across with a tray;  “Right, here we go.   A pint each of Cheryl’s favourite drink,” 

Orange juice for Ffion 

and a glass of orange juice for Ffion.   

"It's important we don't forget Cheryl"

“I know we’re all angry and upset and appalled about what’s happened, but it’s important we don’t forget Cheryl in all of this.

They will drink to that

As they are about to drink in her memory, 

Here comes trouble

Gaynor appears, 

"What the hell are you doing here?"

snarling at Ffion, “What the hell are you doing here, playing the innocent?   

"Sympathising with Ffion Llywelyn"

“Everyone surrounding Ffion Llywelyn to sympathise with her!”

"You're welcome to join us, Gaynor"

Kath points out that she is welcome to join them, as they are worried about her as well.

"Not while you believe her lies!"

“Not while she’s here and not while you believe her lies,” Gaynor rages, 

She blames Ffion for everything

“Accusing Tom of attacking you!   You’re just bitter because he chose me!”

Cai attempts to stop this tirade, 

"I'd be on my honeymoon"

but Gaynor rants on, “If you hadn’t stopped the wedding, I’d be on my honeymoon!”

"With a murderer!"

Mark interrupts to point out that the honeymoon would be with a murderer.   

"Tom wouldn't hurt anyone"

Gaynor of course refuses to believe this;  “Tom wouldn’t hurt anyone without being provoked into it!”

Cassie warns her not to blame this on Cheryl, but Gaynor is convinced that it is all Cheryl’s fault.   

"I won't forgive any of you!"

She yells, “I won’t forgive any of you for abandoning Tom and for raising a glass to someone who’s destroyed his life!”

Ffion feels awful

She turns and marches out of the pub, 

Colin is extremely concerned

with Colin in particular looking very concerned.