 |
| Gethin prepares his breakfast . . . |
Gethin has poured the milk on his bowl of Sainsbury’s Multigrain Hoops for breakfast and is about to start eating
 |
| . .. but is overruled by Ffion . . . |
when Ffion tells him that he does not have time for that. “You must go and have a shower,” she insists, “I’ve got enough on my plate, getting Arwen ready!”
 |
| . . . and meekly leaves his cereal on the table |
Gethin does as he is told, and puts down his bowl of cereal; he tells Arwen, “Mam wants you in the lounge.”
 |
| In comes Arwen . . . |
She comes in, looking remarkably carefree,
 |
| . . . and has her shoes put on |
and Ffion puts on her shoes.
Then Ffion’s mobile rings, and she finds that it is Siôn who is calling;
 |
| "I can't talk for long" |
“I can’t talk for long,” she says, but as she walks out of the room,
 |
| Arwen is understandably feeling hungry . . . |
Arwen gets up to investigate the bowl of cereal on the table.
 |
| . . . and gets stuck into the Multigrain Hoops |
She is soon taking full advantage of it.
Out in the woodland, Elgan has all the necessities with him, including shaving brush.
 |
| Elgan ensures his boots are clean . . . |
By his campfire he brushes his boots, then puts on his jacket and,
 |
| . . . before leaving his encampment |
looking very determined, sets out along the forest path.
 |
| "We're skint, Vicky!" |
At Maes-y-Deri, Mathew points out to Vicky that they should not buy each other presents, as they are skint, but she is disappointed.
 |
| She still harbours the fantasy of their own flat |
She points out, “I would love to wake up in our own flat on Christmas Day.
 |
| "I hope there are lots of chocolates" |
Kath is busy compiling a list of things to be bought, and Mark hopes there are lots of chocolates on it.
 |
| "How about contributing toward the cost?" |
She suggests that Vicky and Mathew should contribute toward the cost, as she assumes that Mathew will be with them.
 |
| "Especially with the way Mathew scoffs his food!" |
“Especially with the way he scoffs his food!” comments Non,
 |
| Vicky is amused |
and Vicky laughs.
“Right – I’ve got sprouts, potatoes, carrots, bread sauce, cranberry,” says Kath,
 |
| "Don't forget the parsnips!" |
and Mathew insists they must have parsnips – and sausages wrapped in bacon. Mark requests Black Forest Gateau.
 |
| Mark goes to answer the door |
There is a knock at the door, and Mark slowly gets up to answer it, while Vicky suggests Profiteroles with chocolate sauce; Kath replies that she cannot get everything.
 |
| "The dialysis machine has arrived" |
Mark reports that the dialysis machine has arrived, and asks the deliveryman to take it upstairs; “This is the reality of life now, so don’t make a fuss,” he tells them,
 |
| This makes Non think seriously |
and Non looks grim.
 |
| "Grandad is coming to see you tonight" |
At Cysgod y Glyn, Ffion has finished the lengthy phone call with Siôn; “Grandad is coming to see you at the hospital tonight,” she says, but then is horrified to find that Arwen has finished off the whole bowl of Multigrain Hoops.
 |
| "Arwen – what have you done?" |
“No! Arwen – what have you done?” Ffion shouts, “What did I tell you? No eating until after the operation!”
 |
| Poor little Arwen is in the doghouse |
Arwen looks suitably penitent, and Gethin wonders what the shouting is about.
 |
| "You left your bowl of cereal there!" |
“You left your bowl of cereal there, and she’s eaten it!” Ffion rages.
 |
| "That machine freaks me out!" |
Walking through the village, Vicky says that she is freaked out by that dialysis machine, but Kath tells her, “You would do anything if it kept you alive – Mark’s tougher than you think.”
 |
| The village vigilante is watching |
Behind them, a hooded figure – Elgan, no less – is lurking; he takes a notebook from his pocket and heads towards the alley.
 |
| Roadworks under way in Cwmderi |
At the end of the back street, a group of workmen have erected barriers. From the shelter of the alley,
 |
| Elgan keeps an eye on the café . . . |
Elgan watches the café,
 |
| . . . then makes himself scarce |
then hides behind the Christmas tree when he sees Kath and Colin approaching.
 |
| He seems devoted to the safety of the locals |
He jots something down in his notebook – a time and name, with the comment ‘SAFE’.
 |
| "Can you change this £20 for Eileen, please?" |
In the Deri, Colin comes in for £20 worth of change for the shop, which Vicky finds for him; he tells Siôn that he is pretty busy,
 |
| "It's Arwen's operation today" |
and Siôn admits that he is on tenterhooks today, as it is Arwen’s operation. “It’s hard to get into the spirit with that hanging over us.”
