Chapter Nine

Arnold was happily in the science room showing Theo his collection of 20th century telegraph poles totally oblivious to the fact that his wife was lying dead in the cargo bay. He was thinking about Kriss, he stared into Theo's blue eyes and remembered Kriss, remembered their time together, their love, their hugs, their kisses, their sex…

"Dad" Lilly called, interrupting Arnold's trail of thought "it's Mum"

"Lilimay Rimmer!" Arnold shouted "I'm spending time with Theo…"

"Dad!" Chloë screamed

"Don't interrupt me Chloë Rimmer-Kochanski" Arnold was getting really angry "I'm spending time with your brother"

"Dad, mum is dead" Lilimay screamed "in the cargo bay"

Arnold didn't say a word he just ran. Lilimay Chloë and Theo had never seen him run so fast. By the time Arnold got there Kriss and Kryten had found her too. Kriss ran over to Arnold as soon as she saw him. Her face was tearstained and she was on the verge of crying again.

"I'm sorry Arnold" Kriss broke down "but, Yvonne…"

"It's okay Kriss!" Arnold interrupted "I know!"

"How do you know?" Kriss asked, "Who told you?"

"Lilimay and Chloë!"

"Chloë?"

"Yeah"

"Our Chloë?"

"How many Chloë's are there?"

"When did you see her?"

"Just now"

"Where is she?"

"In the science room with Lilimay and Theo!"

"Theo? Has he seen Yvonne?"

"No, but he knows!"

"Do you know where the other's are?"

"Matty" Arnold started to panic "he was with Yvonne, where is he now?"

"I haven't seen him, sorry Arnold!"

There was loud singing and a loud giggle as Llewey and Jim-Bexley made an appearance. Kriss ran over to the boys and quietened them down

"What's wrong Mum?" Llewey asked, "Why do we need to be quiet?"

"I'm afraid Yvonne has just died" Kriss sighed, "I need you to do me a favour!"

"Of course mum" Jim-Bexley apologised "what ever you want"

"I need you to find Blaize, Caleb and Matty, and bring them here" Kriss pulled her twin sons' faces towards her and looked into their eyes "but you must not tell them about Yvonne, let Arnold do that"

"What do we tell them if they ask?" Llewey asked "and what about Junior and Jemimah?"

"Yeah" Kriss answered, "Just tell them that Arnold needs to see them"

Llewey and Jim-Bexley did as they were told. By the time they came back with Jemimah, Junior, Blaize, Caleb and Matty Yvonne's body had been taken away. Arnold was a wreck; he couldn't bring himself together to tell the kids.

"Please Kriss" he begged "can't you tell them"

"I think it will sound better coming from you, Arnold"

"I cant' Kriss, I need someone else. Please Kriss, if you can't do it for me, do it for Yvonne"

"Okay" Kriss agreed "but we tell all of them together, mine as well, I can't go through that twice"

"Okay"

"And you'll need to be there too!"

"Okay, I will be!"

"We have some horrible news to tell you" Kriss said to all thirteen children "unfortunately Yvonne, Mummy, died today

"What happened?" Alicia asked, "How did she die?"

"She fell off a bridge" Kriss answered "and hit her head"

Little Matty got up and went over to Arnold who was crying"

"Daddy" Matty asked, "When is mummy coming home?"

Arnold broke down again "oh Matthew" he sobbed

"Why are you crying daddy?" Matty asked, "Please don't cry, mummy will be home soon, then everything will be okay!"

Arnold held his youngest son and stared into his lovely brown eyes. Somehow Arnold was able to stop himself crying long enough to tell Matty:

"Mummy's not coming home, darling" Arnold told him "she's gone to heaven to live with the angels."

"Can we see her?" Matty asked

"No darling"

"Why not?"

"Because its not allowed, but she can see you, whenever she wants to"

Matty started crying which set Arnold and Kriss off again.