Cwmderi Diary 2018: 2 October 2018

Debbie has got her job back

Debbie has some very good news; she has been reinstated in her carer’s job, with an apology and full pay.

"Phyllis found the money – in the freezer!"

“Phyllis found the money she said I’d stolen – in the freezer, and she’s terribly sorry.”

Kath is glad that Debbie has been given a second chance, and wishes she had been treated the same by Garry.

"You can tell Madam Gwyneth where to stick her job"

“You can tell Madam Gwyneth where to stick her job now,” she laughs.

Debbie thinks she may have a chance to get her own back; “She runs a salon, but she can’t cut hair – I don’t really need her job any more, but she needs me.

"I've got the upper hand, for once!"

“I’ve got the upper hand, for once!”

"It's time someone taught her a lesson"

Kath agrees that it is time someone taught her a lesson, and Debbie plans to do just that.

Mark hands a letter to Britt

In the street, Mark delivers a letter to Britt, and she enquires if Ricky is all right, after yesterday’s incident;

"I'm sure Chester didn't intend to hurt Ricky"

“I’m sure Chester didn’t intend to hurt Ricky,” she says, and Mark agrees that it is not easy for these youngsters.

“Chester has left his job with the taxis,” she continues, as Garry comes across the road,

"I'm not sure what to do with him any more"

“I’m not sure what to do with him any more.”

Mark decides to ask Garry whether his mother’s job on the taxis is still available, as he would be interested. “The post and the taxis?” queries Garry, “Do you think you’ve got time to do both?” but he explains that they are saving money to send Ricky to college, and that is not easy; they should have started saving when he was six.

Mark is given a trial for the taxi-driving job

Garry will give him a week’s trial, but is not promising anything; he stipulates, “No parcels, right?”

"I'm dealing with it, Britt!"

When Mark continues on his round, Britt asks if Chester has got up yet, and insists that she wants the matter sorted, but Garry replies that he is dealing with it.

Chester comes out of the Deri

At that moment, Chester is just emerging from the Deri, and Britt hears Rhys calling to him;

Britt has a go at Rhys

before anything else can be said, Britt interrupts them, snarling, “I hope you’re not going to give him another mouthful, Rhys Llywelyn!” Chester tells her to mind her own business, but she follows him along the street.

"What were you thinking, banning Chester from the club?"

“I’m not going to stand there and do nothing while someone is attacking my son on the street!” she rants, “What were you thinking, banning Chester from the club? Don’t you know he saved Sara’s life the other day?” She will not give Rhys a chance to explain, but demands, “Can’t you find someone else to pick on?

Chester cannot stand much more of this

Chester tells his mother that she is embarrassing, and furiously walks away; Britt runs after him.

“If you’re back as a carer, how many hours do you want from me?” Gwyneth asks,

"How many hours do you want from me?"

but Debbie turns the question round, wondering how many hours Gwyneth wants from her.

Now that she has found new clients, Debbie’s work is essential, and she is sure that they can sort something out;

"I must have a pay rise, of course"

“You can work around my carer timetable – but I must have a pay rise, of course. Decent pay, Gwyneth, or it’s not worth working here. It’s only fair after everything I’ve done for you.”

The conversation does not end the way Debbie intended;

"I won't need you any more – I'll find somebody else"

“I won’t need you any more – I’ll find somebody else,” Gwyneth replies, “Jess worked out well here. Erin Medi has accepted my offer for the place – I’m the boss, and I make the decisions.”

"You wouldn't have any customers without me!"

Debbie angrily responds, “You wouldn’t have any customers without me – I’m not slaving away to build your business – forget it!”

Gwyneth does not seem perturbed by the loss of her stylist

and she storms out, but Gwyneth looks quite amused.

Chester is again on the receiving end of Britt's tongue

Britt catches up with Chester outside the Deri, and subjects him to a further tirade, “There’s no need to lose your temper – I’m just trying to understand why you hit Ricky last night!” He warns her to get off his case, but she does not take the hint;

She blames Hannah . . .

“I don’t know what’s happened to you – I don’t know you these days! This all started when Hannah left – this is her fault. She broke your heart and then left – just like that!”

. . . but he tells her to stop blaming others

Chester insists, “I hit Ricky – stop blaming others! I’m not a child any more!” She shouts at him to stop behaving like one, but then Garry intervenes;

"I told you I was dealing with it!"

he admonishes her, and says he is dealing with it.

"And you're no better, Garry!"

