"I made some dumb choices when I was younger which kept me from being really happy," Kathy explained. "But I'm fixing them now. And I think I'll be a lot happier for it, even if fixing them has been hard."

She'd be feeling guilty over Alex's expression as she handed over the papers, the keys, and her ring for a long time.

"Making friends with the stereo?" she asked. "Is that why it's looking so colorful and pretty?"