21 March 2018

A very strained atmosphere

Things are very tense in Maes-y-Deri the next morning;  

"Isn't it time you got dressed?"

Kath suggests that is time Non got dressed, and that they could go to the Deri.   Non is not keen on that idea, but Kath points out that she has not been out since that ding-dong with DJ, and she cannot hide in here for ever.

"Everyone is talking about me!"

“Everyone’s talking about me,” Non complains, “They think I sent filthy texts to DJ!”   Kath maintains that everyone knows it was not her, but Non still does not know who set her up.   Kath says that the best thing is to face people.

"You can't force her to go out!"

Debbie, on the other hand, insists, “If she doesn’t want to go out, she doesn’t want to go out! You can’t force her to go out!”   

"Oh, do stop arguing!"

Non wishes that they would stop arguing, and Mark reprimands his mother, telling her to behave.

“You’re using Non to have a go at each other – it’s not fair!” he growls.

Obviously Colin does not see this very often

At the chip shop flat, Colin is folding the washing, and takes an inordinate interest in one item of Hannah’s underwear.   She snatches it and runs to her room.   

"Did you have to let her move in?"

He tells Britt, “I’ve seen wider dental floss!   Did you have to let her move in?   We were already like sardines!”

Britt replies that she did not have much choice – otherwise they would be on Bondi Beach by now.   

"We've come up with a plan!"

“Diane and I have been talking and it we’ve come up with a plan – to make them realise that living together can be extremely hard – 

Colin does not follow her drift

“it’s time for a reality check!”

Debbie has taken some food upstairs for Non, and, predictably, Kath moans that she will never go out.   

"She needs to face people!"

“She needs to face people – find a bit of backbone!”   Debbie has had enough 

"Some of us have jobs, you know!"

and is going to the café, stressing that some of them have jobs.

"Why are you having a go at her every two minutes?"

Mark complains that his mother is having a go at her every two minutes, and instead should apologise to her.   “When are you going to let this abortion business go?”   

"I didn't realise you were so weak!"

She retaliates that she did not realise he was so weak.

Chester with his triple-decker sandwich

Chester is just using the last slices of bread, and his mother broaches the subject of payment.   

"Colin and I aren't made of money"

“Now that Hannah has moved in, there is another mouth to feed – it adds to the costs.   Colin and I aren’t made of money, 

"How about £40 a week towards the bills?"

“so we thought you and Hannah should contribute, say, £40 a week towards the bills.   It’s not a lot when you consider that you’re having food and drink.”

Chester does not like the sound of this

Chester protests that he did not have to pay when it was just him, and his mother points out, “There are two of you now – and it would cost a lot more to find somewhere else to live, wouldn’t it?   I thought you could get more shifts at APD – and Hannah will have to find a part-time job.   Although I want you to concentrate on your schoolwork, 

"You have to take responsibility"

“you have to take responsibility for the bills.   That’s life!”

Debbie serves DJ, and he asks about Non

DJ gets a cup of coffee in the café, and asks Debbie about Non.   He is told that she has gone into her shell and will not go out.   

"I shouldn't have had a go at her"

He feels very guilty about having a go at her, but Debbie says that he is as much of victim as she is.

Catrin looks guilty

Colin and Catrin come in, and Debbie informs them about the online dating fiasco;  Catrin naturally looks guilty.

Chester hears that he will not get a refund

Chester receives the news that there tickets will not be refunded, and he will just have to get more shifts at APD;  he will also try to get some in the chippy downstairs.   

"We're going to have to earn loads of money!"

“With the £40.00 for Mam, and paying Gwyneth back, we’re going to have to earn loads of money every week, before we can think of money to go out!”   

"I'll get a job as well"

Hannah agrees that she will have to get a job as well, and naïvely predicts that they will be all right.   

"Do you regret me moving in?"

She wonders if Chester regrets moving in together, and asking her to marry him, 

He draws a ring on her finger

but he assures her that he does not.   To prove it, in the absence of a ring, he draws one on her finger with a pen, 

"You're so sweet, Chester!"

and she describes him as, “So sweet!”

