Cwmderi Diary 2018: 5 October 2018

Chester is packing for his departure

Chester is packing and tells Garry he is going today; “There’s no point hanging around now I’ve decided. I spent all day yesterday sorting everything out, so I’m free to go.”

"Where are you going, Chest?"

Garry wants to know where he is going, but Chester refuses to say,

"I'm not sure, anyway"

and is not quite sure anyway. “I’ll get in touch once I’m settled.”

Garry has already given Chester money,

"You could give me a lift to the station"

“But if you want to do something else, you can give me a lift to the station around four,” he suggests.

"I'll phone Gloria in Newcastle"

Garry wants to phone Gloria in Newcastle, as Chester can go there for a while, but he insists that he wants to do this on his own; “I feel great –honest – I know what I’m doing.” Garry actually smiles.

Debbie laughs about the half-dead plant"

At Maes-y-Deri, Debbie announces, “You’re never going to believe this – Phyllis gave me this plant to say sorry – it’s on its last legs!” Mark replies that she probably felt guilty; she goes on,

"Iori just wouldn't shut up!"

“And then I saw Iori, and he just wouldn’t shut up!”

Ricky is working on the café website

Ricky is working on the café website, adding the sandwich orders. When Debbie sees they are delivering hot food as well, she hopes that Kelly is not trying to do too much;

"Kelly's only been running the place for five minutes!"

“She’s only been running the place for five minutes!”

Mark simply hopes that she is paying her ‘website wonder’, and then remembers that Garry phoned about their shifts; “We’re working together later!”

Debbie is very demonstrative these days

Debbie considers that will be the only chance they get for a private chat, and Ricky looks shocked at the sight of them kissing on the sofa.

“I’m just off to say goodbye to people now,” Chester tells Garry, who enquires whether that will include his mother, and urges him not to leave without talking to her.

"Don't hurt your Mam more than you have to"

He points out that she does not know that he is leaving; “Don’t hurt her more than you have to,” Garry says,

"She will only go over the top!"

but Chester knows that she will go over the top, and he could not cope with another argument.

"Talk to your Mam, OK?"

He asks Garry not to tell her, and reluctantly says that he will do it.

Chester hugs Garry

He hugs Garry, who appears to be upset that he is going.

"Some salons charge full price for cancellations!"

Megan walks past the salon, where Gwyneth is standing in the doorway with a cup of tea; “You do you know that some salons charge full price for cancellations?” she says, but Megan replies that she gave 24 hours’ notice, which is the normal rule.

"I'm just telling you in case it happens again"

“I’m just telling you in case it happens again,” Gwyneth snarls;

Megan does not foresee it happening again

the reply is that Megan does not foresee it happening again. She points out that having Debbie to come over to the house is cheaper, more comfortable and she has done a good job.

"She's much better company than you'll ever be!"

“And she is much better company that you’ll ever be!” adds Megan, “A word to the wise, Gwyneth, it doesn’t pay to be rude to your customers –

"Attacking any innocent person who walks by"

“and it doesn’t look good for the business when you have to stand on the doorstep, attacking any innocent person who walks by.”

Gwyneth is clearly disgruntled

This of course does not go down particularly well with Gwyneth.

Eileen is hanging out the washing . . .

Eileen, looking exceedingly pregnant, is hanging out the washing

. . . when Eifion and the boys arrive

when Eifion arrives with the boys;

He does not receive a warm welcome

she is not pleased to see him, but he says that they wanted to come to the farm to see her and Jim.

"You should have let me know!"

“You should have let me know!” she says sternly, and tells Bobi and Arthur to go into the kitchen.

"What do you think you're doing?"

“What do you think you’re doing?” she demands,

"They were so excited to be coming"

and he says that they were so excited to be coming; she warns him not to do this again. “It’s not fair on me – or the children.”

"Where are you going, Chester?"

Ricky asks Chester where he is going,

"Well, it's Cardiff, for a start"

and is told that it will be Cardiff for a start, as Sara has given him a few contacts.

"I haven't been an amazing mate lately"

Ricky considers that he has not been an amazing mate to Chester recently; “I know I’m not the easiest person to be friends with,” Chester replies,

"You'll miss me like a hole in the head!"

“You’ll miss me like a hole in the head! I really don’t want Garry and Mam chasing after me this time.”

Ricky hugs Chester

Ricky promises not to say a word and wishes him good luck with a farewell hug.

"When are you going to stop playing these games?"

