Cwmderi Diary 2017: 3 February 2017

Gwyneth clears up after their 'wild night'

Iolo goes to Y Felin, where he is told by Gwyneth that she and Siôn had rather a wild night last night; “No wonder he didn’t turn up for work,” grumbles Iolo,

"He could at least have answered the phone"

“He could at least have answered the phone – I have a business to run here!” He shouts up the stairs for his father,

"Oh – I completely forgot!"

then sees a 50th Birthday card; “I completely forgot – why didn’t you invite Tyler and me?”

Gwyneth replies that Siôn wanted a quiet celebration;

"Not one son remembered!"

“I feel sorry for him,” she says, “Three sons, and not one of them remembered!”

"She went bananas for no reason!"

Dai catches up with Mark in the street; “I’ve been busy, cleaning up after that maniac you call your mother! She’s loopy – did she tell you what she did? She went bananas for no reason!”

"She was stressed about the skylight"

Mark explains she was stressed because no-one would fix the skylight.

"You bought it from some cowboy in Swansea!"

“You bought it from some cowboy in Swansea!” exclaims Dai, “Hywel is fixing the laptop now – so expect a monster bill! And I want an apology – she flipped, just like that!

"Should have a public health warning!"

“She needs a public health warning tattooed on her forehead!”

Hywel pieces together the laptop

Mark then delivers a parcel to Hywel, who tells him that he has had to install a new screen on the APD laptop, and Sheryl comments that she heard that Kath was involved with it ending up on the floor.

"Will it be expensive?"

Hywel assumes that APD will have insurance to cover it.

Siôn seems to be the worse for wear

Siôn appears rather delicate after last night, as Gwyneth tells Iolo, “We had a lovely day yesterday,

"We've set a wedding date"

“and we set a date for the wedding – the last day of the month.”

"And whose idea was this?"

“This month?” demands Iolo in amazement, but Gwyneth points out there is no point in waiting, and that they are both eager to do this. Iolo asks, “Whose idea was this?”

It was Gwyneth's idea (what a surprise!)

“Mine,”admits Gwyneth, but Siôn is quick to confirm that he is in agreement –

"I can't wait!"

and cannot wait.

The laptop appears to be back in one piece

Sheryl is going to the salon for a couple of hours, while Hywel is busy with APD’s laptop. She removes a few hairs from her jumper,

"Esther's food is in the fridge"

and advises Hywel that Esther’s food is in the fridge

Kath is given her next tablet

Back home at Maes-y-Deri, Mark asks if Kath has contacted her counsellor; “I can’t – I’m too ashamed,” she replies,

"I went completely over the top!"

“I went completely over the top!” and Mark comments that no wonder Dai is furious.

“It was his fault for not fixing the skylight!” she adds, but Mark insists that this is not just the skylight – she is unable to cope, and must stop blaming other people.

"You must apologise"

He insists that she apologise, but her response is,

"He can stuff his apology up his backside!"

“He can stuff his apology up his backside! If I do that, I would have to tell him why I was angry – and I don’t want him or anyone else to know.”

Mark considers that it might be better if others did know, as then they would be able to help. Kath is not so sure; “I lived here for years with people looking down their noses at me –

"Who would help the Joneses?"

“who would sympathise or help the Joneses?”

"Face the fact that they're getting married"

At number 7, Tyler advises Iolo that Siôn and Gwyneth are getting married anyway; “I was hoping that Dad would realise what she is like – she is only with him for selfish reasons!” answers Iolo. Tyler is certain that Siôn would have seen through her if she was trying to deceive him.

"It's a mid-life crisis"

“It’s a mid-life crisis – he’s afraid of being on his own,” Iolo says, “He’s seen Britt move on and wants to do the same, but he’s trying to do it too soon – and Gwyneth has a hidden agenda!”

"It will only take a few minutes to sign it"

Meanwhile in Y Felin, Gwyneth tells Siôn that it will only take a few minutes to sign the deeds; he suggests that they do not need to have it in joint names. “If anything happened to me, you’ll have to deal with it all,” she replies, “I’m going to change my will, so everything goes to my new husband.”

"You sound as if you're going to drop dead any minute!"

“You sound as if you’re going to drop dead any minute!” he warns,

"I've got more reason to live than most!"

but she is adamant she has more reason to live than most, and urges him to get the job out of the way now.

"It's only fair I put your name on Y Felin's deeds"

Siôn concludes, “Then it’s only fair that I put your name on the deeds of this house,” but she argues that is not why she is doing this;

"You don't have to prove it, Siôn!"

she knows that he loves her, and he does not have to prove it.

