Cwmderi Diary 2016: 15 February 2016

"Tough, I'm skint!"

Early in the morning there is a banging on the door at Maes-y-Deri; when Vicky opens it, two men burst in and demand that Dolores Collins gives them the £600 that she owes. “Tough,” Dol tells them, I’m skint!”

They look for anything worth some money

but they start gathering together any items of value they can find. When she shouts, “Johnno Thomas, get out!” he simply smiles.

A letter from school

Debbie finds a letter from the school which states that Gaynor wants to see her about Ricky’s school work, as he is falling behind.

"Why bother with exams?"

His attitude is, “Why bother with exams when Dad is in prison?” and he tells his mother, “Don’t lecture me – and answer your phone!”

"Get over to Maes-y-Deri – now!"

The call is from Vicky, who tells Debbie to get over to Maes-y-Deri fast.

"Gwynwth's two hours late!"

Sara complains to Jason that Gwyneth is two hours late for work,

"Oh – she's got the week off"

and this is when Jason tells her that Gwyneth is taking the week off. “We’re up to our eyes in work! We can’t run a business without any staff!’ she exclaims,

This sets Sara off

“I’m meeting the accountant this afternoon, and haven’t started on the book-keeping yet – and you have deliveries to do. There are four orders needing posting this morning!”

Vicky is puzzled; “These are not the men who were here last time,” she says,

"They're loan sharks"

and Dol explains that she needs multiple incomes. Debbie arrives to be told that they are loan sharks, and is afraid they will take all Mark’s stuff.

I'll call the police!"

Dol threatens to call the police, but one of the heavies tells her, “We’ll be long gone by the time they get here!” She assures them that they will get the money, but just not today, and he replies, “I’ve heard that three weeks on the trot, and the next thing I hear is that you’ve run away from Ponty! You should never cross me!”

"There is a way – pay up!"

When Debbie pleads that they must be a way to sort this out, he tells her, “There is – pay up!”

"Dai deserves a holiday"

Diane is telling Gaynor in the shop that Dai has worked so hard on the Deri that she is taking him for a holiday in Spain. Then she has a text from Jason, saying that he and Sara are arguing again; “That’s all they do!” she says, exasperated.

"Why don't you both go for a meal?"

When she has gone, Gaynor tells Iolo that she will be stuck alone at home; Iolo likens this to his Dad’s position and suggests they both go for a meal. She replies that he cancelled last time; “That’s a good reason to reschedule,” he maintains.

"Why don't you come to lunch?"

Very fortuitously, Siôn is the next customer to enter, and Gaynor invites him to lunch; “Do you like tapas?” she asks, and Iolo assures her that of course he does.

"Right – that's all the weekend takings!

Outside the café, Debbie hands over all the weekend takings to the loan sharks, and they tell her it is nice doing business with her. As they drive away, she describes them as ‘scum’.

"They've slung me out!"

She asks Dol why she goes to loan sharks, and is shocked by the answer, “To pay the rent, and they’ve slung me out for missing payments!”

"You'll be out once Mark comes back"

“So that’s why you came back – you’re homeless!” growls Debbie, “And you’ll be out of Maes-y-Deri once Mark comes back!”

"That's not going to be for a long time"

“But that’s not going to be for a long time,” responds Dol, then she sees Sam by the cashpoint, and hurries to see him.

"She should wash her hands of him"

They go for a drink in the Deri, where Dol tells him, “I know he’s Ricky’s father, but she should wash her hands of him – they’re as thick as thieves!”

"She packed her bags and off she went"

Sam agrees that Colin and Gaynor as as bad; “When a couple break up, you’d think they would want to stay apart – Yvonne did that, and she used to be married to Gwyneth – she packed her bags and off she went, exactly what I’d do.”

“That’s unusual – having two gay kids,” comments Dol, but Sam tells her that Colin is not, as he has two daughters.

"He has seven daughters – and he's into men now!"

Dol however argues, “I’ve got a cousin who has seven daughters from seven different women – and he’s into men now! Colin has been living with a gay man for years.”

"What if the solicitor can't get Mark out!"

Debbie is in a pessimistic mood; “What if the solicitor can’t get Mark out?” Vicky reminds her that they know he is innocent, but Debbie does not know how she can help, and Dol’s hassles do not help. “And now Ricky is falling behind at school, and thinks I am lecturing him. Can you have a word with him?”

