Betty, who had a gotten off to a trembling start the first week of her nuptials to Shane Simba, quickly took the bit between her teeth and headed for the race track.  She understood her dream had come true against all odds.  She must be strong the way he liked her.  She had never given birth to a daughter.  Now she was a proxy mother to Staci Simba.  Betty was fortunate in the fact, that although the pretty cub was the product of a strongly combative mother, she seemed to be exceptionally compliant in disposition.  Betty increased her attempts to become a dedicated friend and mother when needed.  She took Staci on shopping sprees at the Lewis Lyon Mall, taking her to lunch at the end of such a morning.  They worked on Staci's school work with Betty lending her writing expertise to Staci's required essays.  The motherless cub warmed even more to her new stepmother.  The new household seemed to be melding into an affectionate and caring unit.  Miss B and Babs, both being baboons, got along swimmingly.  Shane’s human housekeeper wanted to work only part time now that she wasn’t critical to his own home.  The three children seemed close.  Arlon Lyon was already great friends with Staci and the two of them took young Sean under their wing.  Shane, having moved his brood into Betty’s home, paid all the household bills. He hired a Kikuyu woman as additional help for Babs and Miss B. 

            The couple did without the traditional honeymoon in lieu of ten days spent at home with their combined brood.  The following weekend they went to Mombasa, staying at Betty’s larger beach home.  Shane chartered a yacht from the Mombasa Simba Resort Marina, complete with crew, and took the family to Madagascar.  The media followed the attractive couple relentlessly.  In their happiness, they would wave and stand still for a few pictures.  The tabloids explored every nook and cranny of their relationship and when no new information was forthcoming, amassed what they needed from Betty’s sensational book.  A favorite question of the newshounds was whether the couple intended to pursue a pregnancy through the French procedure as Betty had with Ashley Lyon and Sam Simba.  “We already have children,” Shane would tell them.  The lovely aspect to Betty’s recently built house on Leoparde Drive,  was the wall enclosing it.  Shane had quarters built so his Masai askari could rest comfortably while they guarded the gated entrance.  Since Betty was now the vice president of Kenya’s wife, she was assigned her own Masai guard.

            Betty received a call from Mildred Lyon’s secretary, Bernice Bear, asking if she could meet with the first lioness. 

“I come every week to bring Arlon. Of course I’ll meet with her,” answered Betty.

“Sweetie, this is official.  Don’t bring Arlon unless you want to stick him on Ralph.  Mildred needs to go over some things with you.  You’re the vice president’s wife, or had you forgotten?” giggled Bernice.

“I can never forget that, Bernice.  When do you need me?”

“Today at four.”

            Mildred Lyon held her arms out as Betty entered her office.  They gave each other a heartfelt hug. 

“It’s four o’clock. Let’s dispense with the tea and have something really refreshing,” suggested Mildred with a laugh. 

She ordered martinis for the three of them.  Bernice was staying. 

“My goodness, Betty, how many more roles are you going to play in our lives? You’ve been a good friend and reporter following Ralph’s early years.  Then you were our daughter-in-law and the mother of our grandson.  Now here you are, the wife of the vice president,” said Mildred.  “You continue to reinvent yourself.”

“That is sooo Betty,” said Bernice with a wink. 

“Bernice said this visit was official.  I have to admit I brought Arlon.  He’s bugging Ralph,” chuckled Betty. 

“Betty, I want you to participate in things.  You have such a brilliant mind and are so savvy. Can you do this?  Lisa is involved with me now in the AIDS clinics and hospices.  What would you like to address?”

“Can I give it some thought, Mildred?  This is all so new to me.  I’d like to mull it over with Shane, if you don’t mind.  May I do that?”

“Of course, you can, Betty,” replied Mildred, placing a kindly paw on Betty’s arm. “You are going to be such an asset to Kenya.  You do realize that you will probably take my place someday as first female?  I don’t know when my old lion in there is going to give up the reigns but he speaks of it often and believes that Shane will follow him as president.”

“This is all so astounding.  I still have to pinch myself to realize that I’m married to Shane Simba.”

“Well, let’s turn to more personal things.  How is everything going with your combined family?” asked Mildred and then noticed there were four martinis instead of three as ordered. 

