I like those characters with a past and who unconsciously drag it as if they were chains or crosses. Here we see how the ghost of the girl is very youthful and seductive. I join the thought of the therapist who believes that it can be an object created by him as a result of a fear or a desire. Normally, when we write, times of scriptural aridity can see unconscious barriers, moments of mental exhaustion, even disappointment or collapse. They are usually stages that are quickly overcome. Let's hope Margot helps our protagonist to look at the root of his problem. Nice Sunday for you, @johnjgeddes.
Fear and desire are strong forces in a person's lives - I know, and struggle with them as does my protagonist. Perhaps that's why so many of my characters are conflicted