Normala människor

Vännerna och tidigare pojkvän/flickvän Connell (Paul Mescal) och Marianne (Daisy Edgar- Jones) - som vi tidigare kunnat läsa om i seriens avsnitt 8 som också innehåller lite svenskheter - studerar på olika håll för stunden, Connell i Dublin och Marianne i vintriga Sverige. De håller kontakten via email:

Connell: "I'm glad to hear things are okay over there in Sweden and that the course is good. Everything is basically the same here as before you left. I looked up your friend, the photographer on Facebook, by the way. He seems interesting. Is he your boyfriend or are you not putting labels on it?"

Marianne och Lukas (Lancelot Ncube) har något slags förhållande, men Marianne gör slut med honom på ett av stadens caféer. De sitter vid ett bord och har den trista dialogen när servitrisen kommer förbi och plockar av bordet:

Lukas: "Oh. Are you breaking up with me?"
Marianne: "Maybe. Maybe, yeah."
Lukas: "Okay, uh, can I do anything to stop you from breaking up with me? Come on. Tell me, what is it?"
Marianne: "Look. I just... I don't think a relationship is what I want."
Lukas: "What do you want? I really like you."
Marianne: "That. I don't... I don't want that. I don't want you to say that."
Lukas: "Really?"
Marianne: "Really. I want... if anything... the opposite. Of that."
Servitris: "Då tar jag tallriken."
Lukas: "Absolut."

På en julfest springer Connell på en gammal gemensam vän, Peggy (India Mullen), som tydligen inte har några problem att diskutera rykten om Mariannes sexliv med Connell:

Peggy: "Jesus Christ, haven't seen you in such a long time. How's Marianne getting on? I heard she's up to some interesting stuff over in Sweden. I'm so fuckin' jealous. Jamie was saying she was into some weird stuff. Like, bondage and shit. Was that you? Did you like, kick her off on all that stuff?"
Connell: "Fuck off, Peggy."
Peggy: "I'm just talking about stuff I've heard here..."
Connell: "Yeah, and I don't want to hear about it, thanks."

Emailandet fortsätter Connell och Marianne emellan:

Connell: "From your emails, it doesn't sound like you're completely happy in Sweden. Maybe I'm wrong. I think I know the feeling of being detached from the world, although I haven't felt that way lately."

Marianne sjunker djupare ner i en slags depression och underkastelse i förhållandet med Lukas, ett förhållande hon inte kan ta sig ur. Hon ringer hem och förklarar att hon kommer stanna i Sverige över jul: 

Marianne: "Hello?"
Denise: "I heard you."
Marianne: "I have a lot of work on."
Denise: "It's Christmas."
Marianne: "Yeah. I'm aware."
Denise: "So you'll stay in Sweden on Christmas Day?"
Marianne: "I don't know. I'll work or something."
Denise: "And we'll see you when exactly?"
Marianne: "I don't know."