12 February 2026

Gwern has been to get milk

Dani comes around the corner by MFC and meets Gwern, who has been to the shop for a pint of milk.   

"The ceiling should come down more often"

She comments, “The ceiling should come down more often!   You’re doing shopping for us and dropping off Gabs at school – was he all right?”

"Gabs was a bit upset"

Gwern replies that he was a little bit upset and did not want to leave him, but perhaps a routine would help him this week.   Dani maintains that there is no chance of routine, 

"The springs in the bed are digging into me"

but Gwern complains that the springs in the bed are digging into him and he is eager to get back to Maes-y-Deri.

"I hope it won't be long"

Dani hopes that it will not be long;  “I would have asked Britt, but there is no room with Siwsi staying there.   I’ll think of something, OK?”

"How are things at Maes-y-Deri?"

Garry comes along the road and wishes them good morning;  Gwern does not reply to him.  He asks how things are over at Maes-y-Deri, 

"Well, there's not ceiling there, but . . ."

so Dani informs him, “Well, there’s no ceiling there – but apart from that, everything’s fine.”   

"If I can help in any way . . ."

He assures them that he will help in any way that he can, but Dani is sure that they do not need any help, 

Gwern walks away

then they turn and walk away.

"Hello, stranger"

has only gone a few yards when she meets Cai and greet him, “Hello, stranger.”

"Sorry for letting you down"

He is apologetic for letting her down the other day and would have asked them all to come and stay at Y Felin, “But Iolo’s not in a good state.”   

"Have Social Services contacted Liv?"

She wonders if there is any news about Tyler and whether Social Services have contacted Liv.

“Iolo phoned them – he’s going to fight to get Tyler back – didn’t he say?”   

"I've got  job in Cwrtmynach"

This comes as news to Cai, who says that he has a gardening job in Cwrtmynach and will see her later.

Cai is unable to contact Liv

However, as soon as he has left Dani, he takes out his phone to make a call to Liv, but only receives a recorded message.

"One of those cinnamon swirly things"

Garry is in the deli;  “I’ll have one of those cinnamon swirly things,” he tells the man behind the counter, who has just provided him with a skinny soy latté.

"I didn't think you were a latté person"

Eleri walks in, commenting, “I didn’t think you were a latté person,” so he enlightens her that they were for her.

"To thank you for your patience"

“To thank you for your patience with your lodger,” he adds.   

"I've asked you to move out several times"

She hands his post to him, hoping that there is an invitation in it for a hearing test.   He obviously needs one because she has asked him to move out several times – and he is still there.

"Time to pack those crusty socks"

“It’s time to pack those crusty socks and sticky dumbbells!” she growls, 

"I can't just shack up anywhere"

but he protests that he cannot just shack up anywhere;  he has to change his address officially with the probation services.

"You've got a big sister"

“You’ve got a big sister – hasn’t she got a box room?”   He replies that Britt does not have any room and has a lot on her plate already.

“Well, my plate has almost shattered under the weight of your problems,” she moans, picking up the coffee, 

"It's answers I want, not pastries!"

“It’s answers I want, Garry, not pastries!”

"Do you know what number Liv's in?"

Cai has gone back to the block of flats, where he finds the girl he saw last time, sitting on a bench;   “Shell, right?   Do you know what number Liv’s in?”

"If she wanted you to know, she would have told you"

“If she wanted you to know, she would have told you,” is her curt answer, so his excuse is that she did tell him the other day, but he is forgetful.   “Number 15 – it’s over there,” she informs him, 

"Tell her I want my shopping!"

“Tell her I want my shopping!”   

He knocks on the door of number 15

He finds the right door and knocks on it

Dani is frantically tidying in the Deri flat;  

"You haven't seen JJ Giraffe, have you?"

“You haven’t seen JJ Giraffe, have you?” wonders Gwern, “Gabs was asking for him all the way to school earlier.”

"Are you all right about Garry?"

She is concerned whether Gwern is OK about Garry, but he does not want to talk about it and suggests that they could move into number 7.   

"We can't throw Anita out on the street"

“We can’t throw Anita out on the street, can we?   

"I don't think we have much choice"

“I don’t think we have much choice but to stay here for a while.”   

Gwern is not optimistic

He does not find the prospect very encouraging.

