Cwmderi Diary 2018: 30 March 2018

"You've got to get changed"

Kath arrives home at Maes-y-Deri , moaning about her shift, and reminds Non that she has to get changed to meet DJ in the Deri.

"I'm going like this"

“You’ve been wearing that all week. There’s no need to be nervous –

"DJ doesn't bite!"

“DJ doesn’t bite – not on a first date, anyway.”

"I'm not supposed to tell you this"

Non tells Kath, “I’m not supposed to tell you this,

"What do you mean – too late?"

“but I think you should go and see Mark – before it’s too late.

"I've said too much already"

“I’ve already said too much!”

"I can't believe Cadno did that"

As he comes out of the shop, Mark comments to Eileen that he cannot believe what Cadno did; “And Elgan was accused, as well!”

"Everyone knows who attacked Tyler"

Eileen says that at least everyone knows now who attacked Tyler.

“Imagine it – your own sister hitting you like that!” she says, and then notices Gwyneth and Gwern getting out of a taxi,

"Sioned sent me a text"

so she goes to speak to them; “I haven’t seen Sioned since you left,” to which Gwyneth replies that she received a text, so she is still alive.

“You seem very interested for someone who has washed their hands of Sioned,” Gwyneth sneers,

"You do have a conscience, do you?"

“You do have a conscience, do you?” Then she tells Gwern that his father will want to see him.

"Have you got any change?"

DJ is walking down a city street, and passes a scruffy figure in a hoodie, who is asking people for change;

"Thanks!"

he hears the person saying, “Thanks,” to another passer-by, and recognises the voice.

"Hang on – that's Sioned's voice!"

He chases after her and says, “Sioned?”

Yes, it is none other than Sioned

She turns to reveal that it is indeed her, and she looks frightened.

"Oh, here comes Mam!"

Kath finds Mark and Debbie loading bags into their car;

"I don't want any interference from you!"

they do not want her interference, but Mark does reveal that they are going to Spain, to visit Dol. “Like Debs said, it’s none of your business any more!”

The door is shut in her face

and he slams the café door in her face.

"I quarrelled with Gwyneth"

Sioned tells DJ, “I quarrelled with Gwyneth – over Garry, not that it’s any business of yours.” He argues that she does not have to live like this – there must be somewhere that she can go, and suggests her mother.

"Mam doesn't want me anywhere near"

“Mam doesn’t want me anywhere near,” is the reply, “And I don’t blame her – I understand.”

"Well, she cannot have a heart, then"

DJ says that clearly Eileen does not understand, and cannot have a heart,

"We've tried living together before"

but Sioned reminds him that they have tried living together before – and it is bad for both of them.

DJ sees injuries on her hand

He notices she has some scars on her hand, and suspects she has started hurting herself, but she explains she had an accident with a glass in the Deri.

He can see that she is clearly not all right, and wants to know more about the argument with Gwyneth; “Are those scars anything to do with her?”

Gwyneth pockets the first instalment . . .

In the chippy, Chester hands over the first repayment to Gwyneth;

. . . and decides she will have a free bag of chips as a late payment fee

“I’ve been away, but as the payment is late, I’ll have a free bag of chips! What sort of car did you buy in the end? One with plenty of room for your girlfriend, I hope.”

"No, that car fell through"

He answers that the one he was looking at fell through,

"Oh, I'll have a sausage, too, as I'm not paying!"

so she mocks him, “Your uncle owns a garage – what’s wrong with you? But I don’t blame you – it’s time I was more fussy as well, especially about the company I keep! Oh, I’ll have a sausage too – food always tastes better when someone else pays for it.”

Sioned relates more of what happened

As they sit in a pedestrian precinct [actually Holton Road, Barry], outside Caesar’s coffee shop and Holland and Barrett,

"She attacked me, but I escaped"

Sioned reveals that Gwyneth attacked her, but she managed to get away. DJ advises her to go to the police and report everything that happened; Sioned replies, “I can’t, because it was my fault as well – I led her to believe that I was interested in her.

"It was the only way I could get somewhere to live"

“I flirted with her – I even kissed her – it was the only way I could get somewhere to live.” He insists that was no reason for Gwyneth to attack her.

Sioned says that it is all in the past now, and she wants to move on; she is not going to the police.

"I have to respect your decision"

DJ concedes, “I can’t say that I understand you, but I suppose I have to respect your decision. However, we are going back to Cwmderi to see your mother –

"You can stay with us at Bryntirion"

“if she is not willing to put a roof over your head, you can stay with us in Bryntirion.”

Sioned is quite adamant that she does not want to go back; at least she is safe here. He is surprised that she is as scared of Gwyneth as that; “Are you sure that you’re telling me everything? Please let me help you!”

"You could get me a sandwich and something warm to drink!"

She asks if he will buy her a sandwich and something warm to drink, as that is the only help she wants.

Kath does not receive a warm welcome

Kath goes up to the café flat, and Debbie tell her she has no business to be there; “I just want to know how long you’re going to be there,” Kath says,

"I don't know when we shall be back"

but Mark replies that they do not know.

“Maybe we’ll never come back!” adds Debbie.

"You've just had an operation, Mark!"

Kath maintains that he cannot go off gallivanting, as he has just had an operation, but he points out it has been cleared with the doctor.

"Look through his notes, next time you're in the surgery!"

“Look through his notes next time you’re in the surgery!” exclaims Debbie, “Oh, sorry, you can’t – you were sacked!”

"I have a right to know!"

They have planned that Ricky will come back to do his exams, and Kath screams, “I have a right to know what’s happening to my own family! My son and my grandson!” Mark emphasises that she has no right to know what their plans are any more – and it is a shame as she did not act more like a mother recently.

