Cwmderi Diary 2018: 18 September 2018

Gaynor is deep in thought

Gaynor is stirring her cup of tea and thinking deeply when Elgan comes downstairs; he reports that he has rather a headache and did not sleep much.

"That spare bed is harder than it looks"

“The spare bed is harder than it looks,” he says, and she hands him a cup of tea.

“Gaynor, why don’t we try to get things to work out,” he asks,

"You're not serious, Elgan?"

but she cannot believe that he is serious. “We’ll get over this, if it’s what you want,” he goes on, and that she demands why he is fooling himself.

"You're afraid of leaving"

“Why don’t you just admit it? You’re afraid, aren’t you? Afraid of leaving,” Gaynor tells him,

"We've worked so hard to reach this point"

but he argues that they have worked so hard to reach this point – and she has been an angel.

"There's nothing between us any more"

“There’s nothing in between us any more, Elgan,” she sorrowfully remarks, “What’s the point of trying?”

"What if I become ill again?"

He is worried about becoming ill again, but she replies that is no basis for a relationship; “Do you love Sofia?” she asks him, and he is unable to give a reply.

"Right – there's your answer"

“Right – there’s your answer,” she says.

Non is feeling awful

Non is suffering from the after-effects of the vodka last night, but Debbie boasts that she does not get hangovers. When Mark enquires if DJ has been in touch, Non says she has not switched on her phone this morning;

"DJ will understand"

“He’s a nice bloke – he will understand,” Mark assures her, but she moans that she embarrassed herself completely. “You only spilled water over him – do you know how many times I’ve embarrassed myself?” he asks, “Just forget about it.”

"I'm going to ask Gwyneth about the job"

Debbie does not look very happy, as she is about to go and ask Gwyneth about the job in the salon. She has been told that the investigation at work will take weeks,

"That's not fair!"

and they think it is very unfair.

Jim and Eifion are off to market

Jim meets Eifion outside the door of Cysgod y Glyn, and asks him, “You haven’t told anyone where we’re going, have you? Eileen doesn’t know you’re coming with me, and she’d be angry if she found out. These things happen – but life goes on.”

"Eileen may take a while to cool down"

Eifion wonders when he can work on the farm again, and is told not until Eileen has cooled down, and that might take a while; “That’s why it will be nice to have a trip to the mart.”

Elgan looks at his war diaries

Elgan is looking through his war diaries when Gaynor is ready to go to work;

"They're a great help to me – just as you are"

“They’re a great help to me – just as you are,” he says.

"No, as I used to be"

She corrects him, “As I used to be – what do you expect me to say?

"You're in love with someone who lives miles away"

“That I’m willing to stay with you and look after you, while you’re in love with someone who lives miles away?”

He replies that this is where he is strongest; she insists, “You’re not strong because of this place, or because of me.

"Contacting Sofia was part of your therapy"

“Contacting Sofia was part of your therapy, wasn’t it?” He protests that the two of them are so good together;

"You have to accept it's time to move on"

she replies, “We were good – but you have to accept that it’s time to move on – for your own sake.” She leaves the house.

Jess is at work in the salon

The black-clad, tattooed stylist is at work in the salon when Debbie arrives; Gwyneth says that she can have a trim in half an hour,

"Is the job still available?"

but Debbie wants to know if the job is still available. “You’ve changed your tune!” smiles Gwyneth, but is told that Debbie prefers to have a job locally.

"I've employed Jess now"

“I’ve employed Jess now,” is the answer, but on learning that she is only part time,

"Do you need another stylist?"

Debbie enquires if she Gwyneth needs another stylist. “I’ve had a couple of enquiries,

"I'll add you to the list"

“but I’ll add you to the list,” she is told, and she leaves, rather downcast.

"I'm sure your lodger's a nuisance!"

Ffion is hurrying towards the Deri when Eileen calls to her; “How’s your lodger? I’m sure he’s a nuisance!”

"I'm helping out a friend, Eileen"

Ffion replies that is nice to have company, and that she is helping out a friend. “So you don’t care what he did to Cadno?” Eileen demands, and Ffion points out that it is none of her business or anyone else’s, and goes into the Deri.

"I want you to realise the type of person you're dealing with!"

Eileen continues her antagonism, “I thought you were Cadno’s friend – I want you to realise the type of person you’re dealing with! He is a liar.”

"I don't know what your problem is"

Ffion rather abruptly informs her, “I don’t know what your problem is – I’m here for a quiet lunch,” but this does not stop Eileen, who goes on about how Cadno and the boys moved away, and Eifion does not care.”

"Eifion is hurting too"

“That’s not true!” interrupts Ffion, “He’s hurting too!” but Eileen maintains that he does not know what hurting means. As Sioned tries to stop her mother’s tirade, Ffion goes on, “You don’t understand.”

"He went off with another woman, and blamed Cadno!"

“I understand perfectly – he went off with another woman and blamed Cadno!” Eileen insists, but FF informs her that is only half the story, and Eileen does not know what really happened.

"It wasn't a woman!"

“It wasn’t a woman!” blurts out Ffion, but then realises what she said, and tries to downplay it.

A look of astonishment

Eileen and Sioned look at each other, astonished,

"Oh no – what have I said?"

and then both walk out of the pub.

"I'll try and talk some sense into Eileen"

Jim and Eifion are once again at the market, and are discussing the stock on sale there; Jim says that he will have a word with Eileen, and try to talk some sense into her, but is making no promises. Then they decide to have a cup of coffee,

Someone seems to be interested in them

but, over Jim’s shoulder, we see someone who is taking an keen interest in them.

"You've got the job . . ."

