Cwmderi Diary 2018: 31 January 2018

They pore over the jigsaw puzzle

Colin and Non are working on a very complicated jigsaw puzzle; “It’s no wonder Catrin gave up after five minutes,” he remarks,

"It's best to stay out of Debbie's way"

and Non thanks him for inviting her over. She thinks it is best to stay out of Debbie’s way, but Colin predicts she will change her tune after the surgery.

“If I’m allowed to donate a kidney,” Non says.

"What happened with your mother had a huge impact"

Colin points out that it is obvious that what happened to her mother had a huge impact on her. Non admits, “The psychologist doesn’t know –

"I haven't told the psychologist"

“I haven’t told her – I’m afraid she’ll think I’ll need therapy before I am allowed to go ahead with the transplant.”

Colin does not pretend to understand these things, but doubts she has much choice other than to tell them.

"You can't just ignore me, Garry"

Dani is about to take Carol out for a walk, but Garry turns his back on her; “You can’t just ignore me – we need to sort this out,” she says,

"Until I get the DNA results . . ."

but he replies that until he has the DNA results, he does not have to say anything to her.

Britt walks in, and is surprised that Garry has not thrown Dani out;

"Jumping into bed with the lodger"

“Jumping into bed with the lodger, making fools of us. You must be mad – but then, your entire family’s warped!”

Dani walks out

Dani walks out, and Britt tells Garry that she deserved that.

"It was perfect – obviously too perfect!"

He still cannot believe it, as things were so perfect – obviously too perfect. “Looking back,” replies Britt, “It’s obvious why things were so difficult after Carol was born –

"She was worried who the father was"

“she was worried who the father was. She changed overnight – we thought she was getting over depression, but it’s obvious that is when she found out you were the father.”

"Or she managed to convince Mathew of that"

Garry answers, “Or that was when she managed to convince Mathew of that – I don’t know what to believe – I’ve done another DNA test to make sure.” She asks what he will do if he finds he is not the father,

"I don't know anything any more"

but he does not even know what he will do if he finds that he is Carol’s father; he does not know anything any more.

"I shall help you through this"

Britt assures him that he will get through this, just like he gets through everything; she will be with him every step of the way, and she will help behind the bar.

"You've really messed up this time, haven't you?"

Dani slowly pushes the pram along the street and is confronted by Gwyneth, who comments, “You’ve really messed up this time, haven’t you? What am I going to tell Gwern? Have you thought of that?” Danny walks away without a word.

"Life is a mess"

Josh comments that life is a mess, and Gwyneth demands whether Vicky has moved to Spain permanently.

"And the interest!"

“She’d better repay the loan! If she doesn’t come back, someone else will have to pay – and the interest!”

Hannah is doing her homework at the kitchen table in Bryntirion;

Hannah is worried about Chester

she is about to ring Chester when he walks in through the back door,
looking rather despondent. She asks how the theory test went,

He does not look confident

and he shakes his head, but then goes on to explain he was only joking, and that he passed. “Full marks on the multiple-choice, and 67 on the rest – the pass mark is 44!”

"Ooh – genius!"

Hannah congratulates him on his success, and he announces that he will buy her lunch; “I thought perhaps we should invite Dai and Diane too –

"They gave me the money for the test"

“after all, they gave me the money to sit the test.” Hannah is not very keen on this idea, but then he also suggests inviting his mother and Colin as well. He insists that they will get on fine together;

Hannah does not think this is a good idea

Hannah is far from convinced.

"Good boy, Chester!"

The phone rings at APD, and Dai is pleased to hear Chester’s news; he reports to Diane that Chester wants them to go to the Deri to celebrate. She welcomes this, until she hears that Britt and Colin will also be coming.

"Can't we all be civil for once?"

“Come on, Diane, can’t we all be civil for once?” he pleads. She points out that it was not his expensive outfit that was ruined, but he hopes that they can bury the hatchet once and for all.

"I know where I'd like to bury it!"

Diane knows where she would like to bury it, but he insists it will be a chance for her to make amends with Hannah.

Non arrives at the psychologist's

Non arrives at the psychologist’s office; she is assured that there is no rush.

"I spoke to the surgeon"

Non has spoken to the surgeon, who went through everything with her, and is asked whether it made her feel more able to cope. She replies that everything is more clear in her head, and she thinks that the breathing exercises helped;

"Going to the park helped"

also, going to the park helped to clear her head.

Tyler finds Dani sitting on the bench

Tyler with his pram, encounters Dani sitting on the bench by the alley;

"I can't face going back to the Deri"

“I can’t face going back to the Deri,” she admits,

"Come with me, before you get hypothermia!"

so he urges her to come home with him before she gets hypothermia.

Britt congratulates her son

In the Deri, Britt throws her arms around Chester and congratulates him;

"I knew he'd pass the theory test"

Hannah maintains that she was confident he would pass. Garry angrily reminds Chester that the world does not revolve around him.

The atmosphere feels rather awkward

Then, much to Britt’s disgust, Dai and Diane come in. The atmosphere is rather awkward, and they go to find a table.