"Right – and now apologise to Debs!"

“Look, I’m sorry things have gone this far between us!” she admits, and Mark points out that she only has to apologise to Debbie now. However, she is not willing to do this;

"Not now – not ever!"

“I’m not apologising to her – not now – not ever!” Mark concludes that in that case, there is nothing more to say.

DJ emerges from Caesar's coffee shop . . .

When DJ returns from Caesar’s coffee shop with some sustenance,

. . . but Sioned has disappeared

there is no sign of Sioned.

Kath continues, “I’m not going to forgive her after what she’s done to you!”

"We just want a bit of support, Mam!"

but Mark points out they are not asking for forgiveness, just a bit of understanding, and perhaps, some support. “She doesn’t deserve my support!” snarls Kath, “I can’t understand why you’ve accepted what she’s done!”

Ricky does not want to go to Spain

Ricky arrives, accompanied by Non; “I’m not packing – I don’t want to go!” he stresses, and

"He can stay with me at Maes-y-Deri!"

Kath suggests he could stay with her, and then there would be no problem with school.

Mark informs him that they have already packed his books,

"You're coming to Spain – and that's the end of it!"

that he is coming to Spain and that is the end of it; “His place is with us!”

"No-one takes any notice of me!"

As Ricky and Kath shout their objections, Debbie repeats what Mark has said.

Mark reminds Non of her date tonight; “And make sure he pays for everything!”

Non says farewell to her brother

She wishes them well and leaves,

"It's about time you went, as well!"

upon which Debbie thinks it is also time for Kath to go.

“Is that how you want to leave things? After everything we’ve been through together?” she pleads.

"I'm waiting for a friend"

Non enters the Deri, and finds that DJ is not there, but Colin is at the bar; “I’m waiting for a friend,” she tells him,

Gwyneth is after a free pint

and Gwyneth, who is sitting nearby, asks Colin to buy her a pint.

"I wanted to know that you're all right"

He is glad to have seen Non, and wanted to know that she was all right, after that online dating business. Non informs him that she did not phone the police – it was Kath.

"I'm sorry about everything"

Colin goes on, “I’m sorry, Non, not just about Catrin, but for everything – I wasn’t trying to mislead you – I was trying to be a friend. Anyway, I hope your friend turns up.”

"It's a date with DJ"

She admits to him that it is DJ.

"DJ – and her?"

Gwyneth leans across and comments, with a broad grin, “DJ – and her?”

"Don't forget that I love you, Ricky"

As the Joneses prepare to leave, Kath assures Ricky that she loves him; he gives her a hug and then gets into the car.

"All I wanted was a bit of support!"

Mark tells his mother, “As I said, all I wanted was a bit of support,”

Off go the Joneses . . .

then he, too, gets into the car and they leave the village.

. . . and Kath tries to pretend she is not bothered

Kath informs Eileen that they are off to Spain; “No-one tells me anything any more – but they’ll come back though, no one can put up with Dol for very long!”

"I've just seen Sioned in town!"

DJ has arrived back in Cwmderi and tells Eileen, “I’ve just seen Sioned in town – she’s sleeping rough in a shop doorway.”

Non concludes that she has been 'stood up'

In the Deri, Non is still waiting, and Colin asks Gwyneth if she is celebrating something;

Gwyneth is feeling quite happy

“Only that life is kind at the moment,” she replies, “Sioned has moved out and that someone has repaid the debt they owe me.”

"Don't want a lodger, do you?"

Colin complains that they are so crowded in the flat that he is thinking about finding himself somewhere else to live.

He tells her about the elopement to Australia . . .

“Keep this to yourself, but Hannah and Chester were threatening to run away to Australia, and the only way Britt and Diane managed to stop them was by letting her move in with us.

. . . which interests Gwyneth

“This was a couple of weeks ago, but don’t tell Britt that you know! She’d kill me!”

Non has by now become tired of waiting and leaves the Deri.

"She's frightened for her life, Eileen!"

In the shop flat, DJ emphasises that Sioned is frightened for her life, but Eileen’s reply is that Sioned is simply saying anything to get attention or sympathy, like she always does. DJ wonders how she can be so cold-hearted,

"I've seen her using people time after time!"

and she tells him, “I’ve seen her using people time after time! I’m not letting her make a fool of me again – no thanks!”

He asks how she would feel if Sioned were telling the truth, and she did not lift a finger to help. “She needs help!” he insists,

"Pray that you don't have to arrange her funeral!"

“And if I were you, I’d walk the streets until I found her! Just pray that you don’t have to arrange her funeral!”

Non does not want to talk about it . . .

Non returns, very downhearted, to Maes-y-Deri, and says that she is tired, so will go to bed.

. . . but Kath wants to know all the details

Kath is determined to find out what happened, and Non answers that DJ was a lot of fun,

Non hurries off to bed

and that she will probably see him again.

"You're too late – she's gone!"

When DJ gets to the Deri, he is informed by Colin that he is too late, and that Non has already gone;

"Would a phone call have been too much trouble?"

“Would a phone call have been too much trouble? Or you know the Deri’s number.

"The last thing she needs is an idiot like you!"

“The last thing a nice girl like Non needs is an idiot like you messing her around! I think a lot of her,

"If you're not serious – stay away!"

“so if you’re not serious about her, you’d better do the right thing – stay away!”

Chester cleans up in the chippy

At the end of the day, Chester is cleaning the chip fryers when Gwyneth arrives, wanting to talk to him about the loan.

"You've misunderstood the rate of interest!"

She walks menacingly towards him, insisting, “You’ve misunderstood the rate of interest – anyway, it has gone up to 15%!” Chester points out that they have a contract, so the terms cannot be changed,