Cwmderi Diary 2016: 28 November 2016

"Come on then, Ricky"

Mark is all ready to leave Maes-y-Deri,

Ricky is reluctant to go

but Ricky has second thoughts; “This is important – a promise is a promise,” Mark insists, “Jim has to know you are . . . were the father of Courtney’s baby. You can’t put it off for ever.

“This is not fair on Jim, or on you – he is going to find out one day – wouldn’t you rather be a man and tell him yourself?”

He is going to tell his Mam first

Ricky replies that he wants to tell his Mam first, and they leave the house.

Eifion hears a noise upstairs . . .

Eifion returns home and hears noises upstairs;

. . . and finds Angela up there

he goes up, to find Angela putting all Courtney’s clothes into black sacks. “I thought you were a burglar! What are you doing here?” he demands. She replies that she is clearing all Courtney’s stuff and taking it to the Maenan Appeal. “Have you got Jim’s permission,” he asks,

"I'm taking it to the Maenan Appeal"

and she tells him that this is her job, as Courtney’s mother.

“It would have been nice to know in advance,” Eifion comments, “You haven’t changed at all!

"What if Angela's right?"

Jim is deep in thought when Eileen asks him if he wants a sandwich; “What if Angela’s right – and if Courtney would still be alive if she moved away?” he pleads.

"She's only trying to make herself feel better"

Eileen points out that no-one knows the answer to that, and he will make himself ill by dwelling on it.

She assures him, “Angela only said that as she’s trying to make herself feel better, seeing as she was not there for Courtney – it’s grief. You should do what she’s doing – try to make yourself feel better, and start with some lunch.”

"And afterwards I'll go for a walk"

Jim thinks that afterwards he will go for a walk, to get some fresh air.

From the salon, Sheryl sees Angela

As Angela carries two bags out of the door, Sheryl sees her and runs across to offer her sympathy.

"I know how you feel"

“Do you want to come to the salon for a cup of tea? I’ve lost a child too, and know how you feel.”

"You have no idea what I've been through!"

Angela dismisses this with, “Meilyr was only a baby – his personality hadn’t formed – Courtney was almost an adult, a person with feelings, experiences and dreams. We’d been through so much together – you have no idea what I’ve been through!”

Sheryl is somewhat aggrieved

and she walks away.

"If you won't tell Mam, I will!"

In the café, Ricky has changed his mind, but Mark tells him, “If you won’t tell Mam, I will!”

"Why isn't he at school?"

Debbie wants to know why Ricky is not at school, and Mark advises her, “He has something to tell you –

"He was the father of Courtney's baby"

“he promised to tell Jim that he was the father of Courtney’s baby.”

Debbie scoffs at the idea of Ricky taking the blame for someone else’s mistake, and cannot imagine that he is telling the truth.

"No way! You slept with a girl?"

“No way! You slept with a girl?”

"It was my baby, Mam!"

Ricky confirms, “It was my baby, Mam!” but she suggests that Courtney may have been with other boys. Ricky is furious;

"Dont' talk about her like that!"

“Don’t talk about her like that! We agreed to do it, and it was the first time for both of us!”

Mark explains that is why it is so important to tell Jim,

"You're not telling him, Ricky!"

but Debbie will not tolerate that. “You’re not telling him, Ricky! He’s got such a quick temper, there’s no telling what he might do! I don’t want you getting hurt! Telling him won’t help anything, and it won’t stop Ricky getting beaten up!”

Eileen espies . . .

As Jim leaves the shop for his walk, Eileen notices

. . . Angela going into the house

Angela going into Eifion’s house; she goes across and demands what she is doing.

"I'm clearing Courtney's room"

Angela informs her that she is simply clearing Courtney’s room. “Without saying a word to anyone?” rages Eileen,

"It's a bit late to talk about your duties as a mother!"

“Clearing your daughter’s room, like a thief?” Angela repeats that it is a mother’s duty; “It’s a bit late to talk about your duties as a mother! Where were you when Courtney was alive?”

"I've lost my only daughter!"

Angela wails, “I’ve just lost my only daughter, and I’ve got nothing left! I know I’ve done some terrible things – but don’t you feel a mother’s love, or sympathy or anything for me?”

She receives a hug from her mother

Eileen hugs her.

"Was Jim that disinterested?"

They sit down and Angela wants to know about the baby; Eileen tells her that they do not know who was the father. “Was Jim that disinterested in his daughter’s life?” Angela asks.

