September, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 Summary

Ava awakes to drenched bed sheets; they signal night sweats, a symptom of AIDS. Debating about whether to say anything about it, Ava reflects on her past and wonders about the future she can't claim.

Joyce is forced to turn Imani over to the authorities, and ultimately to Mattie, for the weekend. Ava senses that the only thing that will save Joyce's sanity is to have something to keep her occupied, so the two sisters get the custody paperwork together and then take up their watch in front of Mattie's house.

The weekend passes with relative calm until Sunday, when Joyce and Ava can hear Imani's cries even over the thumping of the blasting stereo. Mattie and Frank block Joyce and Ava's attempts to enter the house, and Frank threatens to shoot the gun he has directed at Joyce...