When he goes on, “It’s not so straightforward, as Y Felin is home to the boys as well,” she enquires if he he is absolutely sure he wants to marry her.

Remember when Siôn used to be intelligent and logical?

He avers, “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life – I want to share everything with you – my home, family and life!”

"I don't want to talk to the monkey!"

Mark goes to APD to apologise on his mother’s behalf; Dai is adamant, “I don’t want to talk to the monkey!

"She's banned from APD!"

“She is not coming near APD again – she’s banned! You don’t believe your mother can do anything wrong.”

Mark presumes that the insurance will cover the cost of the laptop.

"My premiums will shoot up!"

“If I lose my no-claims, the premiums will shoot up – not to mention my blood pressure!” roars Dai, “How can I forgive the woman who trashed the place? I can’t knock any sense into you Joneses,

"Criminal damage!"

“so I’ll call the police, and she’ll get done for criminal damage!”

"She's addicted to drugs, Dai!"

Mark is forced to admit, “She’s ill, right? Addicted to prescription drugs!” Dai appears dumbfounded.

Kath is having her hair done

Kath arrives at the salon for a hair appointment,

A selfie of Hywel and Esther

and Sheryl shows her a photo which Hywel has just sent her.

"One of these modern, hands-on fathers, is he?"

“He’s one of these modern fathers, is he?” Kath asks, and Sheryl complains about the length of time the adoption process took.

"He always puts himself first"

Kath sounds a warning note, which troubles Sheryl; “Hywel used to be my son-in-law, so I know him pretty well. Let’s just say he always puts himself first –

"You might have changed him – maybe!"

“but you might have changed him – maybe!”

"Can you bring it round, Hywel?"

At APD, Dai has a call from Hywel to say that he has restored the laptop to working order.

"Let's just forget it, right?"

Then he tells Mark, in a rather more subdued tone, “That explains why your Mam behaved like that – the last thing I want to do is make matters worse – let’s just forget it, right? Why are you looking at me like that, as if I have a screw loose?

"I feel sorry for Kath"

“Believe it or not, I feel sorry for Kath.”

The Deri, before Iolo tries to flee

Siôn and Gwyneth are in the Deri when Iolo and Tyler come in, and Iolo wants to leave again immediately, but Tyler prevents him from so doing,

Iolo tries to force a smile

and drags him over to see his father.

"I still think you're rushing things"

Iolo again says, “I still think you’re rushing things – the weather will be better in the summer.”

"We're as good as married already!"

Gwyneth smiles unctuously and maintains that marriage is only a piece of paper; “We’re as good as married already!”

This tries Iolo's patience

Iolo cannot endure any more of this and retires to the bar.

"You're not getting an apology!"

Dai visits Maes-y-Deri, where Kath warns him that if he is expecting an apology, he will be disappointed.

"Mark told me about your problem"

“I’ve decided to forget it!” he advises, and she assumes he has had a ‘liquid lunch’. He continues, “Mark had a word with me and told me about your problem with prescription drugs. I won’t breathe a word to anyone, but it explains why you lost it yesterday.”

Kath insists that he does not understand,

"That's where you're wrong!"

but he assures her, “That’s where you’re wrong – I’ve got a very good idea of where you’re coming from. I’ve been in those trenches myself – I was addicted to tablets, too, and I went through hell!”

Kath, looking incredulous

Kath is amazed.

Hywel and Esther

Hywel is enjoying himself with Esther, but when Sheryl returns, he tells her that he is still nervous being on his own with her.

He is keen to spend more time with her

“The best way is to spend more time with her – perhaps I could take one day off each week to look after her – she’s been an angel today! The more I think, the more I look forward to it –

"This is another chance to be a parent"

“you can’t put a price on spending time with a child this age, and after losing Meilyr, I feel this is another chance to be a parent.”

Kath explains how it started . . .

Kath explains to Dai, over a cup of tea, “When I started taking them, my partner and I had just split up – I was lonely, I suppose.”

. . . and Dai's story is quite similar

Dai’s experience is similar; Alys, my first wife, lost a baby, and I couldn’t talk about my feelings, and couldn’t sleep. It started with sleeping tablets, and before I knew it I was addicted. What you need now is support, not someone like me making life more difficult.

"What – Dai Ashurst doing something for nothing?"

“I’ve decided, I’ll fix the skylight, free of change. I don’t like seeing anyone suffer – even the Joneses! A problem like this can ruin your life and those around you – it’s important to carry on with the counselling!”

Mark cannot believe his eyes

Mark has just arrived, and cannot believe that his mother and Dai are conversing in a friendly fashion. Kath tells him, “We understand each other now, he’s going to forgive me.”