<P> Novalee soon meets Forney Hull ( James Frain ) , the surly librarian who looks after his alcoholic sister Mary Elizabeth ( Margaret Hoard ) . During a thunderstorm Novalee , alone at Walmart , goes into labor . Forney , who is now in awe of Novalee , and had seen her enter the store at closing time , smashes through the window to help deliver her child . Novalee instantly becomes a media darling , and in hospital is befriended by Nurse Lexie Coop ( Ashley Judd ) , who has four children by three different men . Novalee names her daughter Americus . Her estranged mother Mama Lil ( Sally Field ) , visits after hearing of the news on television but Novalee soon realises to her dismay and disgust that money had been Mama Lil 's only motive . Sister Husband arrives and offers to take in Novalee and Americus . </P>
forney 's sister in where the heart is
Mary Elizabeth ( Margaret Hoard )