17 November 2016

Sara is given the news

Sara is on the phone;  “Right – I’ll confirm with the surgery today,” she says 

"Our baby has Downs Syndrome"

and then tells Jason, “Our baby has Downs Syndrome.”   

"Well, now we know"

“Right, there we are – we know now,” Jason replies blankly.

Siôn is relaxing . . .

Siôn lounges on the sofa, reading, when Gwyneth announces, 

. . . when Gwyneth begins her latest scheme

“I didn’t sleep much last night – I had a terrible dream and couldn’t get back to sleep.   I was in the village, and someone was following me in the darkness, but when I looked, no-one was there.   Then I came back here, and you weren’t here either!   

"It can happen when a person is stressed"

“I looked it up and it’s called an anxiety dream, which can happen when a person is worried or stressed.   

Surely you are not going to be taken in by this, Siôn

“You disappeared with Iolo without telling me – you do jobs for him behind my back – it’s up to you whether you do something about it.”

Sioned is still going on about Ed's 'unmanly' behaviour

Sioned is getting at Ed once more;  “I don’t understand you – crying at the graveside!”   

"She used to be like a daughter to me"

He tells her that the emotion was too much for him, as Courtney used to be like a daughter to him.   He stresses that he would never do anything to her.

She resolves to check up on him

“I want to make sure you don’t do anything behind my back!” she decides, “Let’s go to the office – every fare and every name is recorded on the computer.   

"You have nothing to hide, do you?"

“I want to check on the last few months – after all, you have nothing to hide, do you?”

"You look as if you've been hit by a hammer"

“You’re sitting there, looking as if you’ve been hit by a hammer,” Sara tells Jason, “You said you’d be able to move on after you got confirmation.”   

"It's scary but exciting"

Jason says that it is just hit him that he is going to be a father for the first time, and it is scary but exciting.

"We'll be there for each other"

He assures Sara, “We’ll be there for each other every step of the way – share the work, make decisions together.”   

"Now I've got to tell Diane!"

Sara does not relish the thought of telling his mother.

Siôn does some more manual work

Gwyneth begins working on Siôn;  “I don’t understand why you won’t go back to translation work – you’d be here, earning good wages – you’re a professional man, Siôn!”   

"I don't know what I am now"

He answers that he used to be that, but is not sure what he is now.   She continues to denigrate him;  

Success – the light comes on

“You’re too brainy to be running around with Iolo like Super Mario Brothers!”   Siôn warns her not to push it.

Jason and Sara visit Bryntirion 

Jason and Sara arrive at Bryntirion, and tell Dai and Diane, “We want to have a chat – there’s something we need to discuss.”   

"If it's to do with Jim – stop there!"

Dai interrupts to say that if it is anything to do with Jim, they should stop right there.

"You want your steamers?   Yes, OK"

Sara’s phone rings;  it is Gwyneth, wanting to collect the the steamers she left at the house.   

They give Dai and Diane the news . . .

Then they all sit down and Sara begins, “Our child is going to be a Downs Syndrome child!”   

. . . and they look somewhat dumbfounded

Dai and Diane exhibit shock, as Jason explains that they are to first to be told, and it has all been carefully considered.   

"We are happy with what lies ahead"

Sara says, “We are happy with what lies ahead,” and as Diane sits, open-mouthed, goes on, “All that matters to us is to be parents, and now it will be to a very special child.”

"We're happy too, aren't we, Diane?"

“It’s a bit of a shock, of course,” replies Dai, “But if you’re happy, we are too, aren’t we Diane?”   She remains silent.   

"They're treated like anyone else these days"

“Children suffering with Downs are treated like anyone else these days,” he continues, but 

"They're not 'suffering' from Downs"

Sara corrects him that they are not ‘suffering’ – it is a condition, not an illness.   “I’m not Cwmderi’s most PC person,” admits Dai, but we’ll soon get used to it.”

"Are you sure you want to keep the baby?"

Diane breaks her silence;  “Are you sure you want to keep the baby?   A lot of parents decide not to.”   

"We are certain this is what we want"

Jason assures her that he and Sara have considered the matter, and are certain that this is what they want.

"There, see, no mention of Courtney!"

At the Deri Deithio office, Sioned studies the computer screen, and Ed points out that Courtney has been nowhere near his taxi.   

"What's this?   Two people – at 2:00am?"

She notices something and asks, “What’s this?   Two people from Lower Wind Street to Pontyberem – at 2:00am?”

"One of them was Winston's daughter"

He explains he took a bloke to Swansea and dropped him off at Morgan’s, then saw the two girls and picked them up.   Sioned remind him they are not allowed to pick up at the roadside, but he tells her, “One of them was Winston’s daughter – the coach at Bont RFC.   I couldn’t refuse to give them a lift – she was drunk.”

"Two drunk girls with short skirts!"

