When Ree finds Maria, she's not quite sure what to do. Never has been. At least when her mother had lost her shit and succumbed to catatonia, she'd been numb. Not much you can do with numb except wipe the drool and keep them warm and comb their hair, sometimes.

Crying's different, or so she's found. There's an expectation of comfort, and she's never been real good with that. But Maria's one of her closest friends, so when she finds her on the floor, she's not about to give in to her basic instincts and run. She slumps on down beside her, wondering what to say, what's gone so wrong.

After a while, all she can manage is to ask, again: "What's goin' on? That guitar got somethin' to do it?"