Cwmderi Diary 2018: 24 October 2018

"I don't like this time of the year"

In the café, Diane is complaining that the clocks go back on Saturday; “I don’t like this time of year – the start of winter,” she grumbles, but Rhys, who is eating a sandwich, comments that it means they are getting closer to the summer, too.

"People will be booking holidays soon"

“People will be booking holidays soon,” Diane continues, and asks Anita if she is thinking about going away.

Anita boasts of her seaside house

“I won’t have to go abroad any more, because Siôn and I have bought a house together – at the seaside in Aberporth,” Anita tells her, and Diane wants her to put her Dai and down for a weekend there, once they have settled.

"You're not moving away, are you?"

Kelly is concerned whether they are moving, but Anita assures her they will only be there sometimes, and it will be rented out most of the time. Rhys asks, “Is it a holiday home?” and Anita reluctantly agrees that technically it is.

"I'm looking for somewhere for the fitness classes"

He tells Anita that he is looking for somewhere to hold his fitness classes, and wonders if it would be possible to use a business unit; she will have to phone Diane to confirm, but cannot see there being any objections.

"Come over to Tapas later"

“Come over to Tapas later, and you’ll get your answer,” she says.

DJ remembers his mother

DJ is looking at photos of his mother on his phone, and is becoming rather emotional;

"She would have been so happy"

he tells Non that she would have been so happy, and Non says that her mother would have been too. “She would have been so excited, and in the middle of everything,” DJ smiles.

"She would have been pleased to see you so happy"

“And she would have been pleased to see you so happy,” Non remarks;

"I can't understand Dad – he just refuses!"

he replies that is what he cannot understand about his father – he has the health and the opportunity to be at wedding, but he just refuses. Non says that they do not have to get married so soon,

"I can't wait to marry you!"

but he is quite adamant that he cannot wait to marry her, and there is no way his father is going to change that.

"Siôn White, huh!"

Diane is in APD, spreading Anita’s news about the holiday home; Dai scoffs, “Siôn White, huh! Always wants to be better than everyone else!”

"I've asked if we can stay there one weekend"

Diane tells him she has asked Anita if they can stay there one weekend. He launches into another tirade, “Not in the winter, I hope – it will be like a fridge – the whole village will be closed!

"That's why the villages are like ghost towns"

“Holiday homes – that’s why Wales’s seaside villages are like ghost towns in the winter. Siôn White – a nationalist who won’t put his money where his mouth is!”

She reminds him that they had a villa in Spain for years, but he argues that is totally different;

"I wish you were more like Siôn White"

“I wish you were more like Siôn White,” Diane snarls, “He would never threaten not to turn up at his son’s wedding!”

"I mean it, Diane!"

Dai points out that it was not a threat, but he means it.

"You're supposed to be happy"

Iolo finds DJ sitting in the Deri, looking rather depressed, and says that he should be happy as he is about to get married; “That’s the problem,” groans DJ,

"Is it true Dai won't be there?"

and Iolo asks if it is true that his father will not be there.

"I don't have a best man"

“I’ve got used to it now – but it does create a problem – I don’t have a best man.”

Iolo immediately volunteers

Iolo immediately volunteers for the rôle; “Why not? I’d love to do it!” DJ appears very surprised.

What a lovely lemon cheesecake

Non has purchased a whole lemon cheesecake from Kelly, who enquires, “A surprise for DJ, is it?” and she tells Ricky, “Lemon cheesecake – what’s not to like?

"Fattening DJ up before the wedding?"

“Fattening him up before the wedding, are you? People get obsessed with losing weight before weddings – it’s great you’re not having a long engagement – go for it, I say!”

Ed has something to tell Kelly . . .

During that conversation, Ed has come into the café, wishing to speak urgently with Kelly,

. . . but then gives up

but, in the end he goes upstairs, and she senses that something is wrong. “When is the big day, then?” she asks, and is told that it is 1 December.

"A lovely, romantic time of year"

“A lovely, romantic time of year, especially if there’s snow.”

She charges Non £8, and comments that cheesecake is Dai’s favourite – and Siôn’s – although perhaps she should stock more seafood now to keep Siôn happy; “He and Auntie Anita are buying a seaside retreat.”

Ricky raises an objection

Ricky is of the opinion that it is wrong; “The idea that some people have several nice houses, while others sleep rough every night.”

Kelly abruptly accuses him of picking on Auntie Anita; “When you’re old and loaded, you can do what you want with your money.

"Hold the fort for a bit, Ricky"

“Hold the fort for a bit,” she adds, and goes upstairs.