Josh has sought out Gwyneth

Josh finds Gwyneth in the street and presents her with an envelope containing £1,000; “You can count it, if you like – it’s the money Vicky owes you! Take it, before I change my mind.”

"There's the interest as well!"

Gwyneth points out that there is interest on top of the £1,000,

"You're lucky to get anything at all!"

but Josh informs her, “You’re lucky to get anything at all.”

She shows him the contract,

"That's a terrible contract!"

which he screws up and describes as, “A terrible one!” She threatens to take Vicky to court; he warns her, “I would advise you not to – you might think you’re tough,

"You don't want to cross me!"

“but believe me, you don’t want to cross me!

"Garry won't look at Carol"

Dani tells Tyler that Gary will not look at Carol; “How can he think that I’d tamper with the test – or that someone else would? What kind of person does he think I am?

"After everything he's done"

“After everything he’s done! I know what I did was wrong – but for him to point the finger!”

"You have to find a way to make it work"

He advises that if she still loves Garry she has to find a way to make this work, and is confident that she will manage to do so.

"Non is not as obsessional now"

The psychologist asks if Non has been looking at images of operations again, and is told that she is not as obsessional as she was. “It’s one thing to face your demons, but another to let them take over,” the psychologist advises.

"Mam died during an operation"

There is one other point which Non wishes to raise; the fact that her mother died during an operation, which she should have mentioned earlier. “It’s a painful subject to talk about, even now.

"When will I find out?"

“I remember giving her a kiss, and saying that I would see her later. It’s obvious why I have this phobia, isn’t it? When will I find out if the transplant can go ahead?”

"You should hear tomorrow morning"

The answer is that she will hear tomorrow morning.

The atmosphere is rather frosty

The atmosphere around the meal table in the Deri is rather fraught, and Diane appears to be off her food.

"You should have told me about Garry and Dani"

Chester complains that they should have told him earlier about Garry and Dani,

"How old do you think I am – five?"

and Hannah points out that she is not five years old, which irritates Diane.

"Another drink might put a smile on your face"

“Come on, Diane, another drink might put a smile on your face,” moans Britt, “I’m not the one sitting here like a wet weekend!” Chester has gone to fetch the next round, and Hannah joins him.

"I'm still waiting for an apology!"

Diane stresses that she is still waiting for an apology for her outfit; Britt replies, “If you had an ounce of common sense, you wouldn’t have come!” Diane certainly did not expect her to be as childish as this.

"They've probably gone – and who can blame them?"

Colin predicts that Chester and Hannah have probably gone; “And who can blame them? You’re both to blame!”

"For once, I agree with Colin – every word!"

Dai confirms that, for once, he agrees with Colin – every word.

"Next time I get such a stupid idea, stop me!"

As they leave the Deri, Chester says, “Next time I get such a stupid idea, stop me!” and Hannah recalls that she tried to do so. “I’ve had enough of them!” he sighs.

"You can buy an old banger"

She reminds him that when he gets his licence, they will be able to get away, and that he can buy an old banger. “I couldn’t even afford to buy something from a scrapyard!” he exclaims,

The friendly local loan-shark is waiting for victims

“And then there’s the insurance.”

"You could always borrow money"

Gwyneth, who is lurking in the alley, seizes her opportunity; “You could always borrow money,” she suggests, “I’ve got some spare cash, but it was just an idea – if you’re stuck, you know where I am.”

Surely, he is not thinking of accepting her offer?

Hannah regards this as rather weird.

We appear to have a temporary truce

In the Deri, Colin announces that as they have all come to their senses, perhaps they can enjoy a quiet drink; they drink a toast, “To Chester!”

"We should be grateful for what we have"

Seeing Dani coming into the pub, Colin adds, “We should be grateful for what we have.”

"Do you want to give Carol her bottle?"

Dani asks if Garry wants to give Carol her bottle;

"Why would I want to do that?"

“Why would I want to do that?” he replies, and she goes upstairs.

"Remember, you're no saint yourself!"

Tyler reminds him that he is no saint himself.

Josh is about to leave for Swansea

Josh is preparing to leave Cwmderi, and jokes to Non that it is in case Gwyneth comes after him; “I’ve heard that a few of the old gang are in Swansea – and it is time to move on.

He sees that Non is rather down

“I’ve told Debbie already – and I would be more of a hindrance than a help.”

"I'm not sure that it will go ahead"

She is not sure that the operation will go ahead, but Josh maintains that it is just stress; she fears that she has messed up again, and when she asked when she will know whether the operation can go ahead, the psychologist could not even look at her. She is quite convinced that she has ruined everything.

"Right, I'd better stay, then

In that case, Josh decides that he is staying;

"Don't stay here on my account"

she wails, “Please, don’t stay because of me – I’ve already let Mark down, without upsetting your plans, too.”

Josh produces a bottle of some strange concoction . . .

He takes a bottle from his pocket and invites her to take a swig; “It will put some colour back in your cheeks,” he says, “I don’t want to leave you like this.”