21 September 2016

"Have you got time to come over?"

Mark is dressed in a smart suit as he phones Dai;  “Have you got time to come over?   I’d like to talk about something in private.”

"No, there's too much sugar in it!"

In the café, Hywel suggests that Esther could have some cake;  “No – there’s too much sugar in that!” replies Sheryl, “I don’t want to give Gethin another reason to stop us adopting her!”   

"Social Services won't take any notice of him"

Hywel consoles her that the Social Services will take no notice of what that toerag says, but she frets, “It’s so hurtful, someone thinking we’re not good parents.   I thought Gethin was a friend.   I feel like I’m on trial here.”

Sheryl wants to go home

Hywel has the idea she could take Esther swimming, but all Sheryl wants to do is go home.   

"Don't forget the festival meeting"

Megan comes in and reminds them that there is a festival committee meeting tomorrow.   When Gethin arrives, Sheryl is in a hurry to leave.

Gethin tries to explain

“About this letter – I didn’t write it!” he says, but Hywel points out he admitted it last week.   “I can explain,” Gethin begins, but Sheryl assures him that his letter explains enough for her, and warns him to keep out of her way.

Megan is very voluble . . .

When Gethin joins Megan by the counter, she grumbles, “I can’t understand why those two are allowed to adopt – the rules can’t be as strict as they used to be, obviously.   They’ve given her a baby, even though her son does not live in the same country as her – and there’s not enough hours in the day to list all Hywel Llywelyn’s faults.   Those two have a far more chequered past than the rest of us – and the authorities have chosen to dismiss that!”   

. . . and Gethin's suspicions are roused

During this diatribe, Gethin seems to have reached a conclusion.

"What is it – court or a funeral?"

Dai arrives at Maes-y-Deri and asks if Mark is going to court or to a funeral.   “I’ve been to see a solicitor,” Mark replies, 

"I'm suing APD!"

“There’s no easy way to say this – I’m suing APD!”   Dai laughs and demands what is the cause.   “You put so much pressure on me that it made me ill!” answers Mark.  

Dai points out that he was ill before all this work was done;  “I gave you more time to pay,” he says, 

"Were you expecting ti to be free?"

“When we agreed to do the job a while ago, were you expecting it to be free of charge?”   Mark maintains that whatever way you look at it, APD made him more ill; Dai challenges him, “Prove it!”   

“The solicitor told me I have a strong case, and could get . . .” 

Dai clutches his chest . . .

but Mark is interrupted by Dai clutching his chest and staggering to a chair.   

. . . and subsides into a chair

He explains he is prone to attacks when he becomes stressed.

"Garry's been meeting Gaynor"

At Cysgod y Glyn, Gethin tells Ffion that Garry had the day off for a meeting with Gaynor;  he adds that Garry seems to have been obsessed with education lately.   Ffion suspects that they are planning something, but Gethin considers that a dodgy businessman would do nothing to boost Gaynor’s image.

"Hywel is kicking us out!"

Then Ffion opens a letter, and is shocked to find that Hywel has given them a month’s notice to quit.   “He’s kicking us out of the flat!   

Gethin takes the blame

“Why did you have to take the blame for the letter?   I’ll phone him!”

"I don't want to make you ill!"

Mark is anxious about Dai’s condition;  “I don’t want to make you ill!” he says.

"In case I sue you?"

“Don’t you?” is Dai’s response, “In case I sue you?   But I’m not that kind of person, I’m a man of principle.   

"This could be the end of APD!"

“I don’t think you realise the damage this could cause – it could be the end of APD.”   

"The insurance would pay out"

Mark argues that the insurance would pay out and it would be a win-win situation.

“Can’t you see the damage it would do to the good name of APD?” Dai continues, “I was looking forward to my retirement, when I could give Diane the lifestyle she deserves – it could disappear, just like that!   Diane has been like a mother to you since Kath left – she bought you and Ricky that holiday, and this is how you repay her.   

"Is this how you repay Diane?"

“She doesn’t deserve that!”   He storms out.

Gwern asks if he can have a packet of crisps, but Garry says he can only have an apple.   

"Gwern has problems with spelling"

Gaynor arrives, and Garry tells her he has been through Gwern’s books, which reveals he is having problems with spelling, and the school has not notified him.   Gaynor thought she was there to discuss the school governing body.

"C-W-M . . ."

He calls Gwern over and asks him to spell Cwmderi;  “C-W-M,” says Gwern, 

"You shouldn't put him on the spot like that"

when Gaynor calls a halt, insisting that putting him on the spot will not help with his self-confidence;  he needs encouragement, not testing.

Garry is determined and asks a mathematical question;  “What is five and two?” 

"Seven!"

to which Gwern promptly gives the correct answer.   Gaynor is sure that he would rather go and play.   

