Cwmderi Diary 2018: 26 December 2018 (1st)

Colin is wrapping presents . . .

Colin is wrapping presents when

. . . when Britt begins to stir

Britt regains consciousness, and Colin assures her that it is OK;

"You must be starving"

“You must be starving,” he says, and she looks around in disbelief.

"Where are the children?"

“Where are the children?” she asks, and when told they are at the Deri, she wants to see them, but he doubts that they would come,

"They're still upset after yesterday"

explaining they are still rather upset after yesterday.

“Do you remember me arriving at the cottage to get you out? Do you remember anything?” he enquires,

"I don't want to talk about yesterday"

but she does not want to talk about yesterday; he says he will make her some coffee, and kisses her.

"Did you enjoy Christmas?"

In the Deri, Garry asks Hywel if he enjoyed Christmas, and wonders if he has heard the latest about Angela;

"She been arrested!"

“She’s been arrested for attacking Anita and kidnapping Huwi!”

"Can I go and see the children?"

Hywel gets out his phone, as Colin arrives, wanting to go up and see the children.

Garry does not think that is the way; “Pretending that it is all right – cooking Christmas dinner,”

"We must all show we support her"

but Colin insists that it is important for her to see that all of them support her.

"Look, Elgan needed professional help"

“Look, Elgan needed professional help, but Gaynor and I had to intervene before he got that help,” explains Garry, “I think you and I should do the same with Britt.”

"Let me try my way first"

Colin will not listen to him; “Let me try my way first, starting with inviting the children home – dinner, presents, charades.” Garry reckons she is lucky to have Colin, and invites him to help himself to the food in the kitchen. There is plenty left after the fiasco yesterday.

The phones are returned to Catrin and Aaron

Upstairs, Catrin is sitting on the sofa when Colin comes in and hands her and Aaron their mobile phones;

"Mam was asking about you"

“Mam was asking about you this morning – it was the first thing she said, to be honest,” he begins,

"She doesn't care about us!"

but Catrin is quite convinced that her mother does not care about them.

He continues, “That’s not true, Cats, she made a huge mistake – but the both of you, and Chester, are the people who really matter to her.”

Colin is going to organise Christmas dinner

Aaron asks if she is all right, and Colin maintains that she is. “I’m going to sort out Christmas dinner for the three of us and Mam.

"Neville won't be there!"

“Neville won’t be there! I’ve put decorations up in the flat, and then there are presents under the tree – but I don’t want to spoil the surprise – so will you come home, please?”

"No – not until she sorts herself out!"

Catrin’s mind is made up; “No, Col, I won’t play happy families until she sorts herself out – I don’t know why you bother either! You should just walk away and forget about her.”

"I can't do that, because I love her!"

Colin replies that he cannot do that, because he loves her, and he knows that they both love her too.

"Well, if you change your minds . . ."

“Well, OK, if you change your minds – around midday,” Colin says as he leaves. Catrin tells Aaron that she is not going to change her mind,

"But there are presents, Cat"

but he points out that there are presents.

Down in the bar, Hywel is convinced that Angela is still grieving for Courtney;

"What she did was serious!"

“But what she did was serious,” Garry reminds him, adding, “I hear she stayed with you on Christmas Eve,” and is pleased to hear Hywel’s confirmation that she was only on the sofa,

"The last thing you need is to get involved!"

“Because the last thing you need is to get involved there!”

“Thanks for the advice, Garry, but it’s no business of yours,” is Hywel’s curt reply.

"I didn't have much luck with the children"

Colin comes down and reports that he did not have much luck with the children,

"It will be just Britt and me"

so it looks as if it will be just Britt and him.

"I'll have a word with them"

“I appreciate what you’re trying to do – I’m not making any promises, but I’ll have a word with them,” Garry assures him.

Hywel has taken pity on Angela

Angela is now at Hywel’s house; “I was so glad when I got your message – I was in the taxi, with no idea where to go.

"I would never have hurt Huwi"

“I’ve been charged – I’ve messed up! Please believe me, I would never have hurt Huwi deliberately.”

Hywel sympathises with her predicament

Hywel is sympathetic, and knows how much the little one means to her. “I only wanted them to feel the way I feel,” she whines,

"It's not fair"

“It’s not fair that Jim gets to be a father again.”

“I do understand,” begins Hywel, “When Meilyr died, Sheryl and I kidnapped Vicky’s baby – we were blinded by grief –

"It was your grief for Courtney"

“and your grief for Courtney drove you to do what you did yesterday. You haven’t come to terms with the loss yet. I want to help you, Ange.”

She says that she has to speak to her mother, to apologise;

"I could face years in prison"

“If she doesn’t withdraw the allegation, I could face years in prison!”

"Eileen needs time to cool down"

Hywel insists that he should talk to her mother, but not now, as she needs time to cool down first; “Jim and Eileen have turned their backs on you when you need them most. You need a friend – and that’s me.”

Britt wonders where all the presents came from

Britt is looking at the presents under the Christmas tree when Colin returns, with the food from the Deri. “I’ve some Christmas dinner for us, and I picked up a pudding from the shop – one of those chocolate things.”

"I found Aaron's Christmas list"

He explains the presents by saying he found Aaron’s Christmas list, and went out early this morning to the sales; “I didn’t get everything, but most of it is there – and a few extra gifts for Catrin. I hope you’ll be able to give the presents to the children later. Garry is going to talk to them.”

Britt is not optimistic

Britt does not look particularly hopeful, and then says, “I’ve been thinking, about yesterday –

"It's stress, I think"

“it’s stress, I think. You know, trying to juggle two jobs, organising the procession, and missing Chester, of course. Do you know what?