"He's finding it hard to cope!"

Her mother points out that this business is gnawing at him and he is finding it hard to cope.

“And I haven’t?” demands Angela, “Just because I don’t give in to self-pity, doesn’t mean that I’m not suffering as much as, or more than, Jim!”

"Even Courtney's death is all about you!"

Eileen scathingly remarks, “So even Courtney’s death is all about you! A word of advice – you’re going to live a very lonely life if the only thing you do is look after number one! I’m sorry your life didn’t turn out as you hoped.” Angela replies that she is a survivor.

Eileen is about to leave

Eileen walks to the door, looks back at her daughter, then leaves the house.

Jim sees the pair of them

Back from his walk, Jim sees the two of them

"You're up to something!"

and asks Angela what she is doing there, suspecting her of being up to something. She tells him she has finished doing what she had to do, and he demands that she give him the key to the house.

"Shouting and bullying doesn't work with me!"

“You always believe that shouting and bullying is the way to get your own way,” Angela says, “But it doesn’t work with me, or with Courtney – and it won’t work with anyone else!”

"Not everyone is as cold-hearted as you!"

He remarks that not everyone is as cold-hearted as her.

“You don’t know me at all, do you?” she adds, and gives him the key,

"Why didn't you take care of her?"

“Why didn’t you take care of her?”

"I was the baby's father"

She walks away, but then meets Ricky in the middle of the street. He immediately confesses, “It was me – I was the baby’s father!”

Angela hugs him

Angela hugs him, then he continues,

"Aren't you angry with me?"

“I loved her – I still love her! Aren’t you angry with me?”

She assures him that no, she is not angry, and stops him from carrying out his next intention, to tell Jim.

"Now is not the time to tell Jim!"

“Now is not the time, perhaps it never will be. Knowing who was the father won’t change anything for him – telling the truth won’t bring Courtney back and it won’t ease the pain of losing her.” She advises Ricky that he does not want Jim Probert as an enemy, hugs him again and then hurries off.

In Courtney's bedroom . . .

Jim goes up to Courtney’s bedroom

. . . everything has gone

and finds it has been cleared of all her belongings – he is distraught.

"Gwen, look after the place for five minutes"

Angela comes into the café, and Debbie asks Gwen to look after the place as she takes Angela into the kitchen,

"I didn't know until lunchtime"

and reveals that she did not know until lunchtime.

"They would have made a lovely couple!"

“He’s worried sick – it can’t be easy for him,” Angela commiserates, “He’s a good boy, and they would have made a lovely couple!” Debbie agrees that they would have both spoilt the baby rotten. As she leaves, Angela tells her, “Look after him, Debs!”

"Stop, Jim, or I'll call the police!"

Jim is causing such an uproar in the Maenan shop as he demands the return of all Courtney’s things, that Llinos threatens to call the police,

Eileen's mediation has an onlooker

but Eileen defuses the situation. Jim announces, “The sooner you leave me alone, the sooner I’ll be out of here!”

"I might be able to help"

Ricky, who happens to be passing, offers to help; “I knew Courtney quite well – I might be able to guess what belonged to her.”

"Ricky and Courtney were the best of friends"

Angela walks into the Deri and tells Mark, “I’ve just spoken to Ricky – look after him, as he and Courtney were the best of friends!” Mark excuses himself, as he assumes she will want to speak to Eifion, who is also at the bar.

"Maybe it's for the best"

“I’m sorry for the way it’s turned out – maybe it’s for the best,” she says,

Eifion cannot understand her

which puzzles Eifion, “My world has been turned upside down, but I have to keep believing in something, or there’s no point in carrying on.”

"I want a divorce, as soon as possible, Eifion!"

Then she comes to the point of the conversation; “I want a divorce, as soon as possible, Eifion!”

"Spent Auntie Marian's money already, have you?"

“Spent Auntie Marian’s money already, have you?” he demands, but she maintains that she wants a fresh start, and does not want his money. She and Steve want to go overseas, she says, and he comments, “Steve? You’ve moved on quickly!”

She adds that they should never have been together, and that Eifion should never have left Penrhewl; he agrees with this statement. “I regret even meeting you,” he snarls. Advising that her solicitor will be in touch, she leaves the pub.

"I know she was not that sort of girl"

At Maes-y-Deri, Debbie apologises to Ricky for what she said; “I know she was not that sort of girl, and I’m concerned about you. You would have been a great father – and you will be again, one day.”