Cai has found something

Inside the house, Cai finds a small plastic packet of powder, 

"That's Bobby's, not mine!"

but Liv is quick to point out that it is Bobby’s, not hers.   “No wonder you didn’t want me to see where you live,” he snarls.

"I don't touch that stuff any more"

“I don’t touch that stuff any more, I promise – I’ve told you,” she insists, but he says the evidence suggests otherwise

"Iolo's phoned Social Services . . ."

“I came here to warn you that Iolo’s phoned Social Services – I wanted to help you, but I’m starting to think that everyone else is right – 

". . . you're not fit to look after a baby!"

“you’re not fit to look after a baby!”

Zeppelin Insurance's website

Mark is looking at the website of the strangely named Zeppelin Insurance. [which we have encountered once before, on 7 July 2022]   

"They're putting off people claiming"

His mother comments, “Yeah, they make these forms complicated on purpose, you see, to put people off making a claim in the first place.   

"Are you sure this company's kosher?"

“Are you sure that this company is kosher?   That the policy covers accidental damage?”

"I've phoned them again this morning"

He is becoming tired of her interference;  “I’ve phoned them again this morning and they’ve sent a new reference number.”   She recalls that she has been through this herself with the explosion.   

"You didn't mention the fault with the oven"

“Yeah – and you almost got your fingers burnt for not mentioning the fault with the oven,” he reminds her.

A notification appears

Suddenly, a notification pops up at the bottom of the screen that today is Cheryl Thomas’s birthday, which seems to disturb Mark.

"Do you want me to tidy in here?"

Dani comes in, wearing her cleaning gear, advising that she has finished downstairs and asking whether they want her to tidy up in the flat, 

"No – Mark will do it"

but Kath does not think that is necessary, as Mark will do it now.

Dani does not think that Gwern is settling very well;  

"It must be hard from him"

Mark can understand that it must be hard for him, living there again and having to sleep in Seren’s old room.

"We can all have dinner downstairs"

Kath suggests that they can all have dinner downstairs tonight, then Dani raises her other problem;  that they have lost JJ Giraffe, Gabs’ cuddly toy which helps him sleep.   

"I'll go and look now"

Kath will look around now.

When she leaves the room, Dani can see that Mark is far from all right;  

"I'm almost losing the plot, Dan"

“What with this insurance from and Mam fussing, I’m almost losing the plot,” he sighs.   

"Why don't we disappear for a cup of tea?"

She suggests that they could disappear for a cup of tea and Mark is all in favour of that.

"To pay for your next fix?"

Cai continues looking round Liv’s home;  “Is this what you’ve been spending the money I gave you on?” he demands, “To pay for your next fix?”

Liv vehemently denies that

She angrily replies that she used it to pay for a taxi to the food bank and to top up the electricity card to keep the bedroom warm for Tyler.   

"You expect me to believe that?"

“And you expect me to believe that?   I understand the temptation to look for an escape – 

"When your head is all over the place"

“especially when your head is all over the place.”

She shows her arm

She pulls up her sleeve to show her arm;  

"There are no new marks on me!"

“There are no new marks on me – but plenty of old marks to remind me of how much of a failure I’ve been.   Ty is the reason I want to stay clean this time – I hate this place – and Bobby!   The fact that he is using and dealing makes me sick!   But this place is safer than the street.”

"He was happy at Y Felin"

“But you’re willing to allow Bobby to use drugs around Tyler!” exclaims Cai, “He was safe in Y Felin – he was happy,”

"But I wasn't – and I'm his mother!"

“But I wasn’t – and I’m his mother!” she shouts.

"You've dragged him to a drug den . . ."

Cai points out that she has dragged her child from a safe home, full of love, to live in a drug den;  

". . . what kind of mother does such a thing?"

“What kind of mother does such a thing?”   

Liv is speechless

Liv is speechless.

"I'm sure Mr Monk will be happy . . .'

At Brynawelon, Eleri is on the phone;  “I’m sure Mr Monk will be very happy with the new living arrangements – no, there’s nothing else.   

". . . thank you for being so helpful"

“Thank you for being so helpful,” she says, putting down the phone.   She drinks the last of her skinny soy latte and drops the cup in the waste basket.

"It's hard being back at the Deri"

Dani and Mark sit on the bench by the pharmacy;  Dani is also finding it hard being back at the Deri, but was too preoccupied by her own feelings to realise how it was affecting Gwern.   

"Shall I swap rooms with him?"

