Lillian Weaver Quotes in Happy Accidents (2000)

Lillian Weaver: [Ruby has just knocked on her mom's door after the major blow-up with Sam] Honey?

Ruby: [Obviously greatly upset and on the verge of tears] Mother.

Lillian Weaver: What? What is it?

Ruby: [Brief cut to Katherine Hepburn movie playing on the TV where she's saying: "I come from such a different world, and I'm not going to be here long." Then a cut to Ruby sitting with her Mom on her bed along with her little dog, Marvin] Where's Dad?

Lillian Weaver: Where do you think? He's at the office as usual.

[Ruby sniffs and looks down trying to avoid crying]

Lillian Weaver: What is it?

Ruby: I had a happy childhood, right?

Lillian Weaver: We tried.

Ruby: So... why am I so fucked up? Why are my relationships so fucked up?

Lillian Weaver: Because you care, my love.

Ruby: I care too much.

Lillian Weaver: You can't care too much.

Ruby: I fall in love too easily.

Lillian Weaver: There are a lot worse things that could be wrong with you. Believe me. And I bet you Sam would agree with me. Hmmm?

Ruby: [She thinks about that for a moment and laughs] Sam was scared of Marvin.

Lillian Weaver: [laughing and incredulous] No! Marvin? Little Marvin? The foot licker?

Ruby: [Both look at Marvin sitting by Lillian's foot who then dutifully gives it a few licks. Cut scene to Sam getting very drunk in a bar and then proceeding on his misadventure with Sunil, the cab driver. We overhear Ruby tell her Mom more about Sam:] Sam is like... How can I even describe him? He's like two people in one. Sometimes he's like an incredible genius. Then he's also really clueless sometimes, like a child. And he can be really fierce. But he's also really soft. And he can be really romantic... and chivalrous. But the thing is, he's really caring. More than me. More than what I can... give back to him. I just don't know if I know what love is. It's not fair.

Lillian Weaver: Fair? Who ever told you that relationships were fair? Relationships are not fair. They're... battles. They're battles for supremacy.

Ruby: What?

Lillian Weaver: Honey, do you have any idea how many years I had to live with your father's drinking? Do you realize what a battle that was?

Ruby: I know, Mom. And that's why you helped him quit, because it wasn't fair.

Lillian Weaver: October the 15th, 1988. That was it. That was the day he stopped. Boy, I remember that day like it's yesterday. It was a Tuesday and he hasn't had a drop since.

Ruby: Because you made it happen.

Lillian Weaver: That's it. And now every day's a struggle.

[Ruby starts to object]

Lillian Weaver: Sweetheart... since Daddy's stopped drinking... we have... lost our spark. I know that's it wrong of me to say it, but... I miss your father the way he was.

Ruby: But Mom, he's... an alcoholic.

Lillian Weaver: And I was a classic codependent. I know that. Until I forced myself to stop caring about him. Until I forced him to deal with his own problems. Guess what? He did. And he got better. And I guess you could say now, that our relationship is more fair. There's just one slight casualty. The passion is gone.

[Both are at the brink of bawling]

Lillian Weaver: My love, my beautiful daughter. You give so much. You care so deeply. But you're so busy trying to fix the problem that you forget to enjoy the moments of happiness that you have. And your father and I, we had our moments. We loved... our happiness. When we had it, we... relished it. And that's what you must do. You must got to him... and you must tell him, Honey. You tell him how you feel. And... you... enjoy... each other for what you can give to each other now. Believe me, it won't last forever.