Chester exclaims that he is no better; “Talking about me to Rhys as if I was ten years old – can’t you just leave me alone?” and again he walks away.

"Look what you've done now, Garry!"

“Look what you’ve done now!” Britt snarls, and Garry informs her they will talk about this inside.

"I have to talk to someone"

In tears, Chester walks down the street and tells Sara, who is going home to hang out the washing, “I have to talk to someone – and I don’t know where else to turn.

"I can't cope with this any more"

“Please, I can’t cope with this any more – I just want someone to listen.” She invites him into the house.

"I told Gwyneth to stick the job!"

Debbie returns home and reports that she has told Gwyneth to stick her job; “She refused to pay me properly. I saved that the business for her – I deserve something – she’s got such a cheek!”

"I've got a week's trial, driving the taxis"

Mark announces that he can cheer them up, as he saw Garry earlier, and has been given a week’s trial, driving the taxis.

"That was my job – Judas!"

Kath is not at all cheered up; “That was my job – Judas!” she growls, and Debbie complains that they will not get any nights together.

Mark is tempted to deliver Kath's parcels

Mark points out that they are supposed to be a team, and suggests the rather hazardous possibility of delivering his mother’s parcels.

She agrees, as long as he does not get caught, and Debbie apologises for being wound up by Gwyneth;

"That witch wouldn't have any clients if it wasn't for me!"

“That witch wouldn’t have any clients if it wasn’t for me!”

“Well, take them back, then,” Kath suggests,

"You can be a mobile hairdresser"

“Nothing’s stopping you from being a mobile hairdresser. Use the salon stuff I got from Julie, go round peoples houses – and charge less than Gwyneth.”

"That's brilliant, Kath!"

Debbie describes this as a brilliant idea; she will be able to fit it in with her other hours, and can work when she wants to, just making enough to teach Gwyneth a lesson.

"I don't understand why I'm angry all the time"

Chester tells Sara, “I just don’t understand why I’m so angry all the time. Everything makes me angry. When I think about the things I've done – breaking into here, injuring Ricky, being so bitter and reckless – it’s as if everything here is wrong.

"Mam and Garry are driving me bonkers!"

“Mam and Garry are driving me bonkers – Mam is always after me – ‘Why you have you done this and that?’ How would I know?”

"I can't stand it!"

Sara can understand that his mother is worried, but he continues, “I know she’s my mother, but I can’t stand it! It’s like everything reminds me of all the terrible things I’ve done –

"I'm a terrible person!"

“and that I’m a terrible person!”

"You're not terrible, Chester"

Sara assures him that he is not a terrible person, and is about to take the washing into the garden. “You’re the only person in the village who thinks that,” he says, “Have you seen what’s at the end of the street – the chapel I burnt down. I have to look at it every day.

"One of the Monks – the worst one!"

“That’s who I am – Chester Monk – one of the Monks – the worst one!”

Sara hangs out the washing

He helps her to put the washing on the line.

Debbie's mobile service is advertised . . .

Kath and Debbie are delivering leaflets to the houses in the High Street,

. . . and it is perused by Madge

and one is given to Madge, who is passing;

Ffion is given the hard sell . . .

then they see Ffion and give a leaflet to her. “It’s the same stuff as the salon’s, but much cheaper – and I’ll come to you – much easier,” Debbie says.

. . . and Debbie appears to have her first customers

Ffion replies, “Next week, perhaps – and could you give Arwen a trim, too? I take it that you’ve quarrelled with Gwyneth.” Kath comments that it is not hard to quarrel with her.

"Well, if you will deal with the devil!"

“Well, if you will deal with the devil!” Ffion remarks, as she leaves.

Gwyneth is on the warpath

Sure enough, Gwyneth, tipped off by Madge, rushes out of the salon and demands what they think they are doing; “You can’t steal my business!”

"It's a free country"

Kath points out that it is a free country, but Gwyneth goes on, “Haven’t you heard of regulations?

Gwyneth threatens the dreaded Trading Standards

“We’ll see what happens when I report you to Trading Standards.”

Debbie wonders what she will be accused of doing, but is warned, in no uncertain terms,

"Be careful who you do battle with!"

“You should be careful who you choose to do battle with!”

"I think you might have upset her"

Kath thinks that Debbie might have upset her.

They make disparaging remarks about Gwyneth

As they pass the salon, Debbie says, loudly, “I’m sure Gwyneth doesn’t even know what Trading Standards do.”