When Debbie walks along the High Street, she is accosted by Gwyneth; “When are you going to stop playing these games? Megan, then Elinor and now Llinos have cancelled their appointments.”

"Sorry you're struggling, Gwyneth!"

Debbie grins as she maintains that she is sorry Gwyneth is struggling.

"I've spoken to my solicitor"

“I’ve spoken to my solicitor,” Gwyneth adds, and Debbie enquires what he had to say about paying less than the minimum wage, pointing out that there are laws against that,

Debbie suggests some sort of arrangement

but considers that they can come to some arrangement, if Gwyneth is willing to talk. They go into the salon.

"Chester's leaving Cwmderi today!"

Garry asks Colin if Chester has seen Britt, and is told that he has not; “He’s leaving Cwmderi today!”

"Britt wanted him to move back into the flat"

Colin comments that Britt wanted him to move back into the flat, but he was not happy with that, after what happened with Britt.

"He didn't hit her – he admitted it to me"

Garry enlightens him, “He didn’t hit her – he’s admitted that he lied about it. I don’t know why he said he did, but I believe him – he had no intention of moving back into the flat – he only said that to appease her.”

"She'll go crazy if he leaves"

Colin predicts that she will go crazy if he leaves, and Garry has arranged to collect Catrin and Aaron from school so that they can see, about four. “Not one word to Britt! But if you see Chester, tell him to talk to his mother.”

"You don't expect me to agree to that?"

“You don’t expect me to agree to that, do you?” demands Gwyneth,

"Let's say £200 a month"

but Debbie proposes that if she is paid, say, £200 a month, she will start turning clients down and close the business. Then they will come back to the salon.

Gwyneth protests that she is not stupid; “No, you're not stupid, but you are desperate!” Debbie replies,

"You run a salon – and you can't cut hair!"

“You run a salon – and you can’t cut hair!” She is offered her old job back, but Debbie does not relish the thought, as she enjoys looking after Phyllis and Iori.

“If I can work around my caring hours and you pay me more than the pennies you paid before, I’ll come back – otherwise I’m carrying on with my mobile business.”

Debbie seems to have the advantage

Gwyneth has little option but to agree, as she cannot afford to pay a hairdresser, when Debbie pinches her clients.

"And I want the title 'Head Stylist'!"

Debbie has one more demand; “I want the title ‘Head Stylist’ –

She gives Gwyneth a cheery wave

“you work out the pay, and I’ll think about it!”

Chester comes to see his mother

Chester arrives at the chippy flat, but his mother is not there; Colin would like a word with him.

Colin offers a stumbling apology

“I wanted to . . . I feel that I should perhaps say sorry, for suspecting that you had hit your mother.”

"It doesn't matter now, Colin"

Meanwhile Britt has been quietly coming up the stairs, and as Chester replies that it does not matter now,

Britt looks uncommonly happy

she is extremely pleased to hear him say that.

"Where's your stuff? Your room is ready"

“Where’s your stuff? Your room is ready,” she begins,

"Listen to what he has to say"

but Colin urges her to listen to him.

"Everything is all right now!"

“I’m not moving back in,” Chester says, but she protests that everything is all right, now that Colin has said sorry. “No, I’m going – I’m leaving Cwmderi. I have to –

"I'm going this afternoon"

“I can’t stand being here at the moment. So I’m going this afternoon.”

"We'll see what Garry has to say about this!"

“Right – we’ll see what Garry has to say about this!” she argues, and he tells her that Garry already knows, and has given him some money to help.

Chester insists that the only way he can improve matters is by going away and facing things himself –

"Without someone running after me all the time!"

“Without someone running after me all the time – I can’t breathe here!”

"And that's all the thanks I get?"

Britt reverts to her customary angry mode; “And that’s all the thanks I get!” Chester explains that he does not have a lot of time, as he will be leaving at four, and put his key down on the table.

"I've lost him – and it's your fault!"

“Happy now?” Britt demands of Colin, “I’ve lost him – and it’s your fault!

"I've spent most of his life sorting out his mistakes!"

“If you had believed me, this would not have happened – what does Chester know? I’ve spent most of his life sorting out his mistakes!”

"That's exactly why he wants to leave"

Colin replies that is exactly why he wants to leave, to take responsibility for himself, without his mother running after him.

"You have to let him go!"

“I want to support you, Britt, but you have to let him go!” he insists,

"You and Garry understand nothing!"

but she replies that he and Garry are exactly the same – they understand nothing.

