The Secret Life of Bees Chapter 7 Summary

  • Lily now remembers meeting Zachary Lincoln Taylor, August's other helper, for the first time. Lilly seemed to be smitten immediately. During this first meeting, they talked about his plans to become a lawyer.
  • Then, she remembers that about two weeks into their visit, June pointedly asked about the length of their stay. Lily offered to leave, but August (who interrupted them during this discussion) reassured her that nobody wanted her and Rosaleen to leave. August took the opportunity to invite Lily to confide in her, but Lily wouldn't.
  • Jumping around a bit again, Lily remembers evenings when Neil would come over and spend time with June, and one in particular when she listened to June refusing him (again).
  • Then, she remembers a trip out into the countryside with Zach to collect some of the bee supplies. During the trip, the two shared a moment and almost kissed.
  • On the way back, they discussed Lily's aspirations as a writer. She got upset when she thought Zach was pooh-poohing her chances of making that happen.
  • When she got back to the pink house from that excursion, she discovered that Rosaleen was moving from the honey house (where she and Rosaleen had been sleeping) to May's room. Lily was not super pleased.
  • When she accompanied Rosaleen over to the house with her things, she ran into August, who was reading Jane Eyre. They discussed the book's story, which hit a bit close to home for Lily. August seemed to be hoping Lily would take the opportunity to start confiding in her, but they were interrupted by sounds of June and Neil having an epic fight. Neil stormed out and June threw tomatoes at his car as it drove away.
  • Lily then recalls how work proceeded for the rest of that day, and how her feelings for Zach were developing.
  • Two days later, Zach brought her a notebook for her to use for her writing. Lily was so touched she hugged him, and the two acknowledged their feelings for each other. However, they were also forced to acknowledge that being together was impossible, given the prevailing racial attitudes of their time/community.
  • She then started using her journal to write up a storm.