Lily waits in August's bedroom, wanting to finally tell of her past. She looks at a picture book of Mary, in which each photo has the angel Gabriel presenting Mary with a lily. August arrives, and Lily tells her it's time to have a talk.
August tells Lily she knows who her mother was. Lily is shocked that August knew all along. The first day Lily arrived, August recognized her as Deborah's daughter. Lily doesn't understand why August didn't tell her sooner. August explains that Lily needed to have some time to get her life and thoughts together, so August waited.
August was a housekeeper in Deborah's house in Richmond, and she took care of little Deborah. August shares details of Deborah's personality, but August wants to know about Lily's life with T. Ray. So Lily tells her about T. Ray and begins to sob when she says her mother left her. August holds her close and lets her cry. Sobbing, Lily explains about T. Ray half-killing her and about Rosaleen's bruises. Then Lily describes breaking Rosaleen out of jail because she was afraid the white men would kill her.
Weeping, Lily explains that she is a bad person who tells lies. She hates T. Ray and other people. She admits killing her mother, and it breaks her heart because it's the biggest secret of all. And finally Lily says, "I am unlovable." August replies that there are all kinds of people who love her, including June: The reason June resented her at first was because August had worked as a maid in Deborah's house. August says she loves Lily. But one thing she can't figure out is how Lily knew to come to Tilburon, so Lily shows her the picture her mother wrote on. Then she explains the honey labels she saw in the grocery store when she and Rosaleen first arrived.