"You need to apologise to me, too!"

Kath returns to Maes-y-Deri , where Mark is looking determined;  “It’s not just Debbie you have to apologise to, but to me as well!” he snarls, “I’m not weak!”   

"She'll think she can walk all over you!"

She argues that if he takes her back that easily, Debbie will think she can walk all over him.   “She’s deceiving you – and you carry on as if everything is OK!”   
He replies that everything is not OK, but they are working through it, and he emphasises that it takes a strong person to try and forgive, enquiring how many times she forgave his father.

". . . or we're moving out!"

“Stop interfering and apologise!” he demands, “Or we’re moving out!”   

"You're pulling my leg!"

Kath laughs at this suggestion, saying they have been living off her for years, and she cannot see that changing.

Catrin feels increasingly uncomfortable

“Who would get a kick out of doing such a thing?” puzzles Colin, “Poor Non – she’s so young and innocent,” 

"Perhaps she sent the texts to herself!"

but Britt raises the ‘crush’ issue again.   “She didn’t mean any harm,” he insists, and when Britt suggests that she sent the texts to herself, 

"Don't be ridiculous!"

he becomes angry and calls her ridiculous, even wondering if Britt herself sent the texts.

Catrin is by now despairing

As they shout at each other, Catrin wonders what she has started.   

"Oh – touched a nerve, have I?"

Colin thinks that perhaps he has touched a nerve, 

"Mam didn't do it – I did!"

and suddenly Catrin jumps up and shouts, “Stop quarrelling!   Mam didn’t do it – I did!”

"She was ruining everything for both of you!"

They cannot believe their ears;  she explains, “I had to do something – she was ruining everything for both of you.”   

"Non is heartbroken – and it's your fault!"

Colin is very disappointed in her, as Non has been left heartbroken and it is her fault.   

She is scared of the consequences

As well as that, she has broken the law, and could land in jail for impersonating someone.

"Get your coat, my girl!"

Britt is going to take her to Maes-y-Deri, where she will confess and apologise, and orders her to get her coat, now.   

"You can apologise to me later"

She also tells Colin that he can apologise to her later.

Dai gives his – very specific – order

Dai is at the café, ordering a sandwich:  “Cheese, ham and tomato – and put plenty of cheese in it, so I can taste it, this time – and proper mayonnaise, not that watery salad cream.”

"I'll be right there, Mark!"

Debbie’s phone rings, and she receives some news from Mark which causes her to leave the café in a hurry;  Dai complains about the fact that he has not got his order.   

"You don't look as if you're going to starve!"

She comments that he does not look as if he is going to starve.

Non has come out of the house

Kath has managed to get Non out of the house, and is trying to convince her that everyone will have forgotten in a few weeks.   

"Catrin has something to say"

Outside CwmFM they meet Britt, with Catrin, who is prompted by her mother to apologise.   

"I set up the online dating account"

“It was me who set up the online dating account – it was just meant as a joke.”

This infuriates Kath

Kath is furious, and points out that Non was just out of hospital;  Non wants to know why Catrin played the joke on her, 

"Because she took a fancy to Colin"

and Britt explains that she was upset because Non took a fancy to Colin.

Kath immediately involves the 'pigs'

“She’s not getting away with this!” roars Kath, “I’m doing what Britt  should have done – I’m phoning the pigs.   Nobody upsets my family!”   She will not be dissuaded, 

"I want to report an identity theft!"

and says, “I want to report an identity theft – a serious one!”

"Right, we need to pack!"

When Debbie returns home, she is told that they need to pack, as they are moving out;  “We’re going to the café!   I can’t stand living here any more – all we do is quarrel!”   

"I don't want to go back to that dump!"

Ricky is reluctant to go back to ‘that dump’, but his father is adamant;  

"But no-one ever cares what I think!"

“There we are – no one ever cares what I think, do they?” he groans.

"We need a break from this nonsense"

Mark tells Debbie that they need a break from this nonsense – they live in each others pockets, and he needs peace and quiet to recover, but will not get that here.   