Vicky predicts that there will not be much celebrating at Maes-y-Deri either, with Mark so ill;
 |
| "The dialysis machine arrived today" |
“The dialysis machine arrived this morning – he hasn’t got much energy, but he’s staying positive.”
 |
| "No sign of a transplant yet?" |
Colin enquires, “So there’s no sign of a transplant yet?” and Vicky replies that she does not think the reality has hit any of them yet.
 |
| "You never know what's just round the corner" |
“Well, don’t despair,” Colin encourages her, “You never know what’s just around the corner.”
 |
| Elgan is still watching the café . . . |
Elgan, on his self-imposed reconnaissance duty, watches Gaynor emerge from the café and speak to Siôn;
 |
| . . . as Siôn speaks to Gaynor |
he will not get any news about Arwen until he goes to visit tonight.
 |
| Then he has to retreat round the corner |
Then Elgan retires to the other end of the alley as Gaynor comes across to speak to Colin.
Kath joins them and tells Colin that Mark would welcome a visit from him;
 |
| "We're waiting for your boyfriend to drop by" |
“And we’re waiting for your boyfriend to drop by too,” she comments to Gaynor, “He hasn’t been to see Mark, or offered advice or anything!”
 |
| All this intelligence is gathered by the doctor |
Elgan peers round the corner and listens to this.
 |
| "I haven't seen Elgan lately" |
Colin also mentions that he has not seen Elgan lately, and asks if he is all right; “Maybe you should persuade him to go to Greece with you – it would be nice for the girls to meet him.” Gaynor is in a hurry to go back across to the café.
 |
| It all goes down in his little book |
Again, Elgan makes a note in his book.
 |
| "Sorry, Debbie" |
Mathew has brought in the washing and takes it upstairs, where he is surprised to see Debbie in the bedroom;
 |
| "That's my underwear, you pervert!" |
she shouts, “That’s my underwear, you pervert!” He protests that he was only trying to help out, and that it is a shock to see the dialysis machine.
 |
| "I hope the instruction manual is here" |
Debbie hopes that the instruction manual is here somewhere.
 |
| "You're trying too hard, Debs" |
Mathew tells her that she is trying too hard to behave as if everything is normal;
 |
| "I'm scared of losing him" |
“It’s difficult with that in our room!” she replies, “But if it keeps him alive . . . I’m scared of losing him – we’ve wasted so much time – time we could have had together.”
 |
| "But you're together now" |
Mathew argues that they are together now, and that is what is important; “You’ve given him so much support, but you have to focus on yourself as well.”
 |
| "I'm sorry I accused you" |
Debbie apologises for accusing him of stealing the money, and he assures her he would never steal from her. She says that she is glad he is back now, as he is so good with Vicky and Nicky.
“Things aren’t easy for young couples these days, but you don’t get a chance to enjoy yourselves,” she tells him,
 |
| "What if I babysit for you?" |
“What if I babysit for you so you can go out – I’ll give you £20 too, as a thank you for putting a smile on her face. Tomorrow night it is!” However, she insists that they must stay positive in front of Mark.
 |
| Ffion and Gethin are back home . . . |
Back at Cysgod y Glyn, Ffion says that Arwen is totally confused;
 |
| . . . and she makes sure he remembers why |
she displays the breakfast bowl, and Gethin groans, “Yes, I know – but it’s not the end of the world, we’ll get another slot for the operation.”
 |
| "That could be weeks away!" |
“That could be weeks away!” Ffion exclaims, then the buzzer sounds. She answers it, and finds it is Siôn.
 |
| "I hope you've made an official complaint!" |
He demands what happened, and is told that the operation was cancelled; “That’s disgraceful – I hope you’ve made an official complaint!” says Siôn.