Gwyneth comes to visit Debbie at home, and announces that she has the job. She is to start at 9 o’clock, but there is one proviso;

". . . on one condition"

“The clients are rather thin on the ground since losing Sheryl. I’d like to offer you the job on the condition you find new clients. I want to see ten names on the books, by the end of the week, or I’ll have to let you go.”

"It will be no problem, with my contacts"

Debbie boasts that she knows everyone and that it will be no problem, with her contacts; she is reminded to wear black, and it is confirmed that the pay is £7 an hour, cash in hand.

"But that's illegal!"

Mark reminds her that it is illegal to pay less than the minimum wage,

Debbie does not have much choice

but she wonders if Debbie will risk reporting her and losing the job.

Elgan has an awful lot to pack

Elgan is busily packing away all his belongings when Gaynor returns from school; “I’m going to Bangor tonight after calling in at the surgery,” he informs her.

"Will you see Garry before you go?"

She enquires if he will go to see Garry, as he has been very supportive. Elgan wonders what he is doing, and how Gaynor can be so sure that he is doing the right thing.

"Don't you think this is a bit extreme?"

“Don’t you think this is a bit extreme and too soon?” he pleads, but she points out that they rushed into it, so it is no wonder that their relationship ran out of steam.

"We were good together – before Sofia turned up"

“You and I were good together – before Sofia turned up,” he says,

Gaynor says there is no comparison

but she replies that they were never like he is with Sofia.

"I'll help you take it out to the car"

She offers to help him take the things out to the car.

Eifion is still being watched

Eifion returns with the coffees, and the man who was looking at them earlier follows,

"Is this your latest boyfriend?"

and comments, “Oh yeah – is this him – your latest boyfriend? I heard about you – I saw Carwyn, Cadno’s brother, the other day. He said that she’s heartbroken –

"This ones's a poof!"

“this one’s a poof!”

"That's a pack of lies!"

Eifion is very insistent that this is a pack of lies,

"He's been seeing a bloke from Swansea"

but the man goes on, “Carwyn told me everything – he’s been seeing a bloke from Swansea,” and concludes that Eifion is protesting too much.

"Cadno left you – because you're gay?"

Jim has grown very angry; “Is that why Cadno left you – because you’re gay?” he demands, and Eifion calls it a misunderstanding, and stupid.

Eifion is becoming infuriated

The man suggests that perhaps it is time he went home to his boyfriend, and when Eifion flares up, comments, “Oh – I’ve touched a nerve there!”

"I thought I knew you!"

Jim is disgusted; “I thought I knew you – that we were friends. I’m not sharing a lift with a liar!

"Find your own way home!"

“You’d better find your own way home!”

Non is still feeling fragile

Non meets DJ in the Deri, and says that already the smell of alcohol is turning her stomach; she feels awful about yesterday,

"I've forgotten about it already"

but DJ says he has forgotten about it already. “It’s not like me to drink too much,” she explains, but he insists that it was Debbie’s fault, and is sorry that he did not come after her.

"At least, the date was unforgettable!"

“Running down the street, covered in Patatas Bravas, wouldn’t be a good look,” he concedes, “But at least the date was unforgettable! I enjoyed myself – despite everything – and we will have forgotten about it after our next date.”

They leave for Bryntirion

Non asks when that is likely to be, and he suggests, “How about right now – on my sofa?” They get up and leave.

"He's deceived all of us!"

Back home at Penrhewl, Jim announces that Eifion has deceived all of them,

"One lie after another!"

and Eileen agrees, “The entire village – it has been one lie after another!” Jim now feels that he does not know Eifion at all,

"He did not have to tell anyone"

but Sioned points out that he did not have to tell anyone – it is his business.

"No wonder Cadno's moved away, poor girl!"

Eileen exclaims, “Well it’s no wonder that Cadno’s moved away, poor girl! She had no choice!”

Eifion wants a word with Jim

There is a knock at the door and Eifion walks in, wanting a word with Jim, but he is not very interested in hearing it. Eifion cannot believe that Jim told them; Eileen says that she heard it in the village.

"Everyone will know your dirty secret!"

“Everyone will know your dirty secret from now on!” she snarls,

"I've had several long-term relationships with women"

but again Eifion protests that there is no truth in it; he has had several long-term relationships with women. He does not know where Eileen heard this nonsense, but is adamant that he is not keeping any secrets from her.

"Why would Ffion say such a thing if it was not true?'

“Why would Ffion say such a thing if it was not true?” Eileen demands, “I want you to go!”

Eifion is totally deflated

and, finding his protestations are in vain, he leaves the farm. Sioned also gets up and walks out of the room.

"How about 10% off a trim?"

Trying to drum up some trade, Debbie offers 10% off a trim to Dan, the barman,

"No, thanks!"

but he refuses the offer,

"This is not as easy as I thought"

and she realises that this is not going to be as easy as she thought. Mark suggests she could put it on social media, and that would attract people.

"Any luck, finding new customers?"

Then Gwyneth comes in, and asks if Debbie has had any luck in finding new customers;

"Nearly hit the target!"

“Nearly hit the target!” she brags, and Gwyneth replies that it would be a shame to let her go so soon.

Ffion returns home, rather apprehensive

Ffion returns home to Cysgod y Glyn, where Eifion tells her,

"Everyone knows now – why did you tell Eileen?"

“Everyone knows about me now – why did you tell Eileen?”

Ffion is very regretful

Ffion regretted it the moment she said it.

"It was a secret – I trusted you!"

“It was a secret between you and me – I trusted you. Jim won’t look at me, Eileen hates me – too many people know now. Some idiot was wittering about it at the market – Carwyn had told him – everyone was looking at me! This is exactly what I didn’t want – and now I have to deny everything and make it a hundred times worse!”