"Mam has gone way too far this time!"

“Mam has gone way too far this time!   So we’re moving out for all our sakes.”

"Diane had a face like a Rottweiler . . ."

In the Deri, Dai brings a pint for DJ, and remarks upon his dour expression;  “Diane was the same this morning – she had a face like a Rottweiler.   

". . . and you've got a face like a horse!"

“Then I buy my son a pint – and you’ve got a face like a horse!”   

The thought of breaking Non's heart is troubling him

DJ is worried about Non being heartbroken.

"Come and join us, ladies!"

When Non and Kath come in, Dai invites them to sit down, 

"I said it was a stupid idea, coming here"

but Non chickens out and runs away; 

"You upset the girl every time you see her!"

 “What’s the matter with you?   You upset the girl every time you see her!” Kath rages.    

"DJ actually fancies her, Kath"

Dai confides that DJ actually fancies her, while DJ just looks acutely embarrassed, but Kath is still convinced that he deliberately made a fool  of Non in front of the whole village.

"Give her some attention, then"

She offers a bit of advice;  “Give her some attention – that’s the way to a woman’s heart.”   

"I don't play Cupid for just anyone!"

Dai informs DJ that he does not play Cupid for just anyone.

Hannah is thinking about a wedding venue

Hannah is getting rather ahead of herself;  “We need to find a wedding venue,” she says, but Chester warns her that he is not a fan of Bethania.   She would prefer somewhere more exotic, and he suggests Llanelli or Carmarthen, 

"How about somewhere like Thailand?"

but she is thinking more in terms of Thailand.   However she realises that his mother wants an extra £40 a week just for sharing his single bed.

A police constable leaves the chippy flat

As they round the corner, they see a police officer coming out of the chip shop flat, and hurry inside, where they find Catrin in tears, 

"I hope you've learned your lesson"

and Colin hoping that she has learned her lesson.   

"Catrin was behind the online dating nonsense

Britt explains that Catrin was behind the online dating nonsense with Non.   

Hannah is sympatheitc

She gets no sympathy whatsoever from Chester as Colin informs them that she was given an official police caution.

"You wouldn't last five minutes in there!"

“What do you think you were doing?” Chester demands, “Going to prison was the worst thing that ever happened to me – it’s horrible, and you wouldn’t last five minutes in there!”   

Catrin is in floods of tears

Catrin runs to her room, followed by Hannah.

"This is so embarrassing, Col!"

“This is so embarrassing,” admits Britt, “Another child in trouble with the police – she's only 15 – whatever next?”   Colin seems convinced that Catrin has learned her lesson, but she continues, “I don’t know which is worse – her pretending to be someone else, or Chester burning down the vestry in Bethania.”   

"Everyone makes mistakes when they're young"

Colin’s reply is that everyone makes mistakes when they are young.

Britt predicts that Aaron will be next, 

"I hope Aaron just steals a few bananas!"

and she hopes that all he does is steal a few bananas from Eileen’s shop.

"All he wants to do is make a fool of me"

Back home again, Non insists that she does not want to talk to DJ;  “All he wants to do is make a fool of me and pull my leg.”   

"Hang on – where's the telly?"

Kath is about to reply when she realises something is wrong, namely, the television is missing, as well as some other things.   

Non finds a note . . .

Non finds the note on the table and warns her 

. . . but meanwhile, Kath is contacting the police again

not to phone the police about a break-in.  

"They've moved out!"

“Mark and Debbie have moved out – Ricky too,” Non tells her, 

"This is Debbie's doing!"

but Kath is quite convinced that Debbie is behind this – forcing them out of their own home.

"They want time to sort out their problems"

Non reads on that it says they need time to sort out their problems;  Kath is adamant that they did not have any problems until Debbie started with her antics.   

"If she wants a fight – she's going to have one!"

“If she wants a fight – she’s going to have one!   

"Nobody comes between me and my family!"

“Neither Debbie Collins nor anyone else comes between me and my family!”