Cwmderi Diary 2017: 13 December 2017

Someone is watching Garry

Garry is outside the garage when his phone rings; it is Gaynor, and he tells her, “I said I’d contact you if I heard anything.”

Of course it is Elgan . . .

As he walks along the street, we see Elgan, lurking behind a car, watching Garry;

. . . who documents his patrol

he checks the time and makes a note in his book.

When Garry reaches home, he is still speaking, “I’m worried, too,”

"It's just a customer"

and then tells Dani, “It’s a customer, worrying about his car.”

"Kelly want to have a buffet and carols"

She has had a call from Kelly about her procession on Christmas Day, wanting a buffet and carols in the Deri afterwards, but Garry regards it as a lot of hassle.

"It's a lot less hassle than Christmas Dinner "

She whines, “Come on, Garry, it’s a lot less hassle than serving Christmas Dinner, and I can’t do the panto this year.”

"You shouldn't be doing too much"

He is insistent that she should not do too much, as the baby is due only a few days later. “It would be fun – and the cash would be handy!” she adds, “It’s not going to be a free bar – and you know people like a drink on Christmas Day. We might get rid of that crème de menthe.”

"I'm not singing 'Jingle Bells'!"

Garry is quite definite, “I’m not singing ‘Jingle Bells’!”

"How about 'Silent Night', then?"

so Dani suggests ‘Silent Night’.

"I'm going down to the cashpoint"

At Maes-y-Deri, Mark tells Vicky that he is going to the village to get some cash for the Fair at Swansea with Ricky;

"No, he's going with friends"

“He’s going with friends,” she informs him,”

"But we always go"

but Mark protests that they always go – it is tradition.

She goes on, “Not this year – he’s going with Osian from school. He didn’t think you’d feel well enough, and didn’t want to put pressure on you.

"What if you caught pneumonia?"

“What if you caught pneumonia? It’s cold outside, especially at night.”

Mark is very disappointed;

"Do I just sit here in bubble wrap?"

“What am I supposed to do – just sit here in bubble wrap?” Vicky instructs him that he is going to sit on the sofa with Mam,

"You're getting a DVD and a takeaway"

get a DVD and a takeaway, just the two of them, well, after Nicky goes to bed.

“I’m going out with Mathew – it was Mam’s idea,” she adds,

"I'm losing control of my life already"

and Mark despairs that he is losing control of his life already; he takes off his coat again.

"Mam's being really nice to Mathew"

Vicky adds, “I don’t know what’s happened, but Mam is being really nice to him – she’s babysitting, and given us money to go out.”

"She's realised he's a nice guy"

Mark supposes, “She has at last realised that Mathew is a nice guy, and that he looks after you and Nicky.” Vicky says she cannot wait until they get their own place – and have loads more kids together. “And I hope I’ll be around to see that!” Mark tells her.

Vicky gives Mark a hug

Vicky gives him a big hug

In the Deri, Dani tells a customer that they have parsnip soup today,

Mathew praises Dani's parsnip soup . . .

with Mathew adding, “Dani made it – it’s lovely! She knows I like parsnips.” Dani has difficulty stretching up to the optics, and Mathew rushes to her assistance;

. . . and goes beyond what she considers acceptable

“What if you strained your back and hurt the baby?” he says, placing his hands on her bulge.

She takes exception to this and leads him to the foot of the stairs;

"You don't do that in front of customers!"

“What are you doing, touching me like that in front of customers?” He insists that he was only trying to help, and looking after the baby, as he may be the father.

"Garry is her father!"

“You’re not!” she snarls, “How many times do I have to tell you? Garry is her father – so please don’t start this nonsense again!”

Mathew does not look totally convinced

She goes upstairs.

Gaynor goes to visit the surgery

Gaynor approaches the door of the surgery, looks around and sees a hooded figure coming from the direction of the road works, where a pneumatic drill is being used.

Elgan tries to escape into the alley

“Elgan?” she says, and the figure rushes into the alley, but finds the other end blocked by Beti, talking to someone, so he turns to face Gaynor.

"I've been so worried!"

