The September House

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains mentions of suicide, along with descriptions of self-harm, domestic violence, and abuse.

Margaret’s arm throbs from Elias’s bite marks, but she is too exhausted to care. She talks to the prankster ghosts, explaining to them that Katherine cannot see them. She is dimly aware that Katherine is on the phone in the background. Katherine’s ex-girlfriend Claire is dating a therapist, and Katherine is asking them both questions about Margaret. Katherine alludes to a family history of mental health crises and mentions the risk of suicide. She confesses her suspicion that Margaret is harming herself and explains that this all started to happen when Hal left. She has serious concerns about her mother’s mental health and does not know what to do. Ignoring this conversation, Margaret instead talks with Fredricka. She reflects on Fredricka’s kindness and is grateful for her presence in the house.

Margaret reflects that another rule in their home was that Hal refrain from hurting Katherine and he spare her the brunt of his anger. While he did occasionally lose his temper at his daughter, he did not subject her to physical violence like he did Margaret.