As used in the text, what does the phrase "mere presence of the chair… | Verbal SAT Question

The following text is from the 1996 novel Desert Birds by Elena Ruiz.

A young girl is sitting in a room with her grandmother, Teresa, whose old rocking chair had previously been kept on the porch.

The girl took comfort in the mere presence of the chair in the room. Comfort in its movement. It was faded by years in the sun and bent by occasional rain, and only in the last few months had Teresa decided to bring it inside with the family.

As used in the text, what does the phrase “mere presence of the chair” most nearly refer to?

The chair’s relative simplicity compared with the rest of the furniture

The simple fact of the chair’s existence

The chair’s lack of appeal to the rest of the family

The idea that the chair is unnoticeable