“Where have you been? I’ve been so worried!” she exclaims, but he tells her to leave him alone, as he said everything he has to say in that note. “Please let me help you!” she begs,

"I know what I'm doing"

but he insists he does not need her help, and knows what he is doing. Warning her not to follow him,

He makes a hasty getaway . . .

he rapidly flees towards the road works.

. . . but leaves behind his notebook . . .

Then Gaynor sees that he has dropped something and picks up his notebook;

. . . containing some detailed observations

she is very puzzled when she reads some of the entries.

Dani puts on the kettle . . .

Dani decides to make herself a cup of tea, and turns on the kettle;

. . . but then feels an excruciating pain

just as she has put a teabag in the mug, she is seized by a sudden pain.

"I've seen Elgan . . ."

Gaynor has hurried to the garage to report to Garry that she has just seen Elgan, who ran away;

". . . but he dropped this"

“But he dropped this,” she says, handing Garry the notebook, “He has been watching people in the village.

Garry finds an entry about him;

Garry finds that he is listed there

“Outside the garage at 8:45am – safe. Why would he watch and time people?” Gaynor relates that Elgan said he knew what he was doing, and Garry comments, “I wish I did!”

"He is trying to make sure everyone is safe"

She thinks that he is trying to make sure that everyone is safe – but does not believe that he is safe, fearing that he may do something stupid.

"Will you go to his house, please?"

“Will you go to his house, please? He might be back by now,” she asks, “Talk to him and tell him that no-one in the village knows about the PTSD.”

Garry loses no time in going

Garry will lock up the garage and go now.

No reply from Garry . . .

The pain has subsided temporarily; Dani rings Garry,

. . . for the simple reason the phone is in the garage

but he has left his mobile in the garage, and it rings unnoticed.

Trying to find his notebook

Outside the garage, the hooded figure appears to be searching desperately for something he has lost, looking under the car parked there, awaiting attention. In his frustration, he snaps the pencil in half.

"Gar, where are you? The baby's coming!"

Meanwhile, Dani leaves a message, “Gar, where are you? The baby’s coming!” Another wave of pain overwhelms her,

"Mathew!"

so she has no choice but to shout for Mathew.
“The baby’s coming!” she announces, “Go and find Garry!”

Mathew takes control of the situation

He decides she is going to the hospital, and will not take no for an answer; he picks up her coat and bag, and they leave.

"He hasn't been there for days"

Garry arrives at Llwyncelyn after having checked Elgan’s house and finding it empty; “There was no sign of him, and I saw the Western Post and a pile of letters on the doormat. I’d say he hasn’t been there for days. Does he have friends?”

Gaynor cannot believe anything he said

Gaynor replies, “He has talked about one or two – if they exist. What are we going to do?”

"We are his only friends – and he's furious with us!"

Garry comes to the conclusion that he only has two friends, and is furious with both of them. He wonders where Elgan can be.

"Garry's still not answering!"

When they reach the hospital, Dani is still fretting that Garry will not answer his phone. Mathew takes charge and grabs the phone; “You have to focus on the baby,” he tells her, as she is doubled up with pain once more.

The nurse asks for Dani's details . . .

A nurse asks for her name and address, which Mathew supplies;

. . . which Mathew calmly supplies

he also knows her date of birth, 14 September 1988, and that the baby is due on 28 December.

"Thank goodness Dad is here!"

“Thank goodness Dad is here!” the nurse comments, “I’m sure you’re very excited. Don’t worry – I’m sure everything will be fine.” Dani goes with the nurse,

Mathew looks quite smug

and Mathew looks quite pleased with himself.

"Which one for tonight?"

Vicky asks Mark to help her choose which dress to wear tonight; “It depends where you are going – if you’re going to Mars, that one would suit you great!”

"That one looks pretty"

She presumes they are going somewhere cheap, and he chooses the one which Mathew also likes.

Mark says he is watching some programme about expensive houses; Vicky comments, disparagingly, “Rich people who want to live in the country, grow veg and ride horses.

"We love it here, but the locals speak funny!"

“We love it here, but the locals speak funny!”