"Support is all-important"

She stresses to Garry that support is all-important at his age, in every aspect of his life.   “Sport, singing, acting, dancing – whatever he enjoys.   

"Are you going to make a cup of tea?"

Are you going to make a cup of tea, so we can discuss the governors?”

They await Hywel

Ffion and Gethin are waiting for Hywel;  when he arrives, 

"You should have thought before you did it!"

he says that Gethin should have thought before doing what he did.   

"I was trying to defend someone"

Gethin insists, “It wasn’t me – I was trying to defend the person I thought it was – and I was wrong anyway!”

"He was defending me!"

Ffion admits that it was her who Gethin was protecting, and Hywel demands, “How many lies will you tell to keep a roof over your heads?   If it wasn’t you, who was it?”

Gethin admits that he thinks he knows;  “Megan!” 

"Are there no depths to which you won't sink?"

but this is ridiculed by both Hywel and Ffion.   Hywel’s attitude to Ffion softens, but he wants Gethin out of the flat.

"That's a lot of power"

When Gaynor outlines the functions of the governors, Garry considers that it gives them a lot of power, adding, “If it’s a way to support Gwern, I want to be part of it.   But why me?   I’m not the ideal candidate for the school’s image, am I?”

Gaynor reveals her ulterior motive

She replies that they make a good team and can help each other;  “I assume I would have your support if I decide to apply to be head teacher?   

"I can't foresee any problems"

“You just have to be elected, but I cannot foresee any problems.”

Garry asks if she managed to sort out Eifion, and she dismissively confirms, “Eifion?   I fry bigger fish than him for breakfast!”

Sheryl is harping on and on

In the Deri, Sheryl is still going on, “I can’t believe he has the nerve to deny it, but Gethin has always found it easy to tell lies!”  

"I feel sorry for Ffion"

Hywel admits he is sorry for Ffion, who has fallen for those lies.   Megan is in the background, ostensibly reading the Western Post.

Hywel notices her, and tells Sheryl, “Gethin went as far as to accuse Megan – anything to save his own skin!”   

"You should throw him out today!"

Sheryl insists that Gethin needs to be taught a lesson, and demands that Hywel evict him today.

"I don't want to sue you"

Mark arrives at Bryntirion, predicting, “You’ll want to hear this – I don’t want to sue you – I was only doing it because I can’t afford to pay you.”   Dai accused him of going through this rigmarole to save a few pence.

Mark tells him about the kidney

Mark explains, “The doctor told me that the kidney, the one I had from Stacey, won’t last much longer, and I could be on the list for another one for months, even years.   

"I might never be fit for work again"

“I might never be fit for work again – and I can’t carry on with that debt hanging over my head!”

"But you were prepared to see me lose everything!"

Dai is not sympathetic;  “But you were prepared to see me lose money, my business and good name.   How did you think it was going to work out?”   

"I hoped you would cancel the debt"

Mark admits he hoped that Dai would panic and cancel the debt – and stresses that he is desperate.   He has so many people relying on him, and does not want to let them down.

“I know you’ve got family as well, but you’ve got money too,” wails Mark, “I only want my children to have what others have.   Vicky is doing her best, but Debbie and I cover most of the bills.   I’m determined to get Ricky through college, but how can I afford it?   I know it’s my fault – I promise the world without knowing how to pay.”

Dai appreciates he is in an awkward position

Dai commiserates that is what good fathers do – they try, but do not always succeed.   “Look at you – you live in a house full of people, none of them blood relatives, except Ricky, and you’re father to them all.   

"I can give you more time to pay"

“No-one does more than you.   I can’t forget the debt, but what I will do is give you more time to pay.   

"Whatever you can afford – and no pressure"

“Pay £50, £20, £5 a week – whatever you can afford, and there will be no pressure from me.   But don’t tell anyone, or they’ll think I’ve lost my marbles – going soft in my old age!”

"You've got my support"

Garry assures Gwern that he is happy to support him in whatever he wants to do – football, rugby, dancing.   

"I don't like dancing!"

Gwern replies, “I don’t like dancing!”   Garry confirms that if he did, they would go to every dance competition in the country, 

"No way!"

but Gwern tells him, “No way!”

Megan waits for her order

Megan waits for her order in the chip shop, and Gethin joins her.   

"It had racist elements"

“Have you heard about the trouble Hywel and Sheryl are having?” he enquires, “An anonymous letter – I’m not sure what it said, but it had racist elements.”

"No – they must have misread it"

Megan is convinced they must have misread it.   “Between you and me,” Gethin goes on, “They are going to the police about it tomorrow – they don’t know what the person will do next.”

"Once they get the DNA from the letter"

As Megan looks increasingly concerned, he tells her, “Once they get DNA from the letter, they’ll know exactly who it was.”

Megan has landed herself in rather a mess

A voice from behind the counter enquires, “Salt and vinegar, Megan?” and she looks very worried.