Kelly looks very worried

Ed invites her to sit down, and looks very serious; she prefers to stand and asks what is wrong.

"I've wanted to tell you for a while"

“I’ve wanted to tell you this for a while,” he begins, “But I didn’t know how – it’s not fair to keep it from you any more.”

She fears that she is being dumped . . .

Kelly immediately jumps to conclusions; “I know I’ve been working ridiculously long hours – and maybe you feel I’ve been neglecting you, and I haven’t given you much time. I’m sorry about that – but that’s no reason to dump me, is it?”

. . . then suspects he is having an affair

He is quite clear that he is not dumping her, but then she suspects he is having an affair, which he also denies. “Listen, Kel, this is hard enough as it is –

He breaks the dreadful news . . .

“Catatonia – Llewelyn – has died. I found him on Monday – I think it was a hit and run.”

. . . and Kelly is devastated

Kelly is devastated.

In comes Non with the cheesecake . . .

At APD, Non comes in, carrying the large lemon cheesecake, which she places on the counter.

. . . to demonstrate there are no hard feelings

“This is a gift to show I don’t bear a grudge against you,” she says.

"Good grief – my favourite!"

“Good grief – a cheesecake – my favourite!” he enthuses, and he thanks for it, remarking that it is important to be honest.

"You've been honest, Dai"

She goes on, “You’ve been honest, too, about the wedding, and I respect that.” He assures her that his decision is nothing to do with her personally,

"I couldn't wish for a better daughter-in-law"

and he could not wish for a better daughter-in-law. In that case, she would like to know what exactly is the problem.

He explains that it is the timing – they are in such a rush; “It’s all moving so quickly, somehow!”

"I understand how you feel"

She agrees that it is moving very quickly, and she understands how he feels. “DJ is obviously thrilled,” he says, and Non calls him a lovely bloke, who has such a nice nature. Dai asserts that so does she, and they both suit each other – there is no doubt about that.

"We just want to be together"

“That’s why we want to get married – we just want to be together,” she says, and he agrees with that sentiment.

"They've bought a holiday home in Aberporth"

In the café, Diane tells Kath, “They’ve bought a house in Aberporth – a holiday home.”

"John White – what a hypocrite!"

Kath is incredulous; “John White – a holiday home? What a hypocrite! You wait until I see him – I’ll give him a piece of my mind!” She tells Kelly that it does not make sense,

"People should be able to do what they like with their lives"

but is told that people should be able to do what they want with their lives. Diane quite likes the idea of a house by the seaside, and Kath comments, “Money breeds money.”

"Is Dai still being stubborn?"

Then she asks if Dai is still being stubborn about this wedding, and Diane reports that he is getting even worse, and thinks he is doing it for DJ’s own good. “I know Dai can go OTT sometimes, but I think he’s got a screw loose,” insists Kath, while Diane thinks that it is more than just a screw.

"Instead of talking, why don't you do something?"

Ricky suggests that instead of talking about it, they should do something; “Go and see him. I’d be scared of you two!”

Cut into slices, it looks even more appetising . . .

Meanwhile the cheesecake is being cut into slices,

. . . as Dai discovers

and Dai cannot wait to get stuck into it, saying that it tastes wonderful; “Thank you for coming over for this chat,” he says.

"I'm glad that we've cleared the air"

Non is glad that they have cleared the air and understand each other. She now knows that he is pleased for them, that they are getting married, and gives them his blessing.

"Well, when you put it like that . . ."

He is rather confused by this, but agrees that when she puts it like that, he does.

"I'm glad you've changed your mind about coming to the wedding"

She is very grateful that he has changed his mind about coming to the wedding, but he protests he did not say that.

He says there is one problem

“Look, Non, you are being very honest with me, and I’ll be honest with you now. I’d love to come to the wedding, but if I change my mind now, it will look like I’m going back on my word –

"I'm a man of principle"

“I’m a proud man, a man of principle – once I say something, I stick to it.”

"Just say your conscience got the better of you"

She advises, “Just say that your conscience got the better of you, and you don’t want to spoil the wedding – and that you’ve decided to put the family first.” He considers this suggestion.

"We've got things to discuss"

Some time later, Kath and Diane march into APD and turn the sign to read ‘closed’; “We’ve got things to discuss,” announces Kath, “And we will not take ‘no’ for an answer.

"Why are you so selfish, Dai?"

Why are you so selfish? You’re thinking only of yourself – not DJ’s and Non’s feelings.”

They threaten Dai

Diane threatens, “We’re not going to talk to you ever again unless you change your mind.”

"Whoa there – I have changed my mind!"

