Leeford Village episode 112: (Simon smells the coffee)

Previously in Leeford Village: Sally Coleman shows gratitude to her husband for confronting the Cleeves about the ‘ghost’ in The Cross. Carlos enters the laundrette and meets Sherry. Jason Owens invites a few villagers to his house to discuss the rough draft of his novel, ‘Longford Village’. Edward and Ethel sit down to talk. Frank Watson is tasked with taking a census of the village for the council.

~

Carlos looks around for somewhere to sit and decides on the window ledge, moving a couple of stands holding leaflets about council refuse collection dates and the parish magazine. Sherry remains standing.

‘What are you doing here, Carlos?’

Carlos looks up at Sherry with lovesick eyes.

‘I come to see you. I come to tell you I love you.’

Sherry sighs and leans against one of the washing machines.

‘It’s no good, Carlos. We can’t be together,’ says Sherry with a firm voice, although she is feeling lightheaded and queasy.

‘We must be. I love you and you love me.’

Sherry wants to scoop up Carlos into her arms but remains resolute.

‘That was in Brazil. It was different then,’ she says.

‘How?’

‘We’d just met. There was sun and music and…I don’t know, Carlos, it was just different.’

Carlos turns to look out of the shopfront window. The sky is overcast and there are spots of rain falling onto the broken paving slabs outside.

‘You like it here, Sherry?’ he asks, as if the only answer Sherry could possibly give is ‘no’.

Sherry moves away from the washing machine and sits on the window ledge, keeping a good distance between herself and her visitor.

‘Yes, Carlos. I like it here. It’s not the most attractive place to live, but it’s home for me.’

Carlos reaches for her hand. Sherry pulls it away.

‘But you love Rio. You tell me. You tell me you love me. How can you not come back with me?’

Sherry is about to offer more of an explanation when the door bursts open. Allen Gomez rushes in and pulls Carlos up by his collar.

‘So, you’re the one who broke Sherry’s heart are you? Well, if you don’t leave right now, I’m going to break…’ Before Allen can finish making his threat, Sherry jumps onto his back and they both tumble to the ground with a thud. Neither makes a sound while they gain their composure. After what Carlos feels to be an uncomfortably long time, both sit up. Allen stretches his arm out. Carlos bends down to help Sherry to her feet. Allen lunges at him and pins him to the floor. He is about to begin another tirade when Sherry shouts: ‘Stop!’

Allen rolls off Carlos and shuffles over to a washing machine where he sits up and grimaces with pain, holding his arm. He and Carlos exchange hateful glances, but it’s Sherry who speaks.

‘I want you both to leave now and go in opposite directions. I have some thinking to do.’

Carlos opens his mouth to speak, but Sherry raises her hand before he can utter a word.

‘I’m serious. Go now, the two of you. I need some space. Carlos, I’ll call you this evening. Allen, I’ll see you at home. Please, no fighting, okay?’

Both men mumble ‘okay’. Sherry opens the door to the laundrette and they walk off in opposite directions.

Sherry locks the door and goes into the back room where she slumps down on a chair. She taps a message into her phone:

Lin. Please come round to work when you get this message. I have a man issue! x

~

Agnes enters Windrush’s Pharmacy, known to the locals as 'Burry's Chemists’, Joesph Burry being the previous owner. There’s a customer in front of her asking the pharmacist for advice on whether she can take paracetamol and ibuprofen together. The pharmacist delivers her advice and, when the satisfied customer has left, she addresses Agnes.

‘Hello Agnes, I haven’t seen you for a while. What can I do for you?’

‘Is Daniel about? I’d like a word if possible.’

‘He’s in the back making up prescriptions. I’ll get him for you.’

The pharmacist turns.

‘Actually,’ says Agnes, ‘I’d rather see him somewhere private.’

The pharmacist turns back.