"Chester should be here with me!'

“You may be happy for Lois and Izzy to be on the other side of the world, that Chester should be here with me!” Britt rants, and rushes off.

Taxi-driver Mark has a radio call

Mark is driving his taxi when he receives a radio call from Debbie in the office; “Deri Number six, office calling. Guess what I’m doing?

"you know what they say about avacados, don't you?"

“I’m eating an avocado – and you know what they say about avocados, don’t you?” Mark tries to shut her up, but she continues,

"Look out after you've finished your shift!"

“Aphrodisiac, Mark – so look out after you’ve finished your shift tonight!”

"Avacados, indeed!"

He urges her to be quiet; “I’ve got Megan in the car!” and Debbie apologises to her, but Megan is highly amused. Mark tells her he is sorry, but she thinks it is the funniest thing she has heard for a long time.

"You're very brave, leaving like this"

Chester comes out of the business units, where Sara has given him all the details, and thinks he is very brave leaving like this.

She gives him a hug . . .

She gives him a hug, and this is when Britt comes hurtling across the road, with Colin close behind.

. . . then Britt continues her onslaught

“Right, this nonsense is stopping right now! I don’t know what she’s been filling your head with, but this is what he did when he was a little boy, and he couldn’t have his way – he’d run away!”

"You all know better than me how to raise my own son!"

Both Colin and Sara urge her to listen to Chester, but she continues to shout, “Isn’t it strange that you all know better than me how to raise my own son?”

She next turns her venom on Garry

Then Garry arrives in the car, and he is the next in Britt’s firing line; “What’s going on here? You told me to let things be. ‘Give him a few days,’ you said!”

Garry orders her to be quiet, as she is embarrassing herself and everyone else,

"There's nothing you can do to stop me!"

and Chester makes it very clear that he is going; “There is nothing you can say or do that will stop me!” She pleads that he does not have a clue how to cope, but he continues, “You go over the top about everything – you have to let me go –

"I can't stand being with you!"

“I can’t stand being with you!”

Garry tells him the bag is in the car, and that he should get in;

Chester hugs his two siblings

Catrin tells Chester to take care, and he hugs both her and (the new) Aaron.

Britt is still protesting

As the car pulls away, BT runs alongside it, shouting, “No!”

Britt blames Hannah, Sara, Dai and Diane

Colin assures her that Chester did not mean what he said, but she, as usual, blames everyone else; “People like Hannah, people like Sara, Dai and Diane have been filling his head with nonsense for months, and now I’ve lost him!

"And you're no better, Col!"

“You’re no better, Col, you haven’t supported me over Chester for months! There’s nothing else to say – leave me alone!”

"Will she be all right, Colin?"

Colin unconvincingly asserts to Catrin that her mother will be all right, and that they will look after her.

"Things are not good between me and Cadno"

At Penrhewl the boys are rather rowdy upstairs, and Eifion comments that things are not good between him and Cadno at the moment;

"Can you blame her, after everything you've done?"

“Can you blame her, after everything you did to her?” demands Eileen.

“She knows I think the world of those two,” he says,

"You've got a strange way of showing it"

but Eileen thinks he has a strange way of showing it. He adds, “I understand that you and Jim are finding it hard to accept – Jim made his feelings very clear – but can you blame me for not telling the truth?

"It was very difficult to admit"

“It was very difficult to admit. Cadno has agreed I can have them over half term, and I was hoping that we could call in again.”

"I'm not making any promises"

Eileen will have a word with Jim, but is not making any promises; “I’ll do anything for the boys – but I don’t want to help you. And, just so you know, I’m not prejudiced against you. You have made such a mess of Cadno’s life,

"I can't be bothered with you"

“I can’t be bothered with you.”

"I think Chester will be all right"

In the Deri flat, Garry is leaving a message for Dani on the phone; “I just wanted to tell you that he left without a problem – I think he’ll be all right.”

He comes across Chester's photo-editing

Then as he looks through the photo album, he finds the picture with Chester’s face removed from it. He smartly closes the album when he hears Britt coming;

"Well? Did he catch his train?"

“Well? Did he catch his train?” she demands, and Gary tells her that Chester was quite happy getting on the train.

"I think he's doing the right thing"

Garry tells her, “I think he’s doing the right thing – this could help him a lot.” Britt, on the other hand, demands how he could give Chester money, so he could leave.