Cwmderi Diary 2017: 20 June 2017

Siôn is asleep on the sofa

In the morning, when Macs comes downstairs, he finds his father asleep on the sofa, with a bottle of whisky nearby. He attempts to wake Siôn, but then Gwyneth also comes down.

"This has to stop, Gwyn!"

“This has to stop, Gwyn!” Macs tells her,

She protests against this

but she protests that if he tells the truth now, it will all be in vain.

"With a bit of luck, he'll jump off the bridge himself!"

“With a bit of luck, he’ll go to Rome to look for Huw – and jump off the bridge himself!” she says, but Macs makes it clear he does not want that. “So what do we want?” she demands.

Mark tries to diagnose the problem

Mark is removing the top of the washing machine, which has stopped working; he remarks that he would do the job much quicker without an audience. Kath replies, “You haven’t got a clue. What’s wrong with it?” He says he is not sure yet,

"Shall I get Josh to have a look at it?"

so she suggests phoning Josh to have a look at it. Mark insists that it is his job to do things like this –

"I can look after this family"

he can look after the family without any help.

"I'm wasting my time – it's kaput!"

He grumbles, “I’m wasting my time here – it’s kaput! I’m going out – I won’t be long, and don’t touch that machine!”

Kath dials Josh's number

Of course, as soon as he closes the door, Kath picks up her phone.

"Wil is coming soon, Hywel"

Sheryl is just ending a Skype call to Wil in Canada; she looks very pleased as Hywel comes downstairs, and is told that he will be seeing Wil soon.

"He'll be here for a two-week holiday"

She informs him, “He can come – the hockey team didn’t get through, which is sad for him, but it’s fantastic for us – because he’ll be here for the court case and a two week holiday. He can’t wait!

"We have to sort out the back room"

“We have to sort out the back room – Darren says he spends all his money on clothes –

"He's a real teenager, Hywel!"

“he’s a real teenager!”

He does not share Sheryl's enthusiasm

Hywel puts on a smile, but is much less enthusiastic

Ricky's clean underwear is dwindling

Ricky reports to Kath that he is down to his last clean pair of pants, so she advises him to wash some in the sink in the bathroom.

"Like the old days, down the river?"

“Like in the old days, you mean?” he jokes, “Down the river – losing fingers in the mangle?”

Just as Ricky sits down to his breakfast,

Josh arrives with his toolbox

Josh arrives and remarks that breakfast would be nice; Kath will make him a bacon sandwich. Ricky is supposed to be revising,

"You're taking a risk, coming here"

and considers that Josh is risking it by coming to the house.

"Mark has been fiddling with it"

Kath tells Josh that the machine will not start, and that Mark has been fiddling with it.

"Probably made it worse!"

“Probably made it worse!” comments Josh. Ricky wonders how his grandfather knows how to repair a washing machine,

"It's life experience, boy"

and is told, “It’s life experience – I’ll show you, if you like!”

Anita makes an appointment

Anita makes an appointment at the salon; Sheryl asks how she is feeling.

"I can't settle at number 10"

“I can’t settle at number 10 after that business with Moc,” she replies, and Sheryl worries that she will tell Wil about it, revealing that he is coming to stay at the beginning of the summer holidays.

"You didn't tell me he was coming!"

Anita is affronted that she was not told about this, but Sheryl answers that it has only just been confirmed. Anita wonders if it is a good idea so soon after Moc, as someone will spill the beans. “Coming back to Cwmderi could open the door to bad memories for him,” she asserts,

"It's a new chapter for the family"

but Sheryl insists that he is coming to be part of Esther’s adoption hearing, and it will be the beginning of a new chapter for them as a family.

"You could see him as much as you like"

“You’re only across the road, so you could see him as much as you like,” Sheryl tells her,

"It's 'the wig' that worries me"

but then Anita admits the real reason for her concern is ‘the wig’.

"The wig is my business!"

“The wig is my business – OK?” says Sheryl, irritably, “Do you think I’d do anything to upset him? Wil and I understand each other, so stop interfering, please.”

There is Anita's purse on the corner of the counter

Anita walks out, leaving her purse behind.

Siôn is in a terrible state

Gwyneth tells Macs, “If Garry’s willing, I’ll bring Gwern back here after school – so tidy the place up! Wouldn’t you like to see Gwern to cheer you up, Siôn?”

"Don't forget what we agreed"

She leaves the house, reminding Macs of what they agreed.

Macs is affected by his father's grief

Siôn is sobbing piteously on the sofa,

"I'm never going to see him again!"

“I’m never going to see him again!” Macs says that may not be the case,

"We don't know if the e-mail is true"

they do not even know if the e-mail is true. “Why would she get in touch if it were not true?” asks Siôn, and it is suggested that they may be part of the cult again, but he is certain that if Huw would never go back.

"That e-mail doesn't sound credible"

Macs continues, “Maybe she has, and she’s trying to scam you to get money or something. If you ask me, the e-mail doesn’t sound credible.”

"Is there a chance he's alive?"

Siôn wonders if there is a chance he might be alive.

Having tinkered with the washing machine, Josh advises them to ‘cross everything’.

Josh has managed to resurrect the washing machine . . .

He turns on the power and all the lights come on; “I told you your Grandad would fix it!” Kath tells Ricky.

. . . but Mark is not impressed

At that moment, Mark arrives at the back door with another washing machine on a sack truck; he sees all the lights on the original machine and is angry that Kath called Josh.

"I only finished the job, Mark"

Josh insists that Mark had pretty much fixed it already – he only finished the job.

