Debra placed a mug of coffee beside Ella's chair and carried her own
back to her work bench.
Now, she said, you can tell me what is keeping you fidgeting around in
your seat, and drumming your fingers on the arm of the chair, she smiled
towards Ella, sensing the surprise. You have got something to tell me,
and it's killing you.
Yes, Ella spoke after a moment. Yes, you are right, my dear. She took
a deep breath and then went on. He came, Debra. He came to see me, as
we knew he must Debra set the mug down on the table, her hand was steady
and her face expressionless. I didn't tell him where you were. 'How is
he, Ella? How does he look?
He is thinner, a little thinner, I think, and paler than when I last saw
him, but it suits him. He is still the most beautiful man I have ever
seen. His hair, Debra asked, has he let it grow a little?
Yes, I think so. It's soft and dark and thick around his ears and curly
down the back. Debra nodded, smiling. I'm glad he didn't cut it. They
were silent again, and then almost timidly Debra asked, What did he say?
What did he want? 'He had a message for you. 'What was it? And Ella
repeated it faithfully in his exact words.
When she had finished, Debra turned away to face the wall above her
desk. Please go away now, Ella. I want to be alone. He asked me to
give him your reply. I promised to speak to him tomorrow morning. I
will come to you later, but please leave me now. And Ella saw the drop
of bright liquid that slid down the smooth brown curve of her cheek.
Mountainously Ella came to her feet and moved towards the door. Behind
her she heard the girl sob, but she did not turn back. She went across
the stone jetty and up to the terrace. She sat before her canvas and
picked up her brush and began to paint. Her strokes were broad and
crude and angry.
David was sweating in the stiff shiny skin of his full pressure suit and
he waited anxiously beside the telephone, glancing every few minutes at
the crew-room clock.
He and Joe would go on high-altitude Red standby at ten o'clock, in
seven minutes time, and Ella had not called him.
David's depression was thunderous and there was black anger and despair
in his heart. She had promised to call before ten o'clock.
Come on, Davey, Joe called from the doorway and he stood up heavily and
followed Joe to the electric carrier. As he took his seat beside Joe he
heard it ring in the crew-room.
Hold it, I he told the driver, and he saw Robert answer the telephone
and wave through the glass panel at him.
It's for you, Davey, and he ran back into the crewroom.
I'm sorry, David, Ella's voice was scratchy and far away. I tried
earlier but the exchange here Sure, sure, David cut her short, his anger
was still strong. Did you speak to her? Yes, Davey. Yes, I did. I
gave her your message. 'What was her reply? he demanded. There was no
reply. 'What the hell, Ella. She must have said something. 'She said,
Ella hesitated, -and these are her exact words, 'the dead cannot speak
with the living. For David, I died a year ago. I, He held the receiver
