Ruth's mom sees the baby before Ruth does.  All at once, it hits her ...that which they'd not really talked about. The horror of the rape hits her at this moment.  She has a nervous break-down.  Not only hadn't she been in the room when the delivery had taken place, but now she can't even bring herself to be in the room when Ruth sees her baby for the first time.  She hates herself for not being strong enough.   Burdened with her failure as a mom every time Ruth had needed her ...she collapses in her chair, and sobs uncontrollably.