Mark is willing to swap rooms with him if that will help, but Dani insists that it is not fair on his mother and Cassie.   

"Having Garry back is really tough on him"

“Having Garry back around the place is really tough for him.”

"Why don't you go to Tenerife?"

Mark’s suggestion is, “Look, if you want to get away from Cwmderi, Dad’s been hassling me to go out to Tenerife – why don’t you go instead of me?   You, Gwern and Gabs?   Dad would give you a hell of a welcome!”

"I've been in Spain more than Cwmderi"

Dani maintains that she has been in Spain more than Cwmderi this past year.   

"You could work behind the bar"

Mark says that does not matter – she could work behind the bar and do a couple of cleaning shifts for his mates, but she concludes that she cannot, as she has responsibilities at home.   “Gabs is supposed to be in school – I can’t just swan off.”

"I can't stop thinking about Cher"

Mark groans, “Seriously, Dan, life’s too short – it’s Cheryl’s birthday today and I can’t stop thinking about her.”   

"I don't know what kind of funeral"

She wonders if he has thought any more about the funeral and he is adamant he is  going to do it, but is just not sure what sort of funeral to arrange.

"I'm sure you'll make an amazing job of it"

She is sure that whatever he decides to do, he will make an amazing job of it.   

JJ Giraffe has been found

Then his mother happens to be passing, holding in her hand, the errant soft toy.   “Thank you – you’re a lifesaver!” says Dani, 

"Put it straight into the wash"

as Kath explains that it was on the landing under Mark’s dirty clothes, so she advises that Dani put it straight in the wash.

"Think about Spain, Dan"

Before Dani leaves, Mark urges her to think about Spain.

Garry wants to talk to Gwern 

Down by Tomos ac Ellis, Gwern encounter his father, who wants to talk to him;  

"We ned you to find us somewhere to stay"

“No, I don’t want any small talk – we need you to find us somewhere to stay – me, Dani and Gabs!” Gwern demands, as Dani watches from across the road.   “Somewhere decent until we can move back into Maes-y-Deri.”

"Things are difficult at the moment"

Garry answers, “I’m obviously going to help, but things are difficult at the moment – I need to find somewhere else to live myself.”

This makes no impression of all on Gwern, who continues, belligerently, “After everything we’ve been through, 

"I ask you for one favour . . ."

“I ask you for one favour and you can’t . . .”   He storms off, leaving Garry very shocked, 

Dani is thinking

but Dani, clutching the giraffe, is deep in thought.

"Perhaps you've come here full of good intentions . . ."

Liv tells Cai, “Perhaps you’ve come here full of good intentions, 

". . . but you've reminded me I don't deserve to be a mother"

“but all you’ve done is remind me of how much of a mess I’ve made in my life – that I don’t deserve to be a mother.”

"You can say goodbye to any future with Ty"

He maintains that he does not think that for one moment, “But once Social Services see the state of this place, you can say goodbye to any future with Ty.”   

"If I can't convince you . . ."

She wants to give him a good life, “But if I can’t convince Cai that I deserve to look after him, I have no hope of convincing the Social.   I just want the chance to be the parent I know I can be,” she pleads, 

"Why does everyone stop me from being a mother?"

“Why does everyone go out of their way to stop me being a mother?”

"I'll find somewhere safe"

Cai comes to the conclusion, “Come with me, then – you and Tyler – I’ll find somewhere safe – and far away from here.   

"You have to – for Tyler's sake!"

“If you mean what you said, you have to for Tyler’s sake!”   

"I'll go and get him now"

She is presented with an escape route and she agrees to take it;  she will go and get Tyler now, 

Someone is coming . . .

but she realises that someone is coming.

. . . so Cai hides

Cai quickly hides behind a curtain as the door bursts open and Bobby arrives.   

"How did it go in town?"

Liv asks how it went in town and he replies that he has to go and pick up from Benji;  

"I need you to cover"

“I need you to cover in case anyone wants to buy – the stuff’s in the cupboard.”

"Are you going out?"

It is obvious that she is going out, so she explains that she will only be half an hour, 

"Tyler can have some fresh air"

taking Tyler to get some fresh air and then he will sleep.   

"Don't go far, then"

He threateningly warns her not to go far, and if she sees Shell, 

"Tell Shell to come over tonight"

to tell her to come over tonight.   

