If asked why she thought Alma stayed with Ennis for as long as she did even after she found out his secret, Michelle Williams would say, "I think she loves him. It takes a long time for her fantasy -- for the reality to catch up with her fantasy. For so many reasons she still stays with him. She’s really attached to this idea of a husband, and a family, and something that lasts. Everything that came before her was lasting, her great-grandparents, her grandparents, her parents. Everybody had something that lasted whether or not it was good -- you know, you stuck it out. I mean Jack and Ennis even talked about something like that but that was, you know, people weren’t getting divorced willy-nilly back then. What would she do? Where would she go? How would she be provided for? What would happen if people found out? Would her, how would her girls’ lives be affected? My mind just starts to pinball when I think about all the reasons...."