Why did June treat Lily badly when she first came to the Boatwrights' house?

• A. She disliked Lily herself
• B. She was jealous of Lily's father
• C. She feared Lily for being loud
• D. She resented Lily's mom

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that June’s harshness toward Lily comes from resentment she harbors about Lily’s mother, Deborah Fontanel. Deborah’s past actions are a painful memory in the Boatwright household, and Lily, being Deborah’s daughter, unintentionally brings that history back to the surface. June reacts with coldness and a kind of guarded hostility because she associates Lily with that hurtful past. It isn’t about Lily as a person being troublesome; it’s about June’s unresolved feelings toward Deborah and the sense of betrayal or trouble Deborah represented to the family. As Lily stays and proves herself, June’s walls begin to soften and the dynamic shifts toward understanding and connection.

Why the other options don’t fit as the main reason: it isn’t about Lily’s own personality or temperament, nor about jealousy of Lily’s father, nor about Lily merely being loud. The motivation shown in the story points to June’s unresolved resentment toward Lily’s mom, which explains the initial chilly treatment.