Betty goes through the wringer...
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the
attribute of the strong.”
Mohandas Gandhi
After her night with Sloane Simba, if anyone had asked Linda Cougar about her former Simba lover, she would have most likely asked, “Alexander who?” Linda was a clever little cat filled with the required street smarts to know that Sloane Simba would be no easy catch. She had also determined that he was the male for her. Linda had been raised by her lynx mother who never felt it necessary to marry her dad, Carson Cougar. Lola Lynx was a sexually confident female who was very much aware of her own allure. Linda had the same self-reliant genes as Lola. Between heady bouts of sex that night, Linda had asked Sloane if he had any hobbies. His reply had been swift, sardonic and to the point, “You’re the beneficiary of my hobby tonight.” He was a far cry from the gardening, rose-growing Alexander.
Sloane’s next assault on the female population of the Masai Mara was Christine Cheetah’s secretary, Amy Chui, who had been burned by Ashley Lyon. Amy was a fetching young leopardess who knew her own strengths and weaknesses. She had been dating a young leopard from her home in the Serengeti. He didn’t excite her very much, but she had decided to stay on the safe side of love and was thinking of accepting his proposal of marriage. Sloane Simba, with one sexy gesture, tossed that consideration to the dogs. He lit her cigarette. Sloane Simba could light a cigarette like no one in the world, nailing you with his intense golden eyes while he applied the flame. Amy’s green eyes glowed and sparkled when the dazzling male lion bought her a drink. Amy was an easy mark. He took her to his place and pitched three used Trojans down the john when they were finished for the night. He then drove her home. Sloane was not a male who loved to see last night’s score in his bed the next morning.
Shane Simba gazed down at the marble slab covering the grave of his late wife, Catherine. He was going through another rough stretch of longing for her – the untamed feel of her sleek fur, the scent of her Chantilly perfume; the look from her topaz eyes and the sensation of her lithe body under his in the darkness of their bedroom. He turned slowly and made the walk down the hill to his car.
Betty Simba was dealing with her own bumpy path. Loving her husband as zealously as she did, she caught his every nuance. She sensed the slight withdrawal in Shane and decided not to push the envelope and inquire as to what it might be. She realized they had most likely married too soon after his wife’s death. In addition to her matrimonial frets, she was involved in the painful custody battle with Sam Simba. Grover Leoparde had put Ashley Lyon on the stand. Ashley, who had testified willingly, related to the court the fact that Betty was a very good mother and their son, Arlon, lived with Betty and Shane. Ashley Lyon was a powerful witness, being the President’s son and a minister in his own right. Alexander Simba, Sam’s attorney had shown film footage of Betty’s nude scene with Roy Lee Simba in Fatal Attraction, her one movie role. Despite all of this, Judge Bo Bonobo ruled that Betty should get every other weekend with both of her sons. Sam Simba didn’t bat an eyelash when the judge ruled. The very next day he appealed to the higher court.
Betty conferred with Staci Simba and learned that she could take a week off from her school and other activities. Betty wanted Staci to go to New York City with Gloria Chimpo and her, to do some Christmas shopping. Betty thought it was the best way to deal with the remoteness in Shane. She would give him some space. Staci was very eager to be taking this trip in the company of her stepmother and her recently acquired aunt, Gloria. The threesome took a first class flight on Lufthansa. This would be Staci’s first trip out of Africa. She couldn’t wait to experience the joys of Manhattan and the Waldorf Astoria where they had booked the presidential suite
Ralph Lyon was growing restless. He was feeling as fit as a fiddle and no longer needed the rest. Mildred and Mandela noticed, with a certain amount of amusement that Ralph wanted to get back and govern Kenya. He had full confidence in Shane Simba but Ralph, the former lazy bush lion, had grown accustomed to thinking of his country with every waking breath and some while sleeping. He was chomping at the bit. Finally, Mildred and Mandela placed a call to Frank Tigeres and told him of his old friend’s impatience. Frank felt that Ralph had enjoyed sufficient rest. Since he had no real heart problems, the physician saw no reason for him not to return to Kenya and his beloved State House. Dr. Frank Tigeres gave the green light and the President and First Lioness arrived in Kenya among much fan fare and celebration. Kenyans adored their Mama and Papa Simba. The word ‘simba’ means lion in Swahili. Shane also breathed a sigh of relief.
. The weather in Manhattan was lovely and absolutely perfect for shopping. Staci always got a kick out of the acerbic and humorous Gloria with her cigarette dangling from her lips. She could make her collapse in gales of giggles with her razor-sharp take on things. The three shopped and dined, kicking back in the evening and either taking in a movie or a Broadway show. Betty bought Staci some of the coolest outfits she could imagine. Betty kept suppressed, in the back of her mind, her fears regarding her husband.
Betty, Staci and Gloria take a lunch break from their shopping in Manhattan….
Ralph received a call from Mandela telling him to send Shane to the UN again. Progress was being made on the legislation that he and Mandela had worked on when Shane was in South Africa with the former president. Shane was only too happy to go. He took Ralph Two since no press were to travel with him. It was to be a quiet event. He was to be there a day at the most working with UN officials.
It was Betty, Gloria and Staci’s last two days in Manhattan. They had just come back from a shopping spree. Betty was resting in her room. Staci and Gloria had gone down to enjoy an English tea in the hotel’s atrium. A soft knock sounded on the door. Betty trod across the carpet with bare feet. She opened the door to find Shane standing there. He picked her up and swung her around the room.
“I hope Staci and Gloria are somewhere else because we are going to make love no matter what,” he laughed. “I have missed you terribly, Fifi. I can’t do without you anymore. You’ve become a part of me!”