"I need to take it easy for a while"

“If he had only come – I need to calm down, that’s all. I need to take it easy for a while. I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble, but I just needed to let off steam –

"Nev was a bad influence on me"

“I can see now that Nev was a bad influence on me, but I feel a lot better now, OK?”

Then they hear the front door;

"It sounds as if they decided to come"

“It sounds as if Catrin and Aaron decided to come after all,” remarks Colin.

"Wait, Britt!"

Britt does not want to see them, and rushes to her bedroom, just as Catrin and Aaron come up the stairs.

"She's gone for a lie-down"

He tells them that their mother has gone for a lie-down, and wonders what makes them change their minds.

"Garry's a bigger nag than you!"

“Garry’s a biger nag than you!” Catrin informs him,

"Where's Christmas dinner? I'm starving!"

but Aaron wants to know where the Christmas dinner is, as he is starving.

As Rhys and a couple of his mates are in the High Street, a car backfires;

The Parry family arrive in the village

it and another car pull up outside number 10. The Parry family alight,

"Hello, Cwmderi!"

and Tesni comments, “Hello, Cwmderi!”

Rhys takes in immediate fancy to her

Rhys shows an immediate interest.

"Time to open presents"

Colin announces to the children, “Right then, the time has come – time to open presents,” and and he hands them bags filled with parcels.

"We've got one for you, Col"

Aaron says they have one gift for him, which he opens,

Instant tattoos

and exclaims, “I’ve always wanted a pair of these – I was so jealous of Dad’s tattoos when I was a boy!”

Catrin comments, “And too much of a baby to have a real ones?” which he says perhaps is true.

"He, don't mess with the Monks, punks!"

“These would have come in handy yesterday, to tackle Neville and his gang – Hey, don’t mess with the Monks, punks!”

"Just what I wanted, Col!"

As they open the parcels, Britt appears in the dooorway, and Colin tells them the gifts are from their mother. “She found your list, Aaron,” and Britt is reduced to tears.

Aaron hugs his mother . . .

They thank her for the gifts, and Aaron gives her a big hug;

. . . as does Catrin, though rather half-heartedly

then, encouraged by Colin, Catrin does the same.

“Will you forgive me? I’m so sorry,” Britt sobs, “I love you so much!”

"Can Colin move back in?"

Aaron wonders if this means that Colin can move back in with them, but Britt would not blame him if he did not want to.

"I'd love to, if you'll have me back"

“I’d love to move in here, if you’ll take me back,” he replies,

A group hug

and all four of them embrace.

Lustful Rhys is ogling

Rhys is positioned by the village map, and Gerwyn wonders why he is staring; then the object of his attention comes out of the house, and he asks if Tesni wants any help.

"No, I don't want any help"

She replies that she does not,

"Hiya, I'm Rhys"

and he introduces himself as Rhys,

"Hurry up with those bags, Tes"

but her father tells her to hurry up with the bags.

She is Rhys' next challenge

Rhys fancies his chances there.

Inside number 10, Gerwyn remarks to Jaclyn, “The locals have started sniffing around already.”

"Where's my Tupperware?"

Jaclyn cannot find her Tupperware, and said she likes to know where it is.

They are arguing . . .

As the family argue about who sleeps where, they hear a familiar sound outside,

. . . when they hear a familiar sound . . .

and wonder if it is what they think it is.

. . . the horn on Gran's disability scooter

They go outside, and sure enough it is Gerwyn’s mother, on her disability scooter, who is holding up the traffic.
“I was afraid that this would happen,” groans Gerwyn,

"She's come all the way from Llandyssul on that!"

and Tesni is amazed that their Gran has come all the way from Llandyssul.

Gerwyn demands why is she is there,

"I'm here for the housewarming"

and she says she is anticipating a housewarming; they ask how she found out the address, and she replies that they cannot hide from her – she has spies everywhere. They all go into the house.

It is cracker-pulling time

Colin gets out the crackers, and Britt is as usual rather boisterous;

"I'm going over to see Bethan"

Catrin appears sullen, and decides she is going over to see Bethan.

"Do you know what? I need a lie-down"

Then Britt suddenly alleges that she is tired and will go for a lie-down.

"Is she having a midlife crisis or what?"

Aaron demands, “What’s wrong with her? Is she having a midlife crisis or what?” but Colin is not sure what it is.

"We'll get through it together"

He tries to persuade Aaron that they will get through it together, assuring him, “I’ll be here for you through it all.”

Guto appears to be teetotal

Guto will not drink alcohol like the rest of them; “Rot my brains, like you? No thanks!” he tells Tesni. Gran thinks that the house is rather pokey, and wonders when Morawel will be ready.

“I’m sure I can share with Tes – and you can carry me upstairs!” she jokes,

"To the Parrys!"

and they all drink a toast.

"We need something stronger than this cat's pee!"

Brenda (for such is her name) suggests, “We need something stronger than this cat’s pee! There’s a pub up the road – are you coming, Tes?”

"Behave, Mother!"

Her son warns her to behave, as he does does not want trouble on their first day.

Hywel reports that a new family has landed at number 10;

"Oh, just what I need!"

“Oh, just what I need – a perfect family unit, to rub salt into the wound,” Angela grouses, “Did you see Mam in the village?

"The way they wittered on annoyed me!"

“She’s probably too busy making plans for Pwll Bach. The way they wittered on about that place annoyed me.”

Hywel comments that they have not bought it yet, but Angela says they think they will make a fortune with the landfill.

"Jim says it has huge potential"

“Jim says it has huge potential – mind you, what does he know about running a landfill business?”

Hywel is set thinking about this

The idea makes Hywel think.

"Are you sure you don't want her to see a doctor?"

In the Deri, Garry asks if Colin is sure he does not want Britt to see a doctor, but he is convinced that it was just a blip; “With a bit of love and care, I’m sure she’ll get through it.