Cwmderi Diary 2017: 6 February 2017

Eileen seems to have some problem

Colin is embarrassed when he walks into the shop’s store-room and finds Eileen feeling inside her blouse. “I want to slip out for a minute to see Gaynor,” he tells her, adding,

"Is everything all right?"

“Is everything all right?”

"I've found a lump"

She admits that she has found a lump, but urges him not to say a word to anyone.

"What are you two doing in here?"

Then Sioned comes in, and they explain that they are stocktaking; “We have too much pasta,” ad libs Colin,

"I'll have one for tea, then"

so Sioned grabs a bag to cook for her tea, saying she will pay later. Eileen asks Colin to lock up the shop.

Gwyneth has the rings

When Siôn comes into Y Felin, Gwyneth has purchased two matching rings, and asks where they are going to keep them.

"I'm hoping that will be Iolo's responsibility"

“I’m hoping that will be Iolo’s responsibility – I’m going to ask him to be best man,” Siôn replies.

Gwyneth is not happy about that

She does not think this is a good idea,

"I thought we weren't bothering with tradition"

and was under the impression they were not sticking to old-fashioned traditions.

"I'll go and see Iolo now"

Siôn, however, is adamant; “This is important to me – in fact I’ll go and see him now!”

"When did you find it?"

In the shop flat, Colin makes Eileen tea and asks when she found the lump; it was over the weekend, and she has not been able to think of anything else.

"There's definitely something there"

“I keep checking, and there’s something there.”

Colin asks if she wants him to check and then thinks better of it;

"Sorry, I didn't mean that!"

“You have to see a doctor,” he advises, but Eileen says she will go after the inquest, as she has enough on her plate at the moment. She also admits that Jim does not know about this – he must not find out as he would not be able to cope.

"Go and see Gaynor, then"

She urges Colin to go to Gaynor’s and leave her alone.

Iolo's shepherd's pie under construction

Siôn arrives at number 7, where Iolo appears to be making shepherd’s pie,

"I want you to be best man"

and asks him to be his best man.

"I can't do it!"

The answer is immediate; “I can’t do it!” Tyler wants him to think it over, but Iolo emphasises, “I don’t need time – I can’t do it! I can’t watch you make the biggest mistake of your life.

"She's playing games!"

She’s taking you for a fool – she’s playing games, but you’re too stupid to see it!”

Siôn leaves the house,

"Don't look at me like that!"

and Iolo tells Tyler, “Don’t look at me like that! I had no choice!”

"What sort of song were you thinking of?"

At Llwyncelyn, Gaynor asks Colin what sort of song he had in mind, but he stands with a distracted look.

Colin's mind is on other things

“I don’t know,” he answers, “I can’t help thinking about Eileen – we had an argument.” Gaynor assumes he put the wrong price on the beans, but he frets that he should not have left her on her own.

"Sioned only lives across the road"

Gaynor says, “If there’s a crisis, she can phone Sioned – she only lives across the road. Do you want to listen to a few songs for inspiration?”

"Are you there, Britt?"

Despite the ‘closed’ sign on the shop door, Britt knocks and asks Eileen if Colin can finish early, as she is making a special meal for him. She picks up 40p-worth of garlic.

"He's up at Gaynor's"

“No, he can’t finish early, as he has to make up the time he’s spending with Gaynor,” Eileen tells her;

"Why did he go there?"

when Britt wants to know why he went to Llwyncelyn, she continues, “Your personal life is none of my business – ask him yourself!”

"Yes – it's still there!"

When Britt has gone, Eileen has another feel.

Dani is getting rather frustrated

In the Deri, Dani is exasperated by a phone call; she says, “There’s the darts on Thursday, and on Friday a gig for Welsh Music Day – all right, thanks for nothing!”

"I want you to go to Llwyncelyn to see what's going on"

Britt marches in and instructs Dani, “I want you to go to Llwyncelyn to see what is going on between Colin and Gaynor – they’re over there together!” Dani presumes that they are talking about the girls,

Britt wants to get to the bottom of the mystery

but Britt points out he is meant to be working at the shop, and Eileen obviously thinks something is going on.

"Just to prove you wrong!"

“All right, I’ll check – just to prove you wrong!” Dani tells her

Nice, tasty, home-made shepherd's pie

Iolo and Tyler are enjoying their meal; Tyler asks what they will be giving Siôn and Gwyneth as a wedding present.

"Can we not talk about the wedding?"

“Can we not talk about the wedding?” snaps Iolo. Tyler points out that the wedding is going to happen whether he likes it or not, and that it broke his father’s heart when Iolo refused.

“You can’t help who you fall in love with,” Tyler continues, “Be careful you don’t push him away.

"You're letting Gwyneth come between you"

“You’re letting Gwyneth come between you – and if you’re right about her, that’s exactly what she wants!”

Gaynor tries a few chords

Gaynor is strumming on the ukulele while Colin makes tea; there is a knock at the door, and Dani appears,

"It's the darts tournament on Thursday"

ostensibly to ask Gaynor if she will take part in the darts tournament on Thursday, in aid of the Parents’ and Toddlers’ group.

"Time for tea-break!"

Then Dani sees Colin, and Gaynor makes the excuse that he is there to have a look at her leaking washing machine.

