DEVLIN (cont.) Why have you never told me about this lover of yours before this? I have the right to be very angry indeed. Do you realize that? I have the right to be very angry indeed. Do you understand that?

Silence.

REBECCA Oh, by the way, there’s something I meant to tell you. I was standing in a room at the top of a very tall building in the middle of town. The sky was full of stars. I was about to close the curtains but I stayed at the window for a time looking up at the stars. Then I looked down. I saw an old man and a little boy walking down the street. They were both dragging suitcases. The little boy’s suitcase was bigger than he was. It was a very bright night. Because of the stars. The old man and the little boy were walking down the street. They were holding each other’s free hand. I wondered where they were going. Anyway, I was about to close the curtains but then I suddenly saw a woman following them, carrying a baby in her arms.

Pause.

REBECCA (cont.) Did I tell you the street was icy? It was icy. So she had to tread very carefully. Over the bumps. The stars were out. She followed the man and the boy until they turned the corner and were gone.

Pause.

REBECCA (cont.) She stood still. She kissed her baby. The baby was a girl.

Pause.

REBECCA (cont.) She kissed her.

Pause.

REBECCA (cont.) She listened to the baby’s heartbeat. The baby’s heart was beating.

The light in the room has darkened. The lamps are very bright.

Rebecca sits very still.

REBECCA (cont.) The baby was breathing.

Pause.

REBECCA (cont.) I held her to me. She was breathing. Her heart was beating.

Devlin goes to her. He stands over her and looks down at her.

He clenches his fist and holds it in front of her face. He puts his left hand behind her neck and grips it. He brings her head toward his fist. His fist touches her mouth.

DEVLIN Kiss my fist.

She does not move.

He opens his hand and places the palm of his hand on her mouth.

She does not move.

DEVLIN (cont.) Speak. Say it. Say “Put your hand round my throat.”

She does not speak.

DEVLIN (cont.) Ask me to put my hand round your throat. She does not speak or move.

He puts his hand on her throat. He presses gently. Her head goes back.

They are still.

She speaks. There is an echo. His grip loosens.

REBECCA They took us to the trains

ECHO the trains

He takes his hand from her throat.

REBECCA They were taking the babies away

ECHO the babies away

Pause.

REBECCA I took my baby and wrapped it in my shawl

ECHO my shawl

REBECCA And I made it into a bundle

ECHO a bundle