Cwmderi Diary 2016: 27 September 2016

Tyler fears Iolo has done a runner

Dani meets Tyler as he emerges from number 7 and tells her, “I don’t know where Iolo is, and he won’t answer his phone. He said last night that he is not going to court – his head is all over the place!” Dani fears that he will be arrested if he does not turn up.

Champagne and smoked salmon

At Bryntirion a champagne breakfast has been prepared,

A welcome for Diane

and a banner proclaims, ‘Welcome home, Mam’.

Jason speaks to the foetus

Jason addresses the unborn child; “The reason for celebrating is you!”

Dai tells them, “Diane adores Hannah, Emma’s daughter, but a grandchild on the doorstep will be the icing on the cake!”

"What have I got to celebrate?"

DJ comes downstairs looking very downcast, and demands what he has to celebrate. Dai reminds him, “Diane’s coming home – we’ll have proper dinners from now on!”

"She's here!"

When she does arrive, Diane is very grumpy,

"All I want is a cup of tea!"

and all she wants is a cup of tea; she completely ignores the banner. Meanwhile, DJ quietly slips out of the back door.

"Aren't you supposed to be in court?"

Iolo has gone to see his father at Y Felin, where Siôn says, “I went into the village to remind myself of all the things I don’t miss – I’m much happier here. Aren’t you supposed to be in court?”

"I'm not going!"

Iolo replies that he is not going, as he cannot be responsible for putting Meleri in jail. Siôn points out that she will go there whatever he does, but Iolo reckons that his conscience will be clear.

"What exactly was wrong with the cruise?"

Dai enquires what was wrong with her top of the range, all-inclusive cruise; Diane grumbles,

"The honeymoon couple in the next cabin!"

“Glenys and I had the noisiest cabin on the ship, right next to a honeymoon couple! They didn’t want much sleep – and didn’t think that Glenys and I wanted much either! I’d be less tired if I spent two weeks in a workhouse! I just want some peace.”

"We have an announcement . . ."

When Jason tells her he has an important announcement to make, she decides that she is going for a bath, and heads upstairs.

"She knows how to put a damper on things!"

“She knows how to put a dampener on things!” moans Sara.

Mark makes a delivery

Mark delivers post to Penrhewl, where Cadno is still irritated about the writing in the field. She offers him a cup of tea,

"Who puts an empty bottle back in the fridge?"

but then cries, “Aargh! Eifion finished the milk for his breakfast – and put the empty bottle back in the fridge!”

"And who you want to do it with"

Mark tries to calm her; “You’ve had a nasty accident, that will put you back for months. You have to be positive, and think about what you want to do with your life – and who you want to do it with you.”

Siôn reasons with his son

“I accept you have your reasons for not going to court, but are you strong enough to deal with the consequences?” asks Siôn.

"This about Meleri!"

Iolo replies that this is not about him, but Meleri, and what life will be like for her in jail. “You’re not doing your friend a favour, helping her to avoid punishment,” Siôn tells him, “Everyone should be punished!”

Siôn goes on about punishment again

Iolo has heard this before, but Siôn continues, “Not because the law demands it, but so the offender can start again – if I avoided punishment, I’d feel like a coward for ever.”

"Who are you to give me advice?"

“But you haven’t dealt with things – look at you, hiding here!” snarls Iolo, “Who are you to give me advice?” Siôn answers that he listened to Iolo and went to his sentencing hearing, and now Iolo is arguing against that.

"You'd be more of a friend if you went to court"

Iolo explains, “I’m scared that Mel will think I’ve turned my back on her – she trusts me!” insists Iolo, but Siôn maintains he would be more of a friend if he went to court and helped her deal with her past.

"Sorry, she's at the Cash and Carry"

Mark delivers to the café and is told by Gwen that Debbie is at the Cash and Carry. Then he sees DJ,

"Don't sit there, feeling sorry for yourself"

and advises that he should not just sit there, feeling sorry for himself. “You showed Cadno what she means to you – don’t be ashamed of that,” says Mark,

"Go for it!"

“If you want something, go for it! Don’t spend the rest of your life regretting it.”

£2 for four pints of semi-skimmed?

Mark returns to the counter and buys a four-pinter of milk from Gwen; he puts it on the table in front of DJ,

"Take that to Penrhewl!"

instructing him, “Take that to Penrhewl – don’t ask why, just take it to Cadno and I’m sure you’ll be welcome!” Mark leaves the café with a smile.