Dani did not realise Colin was so skilled

“I didn’t know you were a ‘dab hand’ at that sort of thing!” marvels Dani, and Colin boasts that he has picked up a few things from Iolo.

When Dani leaves, Colin wonders if she suspected anything. “The sooner we finish this song, the better,” warns Gaynor,

"It never ends well for people who tell lies!"

“It never ends well for people who tell lies!”

"There's something I need to do!"

Colin decides there is something he must do urgently, and rushes off.

"Iolo refused!"

Siôn despondently informs Gwyneth that Iolo refused; “Weddings are supposed to bring people together, but two sons won’t be there and the other only under protest.”

"Why don't we go away to get married?"

“Why don’t we go away to get married?” suggests Gwyneth, just you, me and Gwern. We can change the arrangements – the only thing that matters is getting married –

"A lakeside location in Italy?"

“imagine being by a lake in Italy, with a mountain backdrop – it would be so romantic, and then there’s the food and wine.”

"If the offer's still open, Dad . . ."

This idyll is abruptly destroyed when Iolo and Tyler come in, with Iolo announcing that he has changed his mind.

"Too late! We've decided to go away to get married!"

“Too late! We’ve decided to go away to get married!” says Gwyneth, triumphantly, but Siôn protests that they only discussed that option.

"Of course I want you as my best man!"

“Of course I want you as my best man!” he tells Iolo and they hug. Iolo asserts that his Dad needs someone to look after him. Gwyneth points out that there will be no bridesmaids;

"Bridesmaids refused, did they?"

“Refused, did they?” gloats Iolo. Siôn is looking forward to the occasion,

Gwyneth's plan is going somewhat awry

but Gwyneth seems less eager for some reason.

"Your mother has found a lump in her breast"

Colin has gone to the taxi office, where he wants to talk to Sioned about her mother. “She’s terribly worried, as she has found a lump in her breast – she wasn’t going to tell anyone, but your Mam and I are pretty close –

"I tried to tell her to see a doctor"

“she knows she can trust me, although I’m not much help. I tried to tell her to see a doctor, but she’s refusing until after the inquest, and it’s not right for her to suffer on her own.”

"I'll go over and see her"

Sioned, who has been looking confused, says she will go over and see her mother right away.

"They were having cup of tea and listening to music"

As soon as Dani returns to the Deri, she is interrogated by Britt; “He was there, they were having a cup of tea and listening to music. Gaynor had asked him to have a look at the washing machine.”

"Colin can't even change a light bulb!"

Britt protests that Colin cannot even change a light bulb.

"You're just looking for problems!"

Dani is tired of this; “Colin adores you – you’re just looking for problems!”

Britt still insists that a voice in her head is telling her that something is not right with him getting cosy with Gaynor,

"Well, ask him yourself!"

so Dani suggests that she ask him herself.

Eileen does some background reading

Eileen is in the shop, reading a magazine article, ‘Breast Cancer and Me’ when Sioned bursts in;

"When were you going to tell me?"

“When were you going to tell me about the lump?” she demands, “Colin came to see me – why tell him?

"How do you think that makes me feel?"

“How do you think that makes me feel? You have not only found a lump, but you’d sooner tell an employee than me!”

"I'll go after the inquest"

Eileen says that she will go to the doctor after the inquest,

"How can you be so stupid?"

but Sioned continues her tirade; “How can you be so stupid? You can’t help Courtney now – she’s dead!” Eileen explains she was thinking of Jim, and does not want him worrying about anything else.

"You will see someone tomorrow!"

“What if you’re too late? You must see how stupid this is!” Sioned rages on, “You will see someone tomorrow!” But Eileen’s mind is made up and she tells Sioned to leave. “Suit yourself!” she snarls,

Eileen is left alone with her thoughts

as she flounces out of the shop.

Colin is only making a flying visit

Colin arrives home at the chippy flat, where Britt informs him that the kids are out and there is lasagne (with garlic) in the oven, but she is disappointed by his response. “I’ll have it later – the delivery from Bwydydd y Bont (Bridge Foods) has just arrived,

"The fish fingers and icecream will melt!"

“and I have to put the stuff away – or the fish fingers and icecream will melt!”

“I called at the shop, but you’d gone out,” Britt begins, but is told by Colin that he had a dental appointment – only a check-up, so he will be able to eat the lasagne. “Dani said she saw you at Llwyncelyn,” Britt goes on,

"I called there to look at the washing machine"

and he repeats the washing machine story.

“What do you know about washing machines?” he is asked,

"I have a lot of hidden talents!"

to which he replies that he has a lot of hidden talents.

"Next time, tell her to phone Iolo!"

“The next time Gaynor wants you to look at her washing machine – tell her to phone Iolo!” Britt instructs him.

Sioned is in quite a state . . .

Sioned arrives back at the flat, flings down her bag and coat, then bursts into tears;

. . . and kicks the bin in her frustration . . .

in temper she kicks the waste bin,

. . . then sits down and cries

sits in the chairs and weeps.

Colin returns to the shop, assuring Eileen that he will make up the time he has lost.

"I want a word with you!"

“I want a word with you!” she announces ominously, “What’s your game – talking to Sioned about me? If I need help, I’ll ask for it!

"Sioned's been here, shouting!"

“Sioned’s been here, shouting because I didn’t tell her first – I’ve got enough to worry about without her hysterics! She always reacts like that – why do you think I didn’t tell her?