“What – against him for being an idiot?” Ffion demands,
 |
| Gethin explains the cereal incident |
and Gethin explains what happened with the cereal. Then she turns on Siôn, “If you hadn’t phoned, asking for the name of the ward, I could have stopped her!
 |
| "You're both to blame!" |
“So you’re both to blame – and Arwen is suffering!”
 |
| Elgan has returned to base camp |
Back in his woodland retreat, Elgan sits down by his fire, which has now gone out, and checks the notebook,
 |
| Certain of his observations are quite detailed |
which surprisingly includes the item, ‘Bryntirion – Dai feeds the cat – SAFE’ as well as other local people.
 |
| He sits in his tent |
He looks pleased with his surveillance and adjourns to his tent.
 |
| "Oh, I'm all right" |
Colin is visiting Mark, who tries to give the impression he is right;
 |
| "You can't fool me!" |
Colin insists, “You can’t fool me – we’ve been friends for years, and had many adventures together – I know you too well!”
Mark replies that he does not think there will be any more adventures, not this time.
 |
| "Is there any point?" |
“All I will be doing now is sitting here all day, connecting myself to this machine, so I can sit here – and then do the same thing over and over again. Is there any point?”
 |
| "Who knows what might happen?" |
Colin tries to encourage him; “Who knows what might happen, Mark? What if we went out for walk? We could have lunch in the café.”
 |
| "I'm taking Ricky to the Christmas Fair" |
Mark thinks that he had better not, as he is saving his energy to take Ricky to the Christmas Fair in Swansea. “It’s not easy to stay positive now that my body has given up,” he groans.
 |
| Organic vegetable for Lobscouse |
Non comes in with a box of organic vegetables, so that she can make lobscouse [APPARENTLY A STEW MADE WITH MEAT AND VEGETABLES]. She is surprised to see Colin there,
 |
| "That was Dad's favourite" |
but Mark says that lobscouse was his father’s favourite.
As it will not be ready for some time, Mark decides to go and have a lie down, and he thanks Colin for coming.
 |
| "I think it's time to tell the truth" |
Then Colin announces to Non, “I think it’s time to tell the truth – things are getting worse, and Mark’s suffering – you have to tell him!”
 |
| Non just wants to be left alone |
She simply answers that she wants to be left alone, and he leaves the house.
 |
| "There's a slot for Arwen on Thursday" |
Ffion tells Siôn that the hospital have just phoned; “There’s a slot for her on Thursday – she’s going in overnight tomorrow.” She is insistent that she will stay in the hospital with Arwen, but Gethin will not.
 |
| "We'll both be fine, won't we?" |
“We’ll both be fine, won’t we?” as she cuddles Arwen, “You and Mam are going on holiday to the hospital tomorrow –
 |
| "We don't need anyone else" |
“we don’t need anyone else, do we?”
 |
| Siôn and Gethin are concerned |
Gethin and Siôn look at each other, concerned.
Debbie comments that it is all right for some, sleeping in the afternoon, and thinks the instructions look complicated.
 |
| "You stick these pipes in here" |
He explains, “You just have to stick these pipes in here, turn the machine on, and it will turn itself off by the morning – every night.
 |
| "It won't make any more noise than Mam's snoring" |
“It won’t make any more noise than Mam’s snoring, across the landing.”
Debbie is worried that if he should turn over during the night, the pipe might come out;
 |
| "What if something goes wrong?" |
“What if something goes wrong, and I can’t help?” He assures her that it will be all right, and she is not to worry.
 |
| "If you want to move into Ricky's room . . ." |
He will understand if she wants to set up a bed in Ricky’s room, but she is adamant she is staying with him; “I’m not leaving you alone with that!”
Mark thinks that he will have another nap before dinner, as he is tired; “That’s what do you get for gossiping with Colin all afternoon,” she tells him.
 |
| Mark eyes the machine with dread |
She goes downstairs and Mark looks at the machine.
 |
| Siôn is about to 'put his oar in' again |
Siôn arrives home at Y Felin; after pondering for a moment, he gets out his phone and dials a number.
 |
| "Macs, this is Dad" |
“Macs, this is Dad – phone me when you get this message. Things aren’t too good at Cysgod y Glyn,
 |
| "Your daughter needs you!" |
“I think you need to come home – your daughter needs you!”
