Cwmderi Diary 2018: 9 October 2018

"Have you heard from Chester?"

Garry is sweeping up outside the Deri when he hears Britt shouting to him; “Have you heard from Chester?” and he replies that he has not.

"I thought you weren't speaking to me"

He was under the impression she was not speaking to him;

"He'd still be here if it weren't for you!"

“I’m not,” she snarls, “But I want to know where my son is – he’d still be here if it wasn’t for you!”

Garry, looking exasperated, turns to her;

"I've had enough of your moaning!"

“Do you know what? I’ve had enough of your moaning – I’m just as worried about Chester as you. We should be supporting each other, but there we are,

"Carry on with your pathetic little games!"

“if all you want to do is complain and make life difficult for yourself, you carry on with your pathetic little games!”

Two pupils are looking at the Daily Scope . . .

At school, Gaynor comes across two pupils who are reading a tabloid paper, the Daily Scope, and she is shown the front page headline, “Ffion’s Choice of Murderous Lovers.”

. . . which is confiscated by the head mistress

She tells them that she will be keeping the paper,

She looks at the double-page spread

and looks at the middle pages, where there is an illustrated article.

"I think you ought to see this"

Then she bumps into Ffion, and thinks that she should see the paper; although she looks disturbed,

"Hywel hasn't murdered anyone – yet!"

Ffion comments, “It’s not true – Hywel was my partner as well – and he hasn’t murdered anyone – yet! They’ll be talking about something else tomorrow.”

"Poor Ffion!'

In the shop Britt and Colin are looking at the same article; “Poor Ffion!” he sighs,

"You'll have to tell Aaron about his father"

and then tells Britt, “You’ll have to talk to Aaron and tell him about his father – of course you will. Everyone will be talking about it now, and it’s better he hears it from his family than someone else.”

Britt is naïvely confident that no one will tell him,

Britt is more interested in finding Chester

and she tries yet again to contact Chester with her phone.

"Everyone's talking about it"

Kath comes in for a copy of the paper, and says that everyone is talking about it. “The story’s out now, isn’t it, Kath?” Colin remarks. Britt decides that she is going to see Garry.

Hywel cannot find the charger for his laptop and complains that the battery is running down quicker than usual;

Hywel has some unexpected visitors . . .

suddenly Julie arrives with Esther, much to the dismay of Hywel. Rhys asks Esther if she enjoyed herself with her Gran,

. . . and is not at all happy about it

but Hywel does not look at all pleased.

Sioned is looking at baby clothes

Sioned is looking online for baby clothes, and proposes buying something for the baby, as there is 10% off today.

"You've bought enough already, Sioned"

Her mother says that she has bought enough already, and they are bound to get a lot of presents. Eileen receives a text from Jim, who has been up since six this morning;

Jim has gone to Anglesey

“He’ll be shattered when he gets back from that tractor place on Anglesey – I don’t know how we’ll cope when the baby arrives.”

"It's a bit late to think about that now"

Sioned comments that it is rather late to think about that now,

Eileen has an idea about the baby's care . . .

and Eileen suggests, “I was thinking that you could help every other night with me.”

. . . which is not welcomed by Sioned

Sioned does not not relish this idea, likening herself to a live-in nanny, and hopes that it will be a baby who sleeps all night. “I don’t think that kind of baby exists,” her mother tells her, “I’d really appreciate your help.”

Britt is distracted by the photo album . . .

Britt marches into the Deri flat, shouting for Garry, then she notices the photograph album on the table, and looks at it;

. . . but then she sees the photos with the missing pieces

she is horrified when she reaches the photos from which Chester’s face has been excised.

Garry comes in and she immediately jumps to a conclusion;

"What on earth have you been doing?"

“What on earth have you been doing?”

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself!"

Julie has put Esther to bed, and tells Hywel, “You ought to be ashamed of yourself, not turning up for the sentencing yesterday. You should have been there for Sheryl. I’ve been looking after Esther, and this is all thanks I get – having to go through that hell all on my own!

"I'm not doing you any more favours, Hywel!"

“I’m not doing you any more favours, Hywel! All her stuff is in the car.”

"She's not coming back here!"