“I bet you loved that – two drunk girls with short skirts in the back of your taxi!” accuses Sioned, “Other drivers could report you for taking fares without a Hackney licence!”

She demands that he phone Winstion to confirm this, 

"Hello Winston, this is Ed Charles"

but when he dials the number, 

"Did Ed bring a fare to your house?"

she seizes the phone and asks, “On the fifth, did Ed bring a fare to your house?   I just wanted to check the dates, that’s all.”   Handing back the phone, she remarks, “At least I know you’re telling the truth!   

"I'll take you to the Deri"

“As it’s all in order here, I’ll take you to the Deri – to show we’re still friends.”

"Remember that girl in the café at Llanarthur?"

Dai reminisces, “The girl who used to work at the café in Llanarthur – serving food, clearing tables – Heledd – remember her, Diane?   She was very popular, always smiling – but they’re happy people, aren’t they?”   

"She died last year, at thirty"

Diane informs him that she died last year, at the age of thirty.

Dai continues, “Then there’s that bloke who runs the line at Tremyrddin – he’s older than me, and there’s nothing wrong with him – except he supports the wrong team.”   

"Come on, Jason!"

Jason wants to change the subject, and Diane suggests that Sara could have her spare set of steamers, still in their packaging.   “I’ll take them over to the house now – Jason, come and open the house for me.”   

"I can understand if you're uncomfortable about it"

Sara says she can understand if Diane is uncomfortable about discussing the baby, but Diane ignores her, wanting to get out of the house.

"Do we really need those steamers?"

Siôn and Gwyneth are in the Deri when Sioned and Ed come in;  Siôn asks how the funeral went, 

"Then funeral was quiet, like Jim wanted"

and Sioned tells him, “Quietly, as Jim wanted.”

Gwyneth continues her charade

Gwyneth continues her plan, and regales them with the tale of her nightmare, which seemed so real.   

"It was probably all that cheese!"

Siôn laughs it off, blaming it on the block of Caws Cenarth (Cenarth Cheese, made near Newcastle Emlyn)  which they had for their dinner.

"I could do with one of those!"

As Dai pours himself a drink, Sara confesses that she is tempted, after Diane’s reaction.   He insists that she will be all right when she gets used to the idea;  

"She reacted the way a lot of people do"

“She reacted the way a lot of people do!"

Sara knows that bringing up this child will not be easy, but she is determined that they will be the best parents they can be.   

"You'll get help from us"

Dai assures her that they will get any necessary help from him and Diane.   

"If Diane is willing!"

Sara adds the caveat, “If Diane is willing!”

"I was so looking forward to being a grandmother again!"

As Diane delivers the steamers to number 9, she tells Jason, “I was so looking forward to being a grandmother again!   I’m only thinking of you and Sara – nobody chooses to bear a burden like this for the rest of your life.”   

"It won't be a burden, Mam"

Jason insists that it will not be a burden, and they have thought very seriously about it.

"This doesn't just affect you"

“This doesn’t just affect you – Dai and I will be a big part of this, and we’ll have to do a lot of the upbringing.”   Jason replies that Dai seems to be happy about it;  “I’m happy,” says Diane, “But I can’t help thinking it’s the wrong decision!”

"At least, you're happy with the taxi logs"

Back home at the café flat, Ed says that it is like old times, having a pint at lunchtime.   “At least, you’re happy with the taxi logs,” he remarks.

Sioned is determined to keep a closer eye on Ed

She instructs him, “In future, to stop me worrying, when you have a fare that takes you far away from Cwmderi, let me know who they are and where you’re heading.”   

"There's no point in objecting, is there?"

He agrees without protest.

As they reach the car . . .

Siôn and Gwyneth leave the Deri, and as they reach the car, parked nearby, 

. . . Gwyneth starts play-acting again

she looks along the street and starts breathing rapidly, as if with a panic attack.   Siôn is alarmed and promises to take her straight home, advising her to take deep breaths.   

"Don't leave me, Siôn!"

With an agonised look, she pleads, “Don’t leave me, Siôn – stay with me!”

Diane is back from number 9

When Diane returns to Bryntirion, Sara asks if she will be all right with the situation, as her help will be needed.   

"We're not getting any younger"

Diane answers, “You’re asking a lot – looking after someone like that is a huge responsibility, and we’re not getting any younger.”

"Worried about missing out on cruises?"

Becoming angry, Sara asks, “If you’re worried about missing out on cruises and golf club soirées, I’m sure we can sort something out.”

Diane emphasises, “I want you to be sure, that’s all – with the business as well, this will be very stressful!   It the biggest decision you ever make – you should take more time to consider!”

"We're going to have this child, Diane!"

Sara gets up, and as she is about to leave, insists, “We’re going to have this child, Diane!   What you have to decide is whether or not you want to be part of his life!”