Anxious People

When the bank robber goes back inside the apartment, almost everyone is laughing (except for Roger, who’s arguing with the real estate agent about the incorrect apartment plans). Zara and Lennart are standing by the window. Zara doesn’t seem to hate Lennart—and he seems to adore her.

Julia spots Anna-Lena standing alone and gets up to tell her that hiring Lennart to boost Roger’s confidence was weird but very romantic. Anna-Lena says Roger should’ve had a chance to get promoted. But being married and having kids is like climbing trees: you both climb and climb and sometimes you don’t see each other, but you keep climbing. She always figured they’d end up on the same branch, but life went so fast, and Roger never got his turn. Julia says Julia’s mom says to never apologize for being good at something. Anna-Lena deems this wise.

Several loud bangs break the ensuing silence, and Lennart exclaims that there are fireworks going off outside. Jim is setting them off by the bridge and fortunately, he likes fireworks. Everyone stands on the balcony to watch, and Estelle thanks the robber and says Knut would’ve liked this. The robber apologizes for all the trouble and holds Estelle’s hand.

When the fireworks are over and everyone goes back inside, the robber tries to discreetly signal to the real estate agent. But the agent is arguing with Roger about how much Julia and Ro should pay for the apartment. Finally, the agent snaps that she can go lower, but only because she’s selling the apartment across the landing in two weeks. Seeing everyone’s curious looks, she explains that you can’t sell two apartments in the same building at once, but the other apartment is the same, though it has a smaller closet. Julia asks if the agent has the keys and looks at the robber. Scoffing, the agent says she doesn’t. The bank robber’s heart falls.

Estelle chirps that she had an affair once as she opens another bottle of wine. She repeats this as she stares into the robber’s eyes, and she explains that her lover liked books while Knut liked music. The robber says she also likes books. Estelle says all people make mistakes, like her affair with her neighbor. He gave her a key, and she kept it. Running her hands along her bookcase, a book falls out, open. A key bounces on the floor.

Panting, Estelle says that when Knut got sick, they signed the apartment to their daughter, but she doesn’t want to live here. Estelle has been here alone ever since, and finally, her daughter convinced her to sell. So she contacted an agent and asked for a viewing the day before New Year’s Eve so she could have company. She pretended to be a buyer so she’d know who bought it. This is her home, after all, and she wants to sell to someone who will love it. Estelle confirms that her lover was the neighbor in the apartment across the landing—and the new owners never changed the locks. The bank robber is speechless, but Estelle tells her to go hide and then go home to her daughters. Everyone agrees to lie to the police for her.

The bank robber tries to argue—but before she can leave, Jim knocks on the door. Roger grouses that with a policeman outside, the robber can’t sneak over. Zara suggests they try to bribe him, but the robber keeps her conversation with Jim a secret. She tells everyone to walk out so they can tell the truth: that she was in the apartment when they left. Estelle puts the pizza in the fridge and gives the robber her phone number. Later, when Jack comes upstairs, Jim is still in the stairwell. He tells his son that the robber is still in the apartment. Then, Jim picks up the drawing in the stairwell.

Earlier, Ro found the special phone in a pizza box, put it on the table, and then forgot about it. After the rest of the hostages left, the robber wiped her prints off of the pistol and set it on the table next to the phone. She threw her ski mask in the fire and left the apartment. She showed Jim the key and said she didn’t tell anyone about him helping her. Jim wouldn’t let her apologize, so she entered the other apartment. Jim was left in the stairwell, hoping his wife would be proud or at least not angry. Then Jack came upstairs, the negotiator called the phone, and the pistol went off.