Eileen tells Jim she has booked a last-minute holiday, just for her, and is leaving tonight; she did not tell him before, as she know he would try to stop her, but she had told Colin, who will be looking after the shop. Jim is very disappointed that she seems to be escaping from him, but she says she has no energy to try any more.
Despite Jim’s protests, she will not change her mind, and Jim says Sioned was right when she said her mother was selfish; “It’s all me, me, me! Go on holiday, and I hope it pours with rain!” he says as he storms out, shouting at Colin in the shop on his way.
Downstairs, Kevin hobbles in and tells Colin he has not broken any bones, then announces to Jinx that Colin saved his life, so Jinx wants to feature the “Superhero” on CwmFM. Later, when Iolo comes into the Deri, he is hailed as “Cwmderi Mountain Rescue” but he shuns any publicity; Mark at the other end of the bar, moans that he was not found for days in that field at Penrhewl.
Sioned asks Eifion how the children are, and he says he never imagined he would have both of them; Sioned wonders how any mother could abandon her children. Then Jim comes in, orders a whisky, and tells Sioned that her mother is off on holiday alone; “She says she’s had enough, and she’s not the only one!”
Today both Gaynor and Hywel have been making bread, and Gaynor has a visit from Ffion, to tell her the result of the inspection; the school was “exceptional” in certain aspects, and the staff are celebrating with a buffet in the Deri tonight, but Gaynor does not want to join them. When they ask her to judge the best bread, she informs Hywel that his loaf is chewy; “Someone has a soggy bottom,” she tells him. When Ffion leaves, Gaynor says she had thought the school would collapse without her.
The teachers all pile into the Deri, and Ffion praises them for the good results. Eifion tries to commiserate with Jim, advising him not to give in, but to fight to keep Eileen, as he should have done with Cadno.
Kevin calls on Iolo at home, and thanks him for what he did, but asks if Colin had not been there, would he have left Kevin in the wood? Iolo replies that he could not live with himself if he had; he made a mistake once, and turned back when he should have helped. Kevin says they all have to live with their conscience.
Eifion tells Sioned that her mother is leaving, so she hurries out. Someone hands Ffion a drink, which she takes to the bar and is sorely tempted, and about to drink it, but suddenly stops herself.
As Eileen is putting on her scarf, Jim insists that he will come with her, on another flight, perhaps tomorrow, but she is adamant she needs time alone to clear her head. He remembers when he said that he loved her the other night, she did not say it back to him, and suspects she wants to finish with him.
The taxi is waiting outside, and as Eileen gets in, Sioned arrives. “I heard you were leaving,” she says, What a good idea! Were you hoping I’d stop you? Looking for sympathy, were you? Don’t rush back – stay as long as you like!”
Eileen is stunned; “How can you be so hard-hearted?” she asks.
“I was raised that way – I inherited it,” replies Sioned; the taxi leaves, Sioned stomps back to the Deri, and Jim is left at the end of his tether, standing in the middle of the road. |
| Jim does not know what else he can do |
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