Betty dances with Shane on their last night in NYC…
Betty, Shane, Staci and Gloria returned to Kenya two days later. Gloria had taken Staci to see the Lion King while Betty and Shane dined at the Four Seasons. Gloria played cards with Staci the first part of the return trip while Betty and Shane talked quietly over drinks in the private cabin.
The next day at home, Betty was served papers from the Kenyan Magistrate. Chief Magistrate Sefu Simba was going to hear an appeal of Judge Bonobo’s decision.
Shane Simba decided to bite the bullet and go to Nairobi. The hearing was scheduled for two days hence. He went to the home he had once shared with Sefu while prosecutor for Kenya. Sefu welcomed him with open arms. Sefu Simba loved his entire pride. He loved his brother, Shane as he did Sam and the others. Sefu and Shane had served jointly in the court systems of Kenya and worked brilliantly together. Over drinks, Shane spoke of the coming case.
“Sef, if you want to heal the feud in this pride, you’ll over rule Sam. Betty has a right to see their sons. She has never been a negligent mother in any way. If you rule for Sam, you and the rest of the pride, except for Roy Lee and Tookie, will never see my face again.”
“Shane, I am already aware of the extreme bitterness in Sam. I don’t approve. I think he’s ruining his life with such animosity. Just leave it to me, okay?”
That week Chief Magistrate for Kenya, Judge Sefu Simba ruled that Betty Chimpo Simba be granted every other weekend with both her sons and a fair part of the summer. He also ruled that the couple must divide holidays evenly between them.
That night when Sam arrived at his home in the Mara, he was infuriated with a feeling of injustice. That’s when his wife, Allison, sat him down and told him if he couldn’t work past his hatred toward Betty and Shane; she was going to leave him. She also said that she would fight him for their sons.
“I don’t want my sons to grow up in a house of loathing and acrimony,” she declared.
Shane and Betty slipped easily into their loving and family oriented lives again. Shane had managed to move on from his recurring sorrow over the death of his wife. He and Betty realized that it would be a long time before he set her ghost to rest. They had discussed it candidly in the dreamy atmosphere of their bedroom at the Waldorf. He had told her of his sorrow resurfacing from time to time but had also stated that her handling of the situation had been superb.
Staci was excited at the lovely things she had purchased in New York and was invited to all the festive parties that were held by the young in this time just before a major holiday. Just after their return, Joshua and Jason Simba came for their first weekend visit. Babs and Miss B made a concerted effort to soothe young Jason as did Shane, Betty, Staci, Arlon and Sean. Joshua was always delighted to see his mother, Arlon and Uncle Shane. With the caring machinations of the family circle, small Jason began to unwind and have fun as well. By the end of the weekend, he kissed his mother and Shane’s faces in goodbye.
That Sunday evening over drinks, Shane and Betty reviewed the past couple of days.
“I think your boys had a good time, Fifi, don’t you?”
“I believe they did, darling. To me our home is a wonderfully relaxing atmosphere.”
“You know, it truly is.”
Death of a Salesman opened to a packed house with all subsequent performances sold out as well. Roy Lee soared to new heights as a stage actor with Micah as pleased as if it had been his real father instead of a stage version. The curtain calls were so numerous that Roy Lee, himself, finally ended them. Both actors were high on adrenalin when they attended the cocktail dinner afterward. A surprise attendee was Sam Simba and his wife, Allison. Sam gave Roy Lee a bear hug. Shane and Betty were there as well. It was a colossal success for the arts center. Christine and I gave short talks before the opening curtain, telling of the honor of Roy Lee Simba using our stage for his first theater performance. Sloane Simba had chosen his mother, Leander, as his date. He strutted about taunting those he had wooed with the faint promise of sexual delights once he had gotten his mother safely home. When he rang Linda Cougar’s cell phone, she played cat and mouse and refused to answer.
The next day, the entire world, it seemed, hailed the film superstar’s achievement in Arthur Miller’s dramatic play. Micah also got rave reviews.
Roy Lee Simba was busy trying to woo his daughter, Leah, into making another movie. She had surpassed Chloe and Simone Serval in the various polls that rank motion picture stars worldwide. The sexy and effervescent Leah was an instant hit with global film aficionados. But Leah was a multifaceted soul. She adored her husband, motherhood, her work with the Masai Mara Orphanage, to strut the cat walks of her mother’s fashion empire and at the tail end was – making films for her superstar dad. She was becoming the most sought after figure in Kenya for bringing important causes into focus. Her position as daughter-in-law of the President and First Lioness, daughter of superstar mogul, Roy Lee Simba and fashion icon, Janice Jaguar Gorilla, made her top of the list for those wishing to have their charities espoused. Yes, Leah Simba Lyon was a hot ticket these days.
Shane privately thanked his brother, Sefu, for his ruling in Betty’s custody case. He wanted to make good the promise he had made to his brother that this decision would go far toward healing the various breaks in the Simba pride. However, Sam Simba was not the only one making difficult the curative processes. A major stumbling block was Sarah Lee Simba, the main matriarch of the pride. Sarah Lee refused to let go of her resentment toward Betty who had, quite honestly, torn the brothers asunder. But as Leander Simba pointed out: Sam and Shane participated fully in the debacle with Betty.
“Sam married her twice and Shane kept having sex with her so there you are. It’s was one big goat fuck,” stated Leander. “You might as well let bygones be bygones. She seems to be doing wonders with Shane and his kids as far as getting them over Catherine’s death.”
“Never, Leander, I don’t know how you can even suggest that I let that ape back in my home,” huffed Sarah Lee.
“Christmas is coming and I hate to see you ruin another gathering with all your lamenting and grousing.”
“You just wait and give that son of yours, Sloane, another few months in the Mara. He’s heading for some deep doo doo,” growled Sarah Lee.
“Well, he hasn’t gotten there yet so don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”