“Two of those are mine, Millie.  You know one is never enough for me,” chortled Bernice, winking at Betty. 

“Oh yes, I quite forgot, Bernice,” giggled the first lioness.

            That night, after hearing the details of the children’s day, Betty and Shane engaged in the part of their day they both prized.  It was the time they could kick back and at last speak of each other and the things that were dear to their hearts.

They took their drinks to the den where there was a fireplace.  Embers glowed in the dim light from a single lamp. 

“Mildred wants me to get involved as the second, uh….female?  Does that sound right?” she giggled, settling into the crook of his arm. 

“I think you’ll have to, Fifi.  Sorry, it’s part of being my wife.”

“I can only be passionate about anything that’s part of that scene, darling.  What do you think I would do best?”

“What you do best wouldn’t be appropriate, Fifi.  We need to come up with something more respectable,” he laughed, putting his cigarette to her lips for her to drag from. 

“I can do things other than blow jobs and wrapping my legs around you. I Promise,” she sighed, nibbling his ear. 

“This is getting us nowhere.  Let me think on it over your body. My mind will clear. That’s a promise,” he moaned, pulling her to a standing position and leading her to their room. 

            That week, Leah Simba Lyon, who was doing some part time modeling for her designer mother, Janice Jaguar, at JAGGERS, made the cover of the French Vogue.  Ashley was pleased at his wife’s high profile.  Ashley Lyon was a former playboy who had finally, after many a mishap, settled into his marriage with his delightful wife.

             None of the older generation in the Masai Mara ever doubted that Leah Simba Lyon would be a star performer in her own.  She was a mover and a shaker.  Her ability to charm her husband out of any mood was becoming legend.  She held the same sway over her father, the great lion superstar, Roy Lee Simba. 

“Leah, I think you may be showing too much skin these days, my girl,” announced her father at a barbecue in his home in Mombasa. 

He was referring to the French Vogue cover among other photographic contributions. 

“Oh, Dad, you’re the one that introduced me to the finer skills of stardom.  Don’t you deny it,” she giggled, kissing his cheek.  “And don’t forget that cover of Rolling Stones with your paw in your jockey shorts.”

“You’re right about that, Leah.  Just cool your jets a smidgen.”

There were only a small number of creatures that Leah Simba Lyon couldn’t cultivate with a gesture or kind word.  She had a bona fide gift. 

Leah makes French Vogue's cover....

            Gerald Giraffe was working with Betty Simba on her morning fitness schedule.  She had missed several sessions. 

“Well, miss thing, I see we caught the big guy…..even married his ass,” chortled Gerald.     

“Yes, I did.  And I do adore him, Gerald.”

“That would be easy.  He’s a hell of a hunk.”

“Mildred Lyon wants me to get involved in politics, Gerald.  What should I do?”

He stopped the treadmill, almost tossing Betty on her ass.

“Let’s go to the juice bar.  We need to talk turkey,” announced Gerald. 

            They were both drinking pineapple juice on a bench outside the fitness center due to Betty’s nicotine fit.  Gerald coughed significantly before he spoke. 

“Betty, you married a political animal.  Get with the ticket, girl.  You need to listen to Mildred and get supportive of him.  You’re a smart cookie. You’ve been around.  You can make changes in Kenya.  Do it,” said Gerald, heisting his lofty height, giving Betty a peck on the cheek and returning for his next client. 

Betty sat in my office in the State House. 

“Maury, Mildred and Shane want me to get involved in Kenya.  I’m a journalist and writer.  I wanted to ask you if there was something meaningful I could do to boost the arts?  I suppose that may perhaps be my field of knowledge.”

“Ralph has an Arts Council.  He truly detests dealing with them as does the First Lioness, whose focus is AIDS.  It’s comprised of Bertram, me, Roy Lee and a few others.  It seldom meets.  Why don’t you commandeer it?  Ralph would shower you with jewels if you would take this from his shoulders.  He simply abhors meeting with us.  We can arrange it so it will be appropriate for the vice president’s wife.  Want to give it a whirl, Betts?”

She reached over and hugged my neck.

“Maury, you’re such a genius.”

“Shane, Maurice has suggested that I revamp the President’s arts council.  What do you think?”

They were on the patio with their drinks and smokes. 

“Whatever you want to do, Betty.”