"It's nice to see you laughing"

She tells Mark that it is nice to see him laughing,

"It's better than crying, I suppose"

and he agrees, “It’s better than crying, I suppose.”

"You'll get a kidney from somewhere"

She insists that he is not doing to die, and that he will get a kidney from somewhere. “I wish I had your faith, Vic,” he says.

“Seeing you down in the dumps upsets everyone, especially Ricky,” says Vicky, “He’s trying to be a tough guy, but is as worried as the rest of us. We’re all here to look after you, remember.”

"I thought you were moving out"

Mark comments that he thought that they were moving out, but she responds, “I’m not stupid – the bank of Mam and Dad doesn’t exist in this house – so we’ll probably be here for years – aren’t you lucky?”

"A service before the MOT?"

When Garry gets back to the garage, he takes a phone call and then realises his mobile is there;

He sees that something must be urgent

he sees that there have been six missed calls from Dani and immediately rings her back. He is somewhat surprised when Mathew answers;

"Mathew? What's going on?"

“What’s going on? Is Dani all right?”

"It was a false alarm"

By this time, they are back in the Deri flat, as it was a false alarm; although Mathew insists he does not need to rush over, Garry thinks otherwise.

"I can't believe I made such a fuss over some wind!"

Dani feels rather silly; “I just can’t believe I made such a fuss over some wind!” but Mathew points out that it is important to be sure. She instructs him, “Not a word about . . . but thanks for coming with me. Garry will be coming next time.”

"Are you all right, Dani?"

Garry comes dashing into the flat, and she assures him that it was just wind, and she is OK. “I’m just glad you didn’t miss the birth!” she tells him,

"I'll be with you every step of the way"

and he promises that, when the time comes, he will be with her every step of the way.

"Have the rest of the afternoon off, Mathew"

Mathew is feeling rather superfluous by this time, and Dani tells him to take the rest of the afternoon off, which he does, although reluctantly.

"The clue is in the name – vinda-LOO!"

Studying the Cwm Delhi menu, Marks asks if vindaloo is spicy; Vicky enlightens him that the clue is in the name – vinda-LOO! “Tonight is supposed to be romantic – and it won’t be if you get a bad stomach!”

"A sly snog in the back"

He resolves to have something mild, and is looking forward to tonight, which will be like going to the cinema. “And a sly snog in the back,” predicts Vicky.

Mathew is rather shaken up

Mathew comes in, complaining that he has the rest of the afternoon off; “Actually, I’m a bit shaken up,” he admits,

"Dani started having pains"

“Dani started having pains, so I took her to hospital – false alarm – it was only wind! But I didn’t panic at all.”

"I'm sure Dani's very grateful"

Vicky is full of admiration, maintaining that she would have had a meltdown in that situation. “I’m sure Dani’s very grateful – and you might get a pay rise.”

It has put Mathew off going out with Vicky

Mathew has now gone off the idea of going out tonight,

"We've got to go out!"

despite Vicky having been looking forward to it; he says that the experience had more effect on him than he expected. “Can’t we just stay in and watch a film? We haven’t got any money anyway.

"You might as well have a look at this, then"

“You might as well have a look at this menu, then,” Mark suggests to Vicky.

"I was out on business"

Garry tells Dani that he was out on business and is sorry he forgot his phone.

"We need to be organised"

She scolds him, “We need to be organised – we’re not ready for this baby. I don’t want to rely on Mathew and Vicky for the bar and stuff.” Garry insists that he will sort out the staff rotas.

"We should ask Gwyneth to have Gwern"

“I also think we should ask Gwyneth to have Gwern for a while when the baby arrives. We can’t cope with him running around and the new baby screaming – he’d get more attention from Gwyneth.”

"I'll see what he thinks about that"

He replies that if Gwern does not want to do that, they will not force him.

"A chance to bond – just the three of us"

“We’ll get a chance to bond – just the three of us!” she says, “And one more thing – don’t tell anyone, especially Britt, because I don’t want her to think I’m a wimp –

"If I can't cope with wind . . ."

I’ve decided to have an epidural. If I can’t cope with wind, I don’t fancy my chances of giving birth! The decision is up to me, but I want to talk to Elgan about it first.”