Cai comes out

When he has gone, Cai re-emerges from behind the curtain.

"That's great – thanks, mate"

Garry is speaking on the phone;  “That’s great – and they can move in straight away?   Thanks, mate.”

"Sounds as if you've found a flat"

Eleri comes out of her office, remarking, “It sounds as if you’ve found a flat.”   

"Yes – but not for me"

He agrees that he has, but not for him;  it is a long story and he is still looking, although he may have to lodge with her for a little while longer.

"But not in Cysgod y Glyn"

“Of course, but not in Cysgod y Glyn,” she says, “I’ve found somewhere for you just outside the village – and I had a chat with the Probation Service earlier.   They said a change of address won’t affect your conditions.”

"Where, then?"

He enquires where exactly she has in mind and she invites him to come with her.   

Eleri leads him through the lounge . . .

She leads him to a rather small and basic room, 

. . . to a less than palatial room

advising that he can live there – until someone else needs it.

"A home for geriatrics?"

He is not exactly impressed;  “A home for geriatrics?” he rages, so she tells him not to be ageist, 

"And you don't have to fork out £1,000 a week"

maintaining that a lot of people would give their right arm to live there – and he does not have to fork out over £1,000 a week, which she regards as a win-win situation.

"Your'e joking – aren't you?"

His description is, “Ridiculous!   You’re joking, aren’t you?” 

"I'm not laughing, Garry"

but she makes it very clear that she is not laughing.   She reminds him that as he owns the place, his probation officer is happy with the arrangement.   

"Someone will clean the bathroom"

His clothes will be washed and ironed and someone will clean the bathroom after him regularly, which she regards as every single man’s dream.

"Off you go to pack"

“Well, off you go to pack,” she instructs him.

"He will have gone straight to the bookies"

Liv walks downstairs with the baby in her arms;  she is confident that Bobby will not be around, but will have gone straight to the bookies to throw her money away.

"You have to cut all ties with this Bobby"

Cai corrects her that it is Tyler’s money;  “If you really want my help, you have to cut all ties with this Bobby – you deserve better than his type.   I’ll put you in a hotel tonight and then we’ll see.”

"I'll phone Dani back later"

"As he receives a phone call, Liv is anxious about who it is;  he explains that it is Dani and he will phone her back later, but now they had better go.   

Liv leaves for freedom

He checks outside to make sure the coast is clear and they leave the house.

Gabriel is back from school

Gabriel has been collected from school by his mother and Gwern;  Dani guesses that they did jigsaws today.   

'I think I've found a flat for you . . ."

Garry comes across the road advising that he had made a few phone calls and thinks that he has found a flat for them.

". . . it's in Cwrtmynach"

“It’s not very big, it’s in Cwrtmynach,” he begins, but Danny cuts him off.

"We're going to stay in Tenerife"

“We don’t need it now!”   Garry is surprised that they have found somewhere.   Dani tells him that Mark has arranged for them to go and stay in Tenerife with Dyff.

"Sounds pretty good to me!"

Just then, Mark and his mother join them, as Gwern laughs that the idea sounds good to him;  Dyff has offered Gwern work in the bar and they can stay until Maes-y-Deri is inhabitable again.   They hurry off to pack, as they are going tomorrow.

Kath was not expecting that 

This all comes as news to Kath and Mark tells her that Dyff asked about her;  

"Can I look at that insurance form?"

she wants to take a look at that insurance form before he sends it, but he has already submitted the first half of the claim.

"Mam I am old enough!"

“Mam, I am old enough to do things without you, all right?   You can take a look at the contents form before I send that off if you want.   Listen, I’ve been thinking as well, if the claim is successful, 

"I'd like to use some of the money for Cheryls funeral"

“I’d like to use some of the money for Cheryl’s funeral.”

"We shall need a huge payout!"

She thinks that is a lovely idea but stresses that he will need a huge payout to cover everything, 

Mark is concerned

which rather dampens his enthusiasm.

Garry sits in his new accommodation

Garry sits down in his new accommodation with his one bag of belongings;  

He has some nostalgic photos

he takes from it a photo frame containing two photographs of himself and Gwern.

A message arrives on his phone

He has a message on his phone which chillingly advises him, 

He is told he needs a biopsy . . .

‘Contact the surgery immediately to arrange a biopsy consultation’.   

. . . which is very unsettling

He finds this rather frightening.