Ffion congratulates Iolo

In the café, Ffion is congratulating Iolo when Rhys walks in; she has heard that the fitness sessions are growing in popularity.

Kelly has taken on a rather attractive young lady

There is an unfamiliar young lady serving behind the counter, and Rhys orders an Americano from her.
“Have you thought about offering sessions for women?” Ffion enquires, “I’m sure there’s a demand for it.”

"I could stay and keep an eye on Dad"

Rhys replies that he would be able to stay and keep an eye on his father, if he had more work. She asks if Hywel and Esther are still on holiday, and is told that he has answered one or two texts;

Ffion is concerned for Hywel

Ffion considers that it will do him good to get away, as he has been through a lot.

"Something to celebrate?"

“Something to celebrate? Rhys asks Iolo, and is told that their adoption of Greta has been made official,

"It's the best thing that's happened to me"

and Iolo thinks that being a father is the best thing that has happened to him.

"Do you know what I think?"

Still in the back garden of number 9, Sara asks Chester to pass the pegs; “Do you know what I think?

"There's too much going on in your head"

“That you overthink things – too much going on your head. I don’t know, but I do think you should talk to a professional, someone who knows how to listen to you, and how to help.”

"I've tried that before, and it obviously didn't work"

He replies that he tried that before, but it did not work, so she suggests trying someone else;

"If someone could tell me why I'm angry all the time"

he admits, “It would be useful if someone could tell me why I’m angry all the time,” and Sara says that he has nothing to lose.

He will think about it;

"Escape to Australia to be with Hannah"

“Or perhaps I should just leave – get out of this place – find some peace and quiet somewhere – escape to Australia to be with Hannah.”

Sara cannot believe that he is serious,

"But she told me not to contact her again"

and he replies that he does not have the money, and Hannah is not talking to him anyway; “She told me not to contact her again – but I don’t blame her – I’m just a disaster!”

"You need a bit of time to sort things out"

Sara stresses that he just needs a bit of time to sort things out.

"I can't do that here"

He laments, “I can’t do that here – Mam’s not happy with anything I do – nobody understands how difficult she can be.”

"I didn't get on with my mother"

Sara recalls that she did not get on with her mother; “I went out of my way just to wind her up – I don’t know why really, but I left, and it was only then that I realised how strong I was. I found out what I wanted in life.

"But perhaps running away is not the answer for you"

“But that was me – everyone’s different – perhaps running away is not the answer for you.”

Chester is deep in thought

Chester thinks deeply, then they go back into the house;

"Don't rush into anything"

“Listen, don’t rush into any decision before talking to your mother first,” she advises, and Chester thanks her for her time.

"I could go to London, Manchester, Glasgow"

As they go out of the front door, Chester says that he could go to London, Manchester, or even Glasgow, but he does not know anyone there.

Sara will sound out friends in Cardiff and Bristol

Sara tells him, “Listen, I’ve got a couple of friends in Cardiff and Bristol. I could ask them if anyone’s got a spare room, as a start – if you decide to go. But you have to behave yourself, Chester.”

Oh dear – here comes trouble!

His mother has noticed them talking, and runs across; “So this is where you’ve been hiding – I’ve been looking for you!”

"Calm down, Britt"

Sara appeals to her to calm down, but Britt demands, “Who do you think you are, telling me to calm down? Why are you hiding my son?

Britt embarks on another diatribe

“Listen here, good girl, when I want advice on raising my children, I’ll ask for it!” Chester has had enough of this and strides away.

"Chester's job on the phones at Deri Deithio . . ."

In the Deri, Debbie has a favour to ask of Garry; “Chester’s job on the phones in Deri Deithio – Mark told me you were looking for a replacement. I’ll do it.”

"Is it 'Give the Joneses a Job Day'?"

Garry demands, “What is this? ‘Give the Joneses a Job Day’? I only need Ricky, and I’ll have a full house!” but he agrees that she can have a trial, like Mark.

Garry is called upon to get rid of Britt

Chester comes in, with his mother shouting after him; “Garry, can you tell her to please leave me alone?” Chester demands, “Just tell her to go, please!

"This is my life – I just want to live it!"

“This is my life – I just want to live it!”

"He's out of control!"

He goes upstairs, and Britt tries to follow, yelling that he is out of control;

"No, Britt, you're the one who's out of control!"

Garry prevents her, and shouts that she is the one out of control; “You’re totally over the top! Leave the boy alone for at least a couple of days – go home, and leave Chester to me – go on!”