He urges them to stop wasting their breath, and points out that he has indeed changed his mind; “I realise now that my conscience got the better of me – and I won’t spoil this wedding, because family comes first!”

"I'm going to be the best man!"

Diane cannot believe that he is willing to come to the wedding, but he insists, “Not just come, Diane, I’ll be the best man!”

They cannot comprehend this change of heart

They look at each other, incredulously.

"I know he was just a cat"

In the café flat, Kelly realises that he was just a cat, and wonders if he suffered; Ed thinks that it is unlikely.

"Who would leave him like that?"

She demands, “Who would do that? Who would run him over and leave him like that? It must have been awful for you to find Catatonia like that – why did you keep it a secret?”

"I knew how upset you would be"

He knew how upset she would be – and Megan is very upset. Kelly feels that she should buy Megan a replacement cat, because he was such good company for her. Ed advises that she will want to say a proper goodbye to Llewelyn first, a sort of funeral for him, before the end of the week.

She doubts if she can face the funeral

Kelly does not know if she will be able to face that; “I just can’t believe he didn’t have nine lives!”

"My conscience got the better of me"

Dai explains to DJ, “My conscience got the better of me,” as he gives DJ a slice of cheesecake,

"It will be an honour and a pleasure to be best man"

“It means so much to me that my own son thinks so much of his father that he wants him to be best man. It will be an honour and a pleasure to do the job, and I’ll do my best to make sure it all runs like clockwork. That’s what I was going to miss most – not being the best man –but now, I’m back in the driving seat!”

DJ has a slight conundrum here . . .

DJ realises now that he has a problem, with two best men,

. . . but it is an extremely nice cheesecake

but nevertheless enjoys the cheesecake.

"Well, that nonsense has been sorted out"

Kath tells Non that the nonsense has been sorted out; “It’s ridiculous that both of us had to go over to bring him to his senses.

"Diane was a sheriff and I was the cavalry"

“Dai can be so stubborn – but there we are – Diane was the sheriff and I was the cavalry!”

Non simply says that she is glad that it did the trick, and Kath continues, “No-one wants any animosity at a wedding, do they?

"It would have been like a cloud over everything"

“Not having Dai there would have been like having a cloud over it all. You know I’d do anything to make you happy – you’re family.”

Non makes no comment, as she goes on, “Do you know what else he said? That he’d changed his mind before we even got there – what a nerve!

"Dai – conscience? Yeah, right!"

“He said his conscience got the better of him – yeah, right!” Non tries to stop herself smiling.

Iolo's Epson printer produces a sheet

Iolo has just printed out a sheet detailing the rôle of a best man; “I’m glad you’re here,” he tells DJ, “I’ve been doing some preparation work –

Iolo is enthusiastic about the best man job . . .

“I wanted to remind myself of the responsibilities – we don’t have much time, do we?”

DJ suggests that if it is too much work, but before he can get any further, Iolo says that it is rather more than the speech and looking after the rings;

. . . and has rather grandiose ideas about the stag night

“For example, where you want to go on your stag night? Poland? Latvia, maybe? I know it’s expensive, but things will be cheap when we’re out there.”

"I don't want a lot of fuss"

DJ insists that he does not want a lot of fuss, but is reminded that he only gets married once; “I phoned Tyler to say I was best man –

"Greta could be the flower girl"

“and perhaps Greta could be the flower girl. Look, I will do whatever you want.” DJ cannot bring himself to tell Iolo,

"I'll make sure you have the best day of your lives!"

who informs him, “I’m going to make sure you and Non have the best day of your lives!”

So Cwmderi Tapas is on the first floor . . .

Rhys comes upstairs to the Cwmderi Tapas and speaks to Anita,

. . . and appears to be quite sizeable

who informs him, “I’ve had a word with Diane, and everything is fine.

"You can rent one of the units"

“You can rent one of the units.”

"I was hoping it would be free"

He had been hoping that it would be free, as it was helping the community, but Anita shatters his dreams;

"That's a bit naïve – £40 per hour"

“You were a bit naïve to think that – no it’s £40 an hour, and you have to pay in advance for the first three hours. You’re getting paid – why shouldn’t we get paid as well?”

They debate how to solve their problem

In the Deri, Non asks what they are going to do about DJ’s father and Iolo; DJ knows that one of them is going to feel let down. He does not like the idea of two best men;

"Dad won't meet anyone halfway"

“And Dad definitely won’t like it – he’s not the sort of bloke who meets someone halfway, is he?”

"Perhaps this is my fault"

Non remarks that she is not sure about that; “Perhaps it’s my fault that you’re in this pickle – I hated seeing you so upset,” and he realises that she has been to see Dai.