Sookie shook her head. "Mom, that's assuming that the others will help you because you contributed. You can't rely on that. The people you know now could get sick. They might leave if they find a way to support themselves. They could be too focused on their own families to help. They could even be dead in a few weeks." Nothing was to be relied on, and no one but their own family. "Can you honestly say you have the energy now? There's no prenatal checkups here. The only indicator of how you're doing is how you feel. You have to listen to your body." And forget everyone else. It went against everything Sookie wanted to believe in, but she had to make sure her family made it.
Sookie's shoulders slumped and she drew in a deep breath to hold back tears. Her mother's words hit her hard like a punch to the stomach. "No. I could never, ever leave you and dad and my sisters in this place. When we get out of here, it'll be together."