"I doubt that he'll listen to me"

Vicky doubts whether she can persuade him, as she only has four GCSEs.

At Llwyncelyn, Siôn remarks that Gaynor has gone to a lot of trouble, and then Sam comes in, commenting,

I've been to Parma!"

“Ah, Parma ham – I’ve been to Parma – I had a wild night there with some women from Pisa!” As Siôn answers a call from Catrin,

"This is a meal for TWO!"

Gaynor warns Sam that this is a meal for two, and he is not welcome.

"Is Colin gay?"

“I’ve got a question,” he begins, “Is Colin gay? He does live with Iolo.” Gaynor suspects that might not be the easiest confession to make to an ex-wife,

"You'd better ask him that!"

and suggests that he go and ask Colin himself. This has the desired effect, and he leaves her and Siôn alone.

"I'll help with the accounts"

Diane arrives at Awyr Iach, announcing that she will help Sara with the accounts; “And I can do the book-keeping on a regular basis, to make it less stressful for her.”

"That would be great, Mam!"

Jason is very grateful for her help.

Sara, however, has other ideas

However, when Sara hears of this suggestion, she is absolutely livid; “You must be joking! I don’t want her poking her nose into the business – she fusses like a mother hen! I wouldn’t let her near the accounts if my life depended on it! Thanks, but no thanks!”

Diane is shocked at this tirade

Diane is furious at this outburst and storms out of Awyr Iach.

Iolo's newly-ironed shirt

Iolo is ironing his shirt when Sam calls, looking for Colin, who is away in Cardiff with Lois. “I’ll come with you to the Deri,” says Sam,

"It's time we got to know each other"

“I think it is time we got to know each other.” This puzzles Iolo.

Gaynor moans on about Sam

Gaynor is complaining at length about Sam; “I’m fed up with his stories – not everyone is fascinated by the Pacific and Atlantic! Why can’t he talk about interesting things like books, plays and films?”

Siôn tells her that he watched ‘The Artist’ last night,

"Or you could cook for me"

and she suggests he comes over one evening for a bite and a DVD. “Or you could cook for me,” she says;

A rather lukewarm reception from Siôn

Siôn does not appear very keen.

"Where's this laptop, then?"

Ricky has been told that there is something wrong with the laptop, so he arrives at Maes-y-Deri only for Vicky to start talking about school.

"That's why Mam sent me here!"

“That’s why Mam sent me here – I’m off!” he exclaims, but Vicky urges him to stay. “Don’t you give me a lecture!” he says, and is more concerned about getting his father out of prison than with GCSEs.

"Don't let him down!"

“Mark is proud of Stacey doing so well, so don’t let him down – give him something to look forward to,” she implores Ricky,

'Oh, all right, then"

and he finally agrees to do some more studying.

"Do you get on well with Colin?"

Sam asks if Iolo gets on well with Colin,

"He has a big heart"

and is told that, despite Colin leaving his dirty socks under the sofa, Iolo could not do without him; “He has a big heart!”

In answer to Sam’s query about them needing another lodger, now that Gethin has moved out, Iolo tells him,

"We don't want a cuckoo in the nest"

“Colin and I are happy – we don’t want a cuckoo in the nest.”

Sara struts into the Deri

Sara comes into the Deri and reports that she managed to complete all the paperwork for the accountant.

"You really hurt Mam!"

Jason protests that she really hurt his Mam, and that she was only trying to help, but Sara reiterates that she does not want Diane in Awyr Iach.

“That’s no excuse to be nasty!” replies Jason, and urges her to apologise to his mother.

Sara makes a sort of apology

Eventually she does apologise to Diane, who is sitting nearby, but she is not placated.

Sara offers Diane a meal before she leaves for Spain,

"All right – but no tapas"

and Diane reluctantly accepts, though stipulating, “No tapas – we shall get plenty of that in Spain!”

"Macbeth is easy!"

Vicky encourages Ricky, “Macbeth is easy – it’s all witches and murders!” Debbie is surprised to see Dol arrive with four cans of Carling.

"Where did you get the money for that?

“Where did you get the money for that” she demands, but Dol tells her it is a gift from Sam.

"You never get anywhere without a bit of hard work!"

Seeing Ricky doing homework, Dol emphasises to him that he will never get anywhere without a bit of hard work. “What, like you?” Debbie snarls, “She’s homeless – lost her flat!”

Dol replies, “But I’m happy – I have my health and my family around me – well, most of you anyway.”