The court is in session

In the courtroom, Tyler wants to leave, but is prevented by Dani; the judge announces, “Meleri Dafydd, please stand.

"You are charged with causing grievous bodily harm"

“You are charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Iolo White. How do you plead?”

"Not guilty!"

Meleri clearly states that she is not guilty.

The prosecution case begins

The prosecution opens the case; “This is not a complex case – it is our intention to prove that Miss Dafydd is guilty of a vicious and homophobic attack. I’d like to call the only witness brave enough to come forward, Mr Iolo White.”

The jury look at each other

His name is called, but he is nowhere to be found; the jury look at each other. Tyler intends to tell the court that Iolo is unwell,

"No, you're not going to lie in court!"

but again Dani stops him, and at that moment, the door opens, and Iolo walks in,

Iolo looks at Meleri

pausing to look at Mel on his way to the witness box.

Iolo takes the oath

He reads the oath.

"I can't keep this secret much longer"

After discussion about whether to forget the whole thing, and with Jason protesting that he cannot keep this secret any longer, Diane comes back downstairs.

"Look, Mam, sit down for a minute!"

Jason urges her to sit down for a minute,

Jason reveals the hidden part . . .

but not until he reveals the end part of the banner does she get the message.

. . . which comes as a surprise

“Really? That’s fantastic news!” she enthuses,

It is hugs all round

and hugs both Jason and Sara.

"I've got Jason's first babygro!"

“I’ve got Jason’s first babygro up in the attic,” she says and tears upstairs again.

"I prefer her when she's moody!"

“I prefer her when she’s moody,” is Sara’s verdict.

Iolo gives evidence

Iolo tells the court what happened when he was attacked, confirming that there were more than two of them. He is asked if he done anything to anger them. The barrister summarises,

"They attacked you for no reason"

“They attacked you for no reason, causing you serious injuries – a fractured eye socket, and a rib injury. This was a vicious attack, and you must have been in pain for a long time.”

After sitting glumly in the dock,

"Can I have a word with my lawyer?"

Meleri suddenly stands and asks if she may have a word with her lawyer.

"That's perfect timing!"

DJ arrives at Penrhewl with the milk and is greeted with, “That’s perfect timing!” He assures Cadno that he will remove the writing from the field, as Eifion told him that she was furious at the organic status of the farm being jeopardised.

"Don't believe anything Eifion says!"

“Don’t believe anything Eifion says!” is her retort.

"I know it's not been easy for you"

She admits that she may have overreacted, but that things have not been easy for him either, with the news about his father and the accident. She smiles and gives him a cup of tea.

"I want to change my plea"

Meleri consults her lawyer, wishing to change her plea;

"My client wishes to plead guilty"

she confirms this to the judge,

Meleri apologises to Iolo and the court

adding, “I want to apologise to Mr Iolo White and to the court for wasting time.”

"Why did you leave without talking to me?"

“Why did you leave without talking to me?” asks Cadno, and DJ replies that he did not want to wake her. “Most of what Eifion has been saying is lies!” she stresses,

"I'm not very good with expressing my feelings"

and he explains that he thought she would hate him, hence the move to the other side of the world. He is not very good with expressing his feelings – that is why he wrote the message in the field.

"You have been charged with attacking an innocent person"

The judge tells Meleri, “You have been charged with attacking an innocent person in a vicious and horrific way. You could have a long-term effect on the victim’s life. Although you have showed some remorse, I’m sure this will weigh heavily on your conscience for ever.

Meleri hears the judge's verdict

“I sentence you to three years in prison. Case closed.”

Dani tells Tyler that this is the best outcome, so that Iolo can forget about her, but he doubts whether that will happen.

"I'm sorry to put you through this. . . "

As Meleri is led away, she tells Iolo, “I’m sorry to put you through this. Thank you for helping me to deal with things,”

". . . Tyler was right!"

but then she adds, “Tyler was right – you should have listened to him!”

Iolo is glad Tyler stuck with him

Iolo is grateful to Tyler for sticking with him through this.

"I missed you so much!"

DJ tells Cadno, “My mate Bulb thought I was mad, going back home, but I was useless there, and I missed you so much! At least, now I have told you how I feel.”

"When you went I was completely lost"

“You know I don’t like making a show in public,” Cadno replies, “Especially at the Royal Welsh! I questioned how sincere you were. When you went to New Zealand I was completely lost.