Ricky reminds him that he said Mark had only made it worse, much to Mark’s disgust;

"What am I supposed to do with that?"

he wonders what he is supposed to do with the replacement machine. “I don’t know why I bother with this family sometimes!” he rants, “And how many times do I have to tell you? Stay away!”

"There's no name on this e-mail"

Siôn subjects the e-mail to closer scrutiny; “There’s no name on it – and why isn’t he answering his phone?”

"Huw may have changed his number"

Macs suggests he may have changed his number, and says he phoned Huw a couple of months ago. “Is his number in your phone?” asks Siôn, and he compares it with his own phone.

Garry seems not to have been amenable to Gwyneth's wishes

Gwyneth returns, complaining about Garry,

"I've been dialling the wrong number!"

just as Siôn realises the numbers are different; “I’ve been dialling the wrong number!” He dials the number on Macs’ phone,

Gwyneth's plan has been thwarted

and Gwyneth looks increasingly concerned

"Huw – it's Dad here – how are you?"

as Siôn begins a conversation with Huw.

Mark is hiding in the attic bedroom

In Ricky’s bedroom, Mark picks up the carved horse’s head which Josh made; he is disturbed by Kath, who is collecting the dirty washing. She tells him that Josh is out the back with Ricky, and remarks that they have become good friends.

"Are you jealous of Josh?"

“Are you jealous of Josh? Worried that he’ll take over as top man?” she asks.

"I'm Ricky's father"

Mark stresses that he is Ricky’s father, and the one he comes to when he has a problem.

Kath goes on, “If you and Debbie keep treating Josh the way you are,

"That boy is pulled in all directions"

“that boy is going to be pulled in all directions, as he clearly adores his grandfather.”

"You know what Debbie's like!"

Mark points out that he is being pulled in various directions too, and she knows what Debbie is like. Kath agrees and maintains that she is letting her children down, when she should be encouraging them. Ricky needs his close family around him.

Anita's purse is returned to her

Sheryl goes to see Anita to return her purse; Anita admits that she is not sleeping well,

"I'm thinking of selling the house"

and she is thinking of selling the house, as she cannot settle here now. Sheryl insists that this is her home, that she and Meic were happy here.

They look at Meic's photo

“That’s weird,” sighs Anita, as she looks at the photo of Meic, “Because I can hear him saying exactly the same, telling me not to move.”

Sheryl suggests going to see Dr Pritchard, but Anita does not want to take tablets.

"You have to do something!"

Sheryl adds, “You have to do something, as Wil is going to be here in a month, and we don’t want him worrying about you – so get a grip!”

"You sound just like Kelly"

Anita says she sounds just like Kelly.

Siôn is still speaking to Huw on the phone, as Gwyneth snarls, “If we fail now, it will be your fault!

Gwyneth does not want Y Felin to slip from her grasp

“How stupid can you be?” Macs replies that his father has been shaken up, and that is what they wanted. “Pull yourself together, Macs, because I can’t do this on my own!” she growls. He assures her he is with her every step of the way, but she must just keep the rest of the family out of it.

“We must have another chat before long,” says Siôn as he ends the call.

"It looks like it was all a sick joke!"

“He’s not even in Rome – he and Zoë have been in Singapore for two weeks. So it looks like it was all a sick joke!”

"I wouldn't put it past you to send the e-mail yourself!"

Gwyneth suggests that he sent the e-mail to himself to get some sympathy; “I would never use Huw like that,” says Siôn,

"It was you, Gwyneth!"

“The only person I know who would do something like that is you! I know you, Gwyneth – you wouldn’t think twice.”

"You tell him, Macs"

Macs tells him, rather unconvincingly, that Gwyneth would never do that, and that he would not let her.

Sheryl is home early

Hywel sits, looking at pictures of Rhys on the laptop when Sheryl comes home and asks if he wants a cup of tea. She says that Anita is living on her nerves, she is not helping herself, and does not want to go and see Dr Pritchard.

"Perhaps it's none of our business"

Hywel thinks that it is none of their business; “It is my business if it affects Wil,” she answers,

"You could be a bit more excited"

“I want everything to be perfect when he comes – and you could be a bit more excited about it, you know.”

Hywel explains why he is nervous

He admits that he is nervous, that he will not be able to cope, as he does not know Wil. “You, me and Esther have a rhythm, and having Wil here will be like . . .”

"A cuckoo in the nest?"

Sheryl suggests, “A cuckoo in the nest? He’s my son, Hywel,” but Hywel is not sure that he can handle the fact that Wil is not his son.

It looks as if Mark is going to lose money

Mark speaks to the person from whom he bought the washing machine, and is outraged that he will only get £20 if he returns it, as he paid £50.

"I don't want charity!"

Josh offers to buy it, but Mark is reluctant, not wanting charity.

He is swayed by an offer of £70

Eventually he says that he paid £60 for it and Josh offers him £70, as it would be worth that for parts, and a drum like that would make a nice fireplace. “People in Cardiff pay good money to have those on their patios – I could double or treble my money with hard work and imagination!”

Josh hands over the money,

He will have more birthday guests than anticipated

and comments, “I’m sure there’s no point in reminding you and Debbie about the party tomorrow.” Kath confirms that she will be there, and Mark agrees to come too.

"You don'tg care about Wil!"

“You don’t care about Wil!” accuses Sheryl, but Hywel insists that he loves Wil’s mother and sister – he is just afraid he will let Wil down.

"I haven't got a good track record"

“What if he doesn’t like me? I haven’t got a good track record – I made a lot of mistakes with Rhys, and you're expecting me to fill the void left by Meic – he is bound to feel let down!”

"Take him to the cricket or a film"

Sheryl assures him that no-one can take the place of Meic, and urges him to take the boy to the cricket or a film; “Not to give him leadership or important life lessons,” she says,