Which of the following inferences about Billie Jo's father is best supported by the text? A. Her father seems neglectful and irresponsible. B. Her father blames Billie Jo for her mother's death. C. Her father is abusive toward Billie Jo. D. Her father is coping with his suffering in an unhealthy way.

To determine which inference about Billie Jo's father is best supported by the text, we need to analyze the given options and compare them with the information provided in the text.<br /><br />A. Her father seems neglectful and irresponsible.<br />B. Her father blames Billie Jo for her mother's death.<br />C. Her father is abusive toward Billie Jo.<br />D. Her father is coping with his suffering in an unhealthy way.<br /><br />Based on the text, the best-supported inference about Billie Jo's father is option D: Her father is coping with his suffering in an unhealthy way. The text mentions that Billie Jo's father is struggling with his emotions and is not handling his grief in a healthy manner. This suggests that he is using unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with his pain.<br /><br />Options A, B, and C are not supported by the text. There is no evidence in the text to suggest that Billie Jo's father is neglectful, irresponsible, blames her for her mother's death, or is abusive toward her.<br /><br />Therefore, the correct answer is D. Her father is coping with his suffering in an unhealthy way.