“She’s not coming back here,” he stresses, “Can you look after her until she goes to the authorities, please? Esther’s going to be adopted – I can’t give her what she needs here, without Sheryl.”

"We are all Esther's family!"

Julie is furious, “Of course you can – that’s what Sheryl would want!” Hywel informs her that he had a meeting with them yesterday, but she protests, “You had no right – we are all Esther’s family!”

"There's no family without Sheryl, is there?"

Hywel’s reply is, “There’s no family without Sheryl, is there?” She is adamant that he must tell them he has changed his mind, but he is unmoved;

"I haven't changed my mind – and I won't!"

“No, because I haven’t changed my mind, and I won’t, either!”

"Perhaps he was angry with himself, with life"

Britt demands why Chester would do something like that, and is told, “Perhaps he was angry, with himself, with life.” She is frightened that something has happened to him, as he has not contacted her,

"He'll be fine, Britt"

but Garry replies that he might well not do so, but is sure he will be fine, as he is a sensible boy deep down.

"My little boy!"

“My little boy!” she wails, and Garry tries to comfort her.

As Rhys plays with Esther, Hywel totally ignores her;

"I have to go for a fitness session with Ffion"

Rhys says that he has to go, as Ffion, is coming for a fitness session before long.

Esther is blissfully ignorant of the arguments going on

Hywel does not want to be left alone with Esther, but Rhys has things to sort out;

"I can't be on my own with her"

“I can’t be on my own with her,” his father insists,

Esther just wants to play

“It’s not fair on her to be with us at all – I just look at her . . .

"Please don't go, Rhys!"

“please don’t go!” but Rhys does go,

Hywel does not know what to do

and Hywel looks very anxious.

Ffion does some marking

Ffion is doing some marking at school when Gaynor comes in;

Gaynor invites her to take the rest of the day off

“I hope you don’t think I’m interfering, but you’re welcome to take the rest of the day off.”

"It's easier if I'm out of sight, is it?"

“It’s easier if I’m out of sight, is it?” Ffion asks, “Well, there’s no need – I’m fine, thanks.” The children have arrived, and at the back of the class,

The students are aware of the facts

two children are discussing the front page of the Daily Scope;

"Yes, it's mental!"

one of them, Aaron, comments, “Yes, it’s mental!”

"I don't have time, Col!"

Colin comes into the chippy, and is greeted with, “I don’t have time, Col!” He knows that she is worried about Chester – and so is he – but she has to talk to Aaron.

"Before he finds out from someone at school"

“Now, Britt, please – before he finds out from someone at school.” She agrees to think about it, but he continues,

"You haven't got time to think"

“You haven’t got time to think – he needs to be told today!”

A customer arrives to take Britt's mind off it

Britt is relieved to see the arrival of a customer she has not seen for ages.

Julie and Kath are talking in the Deri,

"He'll see sense in the end"

where Kath maintains that Hywel will see sense in the end.

Julie cannot envisage that happening

Julie is very doubtful; “You should have heard him this morning – he doesn’t want to bring her up now that Sheryl’s gone. He wants to move on with a new woman – and that’s what he’ll do as well. I can tell.”

"You have to stand up for your own rights!"

Kath reminds her, “Since when do you let other people decide what happens to your family? You have to stand up for your own rights, do you understand? That’s what Sheryl would want – for her Mam to put her foot down for what’s right!”

"You're right – that's what I'll do"

Julie concludes that she is right, and decides she will fight; Kath knew that the old Julie was in there somewhere, and tells her, “Show that Hywel Llywelyn who’s boss – put your foot down!”

Eileen has had a good sleep

Eileen comes downstairs, after sleeping much longer than she intended; Sioned is doing some baking, and says that she had a call from the wholesaler,

"Oh – I forgot all about the wholesaler!"

who will be delivering tomorrow.

"Jim thinks it's a good idea"

“I texted Jim about that idea of you and me getting up at night with the baby, and he thinks it’s a good idea.”

"He would – he doesn't have to do anything!"

Sioned replies that of course he does, as he will not have to do anything.

Then she points out, “Looking after the baby in shifts is not going to do the business any good, is it? One of us has to have a clear head –

She insists she is only thinking about the business

“I’m just trying to think what would be best for everyone.”

Eileen knows what would be best for her and Jim – if Sioned was willing to help;

"You could think of as a way of paying us back"

“You could think of it as a way of paying us back – as you’re living here and not paying any rent.”

Rhys has given up waiting for Ffion . . .

At the gym, Rhys has almost given up on Ffion when she arrives;

. . . when she finally appears

“I wasn’t sure if you would come tonight,” he says, and hands her a pair of boxing gloves.

Esther is quite contented

As Esther plays quite happily, Hywel explains to Julie,

"We can't give her everything she needs"

“I’m her father, and that’s what’s happening. We can’t give her everything she needs,” but Julie describes this as nonsense. “The girl needs parents – a mother and a father,” he goes on, but she protests that Sheryl did not have a father, and she turned out all right.

"Do the right thing, Hywel!"

“You know in your heart that Sheryl would have wanted you to raise the little one,” she insists, but he replies that he is doing this for Sheryl. She urges him to do what is right – phone them and cancel the whole thing – that is the brave thing to do.

Hywel will not change his position . . .

He is unshakable in his belief, so Julie decides she will raise Esther;

. . . but Julie is adamant she will do it

“If you’re not willing to do the right thing, I’ll do it. I’m not talking nonsense – that little girl is not leaving our family while I’m still breathing.”

Rhys has some practice . . .

Rhys is practising with the punchbag, and Ffion appears to have a lot of aggression as she takes over.

. . . and Ffion gets some aggression out of her system

She attacks with determination, and is told that her technique has improved a lot.

"Sorry, Ffion, I have to go"

Rhys receives a text and has to leave.

The determined look on Ffion's face . . .

Ffion resumes pummelling the punchbag with all her might,

. . . which turns into tears

then dissolves into tears; she throws down the boxing gloves, and at that moment Gaynor comes in, looking for Rhys.

"It's all right that it hurts"

“It’s all right that it hurts,” she assures Ffion and tries to comfort her,

Gaynor hugs Ffion

“You’ll get through it – you’re one of the strongest people I know.”

Sioned's baking is finished

Sioned takes her baking from the oven,

Jim has sent a selfie from Anglesey

and Eileen has received a message from Jim. “Look, Sioned, I’m glad you’re helping out – you do know that, don’t you? And despite what I said earlier, I don’t want you to help with the baby, if you don’t want to.

"You do what's best, when it comes to the baby"

“You do what’s best, when it comes to the baby, all right?”

She also suggests that they have a Chinese takeaway, and Sioned comments that spices can cause early contractions, but her mother replies,

"This one is in no rush to come out"

“This one is in no rush to come out, I can tell you that.”

Sioned presumes that the baby is stubborn, just like her,

Sioned is not ordering a takeaway . . .

and picks up her phone, ostensibly to order a takeaway,

. . . but looking for alternative accommodation

but we see she is actually looking at the Tomos ac Ellis website for houses to rent.

"You want to adopt Esther?"

“You want to adopt Esther?” says Rhys, incredulously, but would prefer it if she stayed with his father. Julie points out that there is no hope of that,

"I'm going to see a solicitor first thing tomorrow"

and advises Hywel that she is going to see a solicitor first thing tomorrow to see what she needs to do.

"You're not the best person to raise her"

Hywel insists that this is not right, and she is not the best person to raise Esther; “What we want is not important – this is about Esther’s welfare.” Julie accuses him of getting rid of her because she is not convenient.

"Come on, Esther, we're going home now"

She tells Esther that they are going home now,

"Dadi doesn't love you any more!"

and her parting comment is, “Dadi doesn’t love you any more!”

Britt is in tears as she sorts through Chester’s clothing;

"There's no rush to sort it out"

Colin says there is no rush to sort it out, but she replies that it is as if he is still there.

Aaron returns from school, describing it as boring,

"Miss Llywelyn has been out with two murderers!"

but adds, “Did you know that Miss Llywelyn has been out with two murderers? Not just Gethin – there was another one, too – did you know him?”

"His name was Owen, and it was a long time ago"

Britt replies, “His name was Owen, and it was a long time ago – before you were born.”

Aaron goes to his room and Colin says he will go out, so that Britt can talk to Aaron; she answers, “Nobody’s told him, obviously, or he would have said.”