Beautiful Ugly

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of substance use, child death, child sexual abuse, and death by suicide.

Grady wakes up thinking about the presence in the cabin and Abby’s decision to remarry. Determined to figure out what’s going on, he drives to The Croft, where Abby and Travers live. Outside, he runs into a woman who introduces herself as Travers, Abby’s wife. Travers also confirms they have a child named Holly. Grady “feel[s] dizzy with confusion” (230).

A week before her disappearance, Abby talks to the therapist about her desire to have children. She didn’t want children when she first married Grady, but her feelings changed. However, whenever she brings it up, he gets upset. She confesses that if she wants to make a change, she has to do it before it’s too late. The therapist encourages her to talk to Grady about everything before she leaves him.

Grady hears Abby’s baby crying before leaving The Croft. He speeds away, his mind reeling with questions. He’s convinced that Abby cheated on him, as he recently got a vasectomy. He still doesn’t know if Abby is Aubrey and wonders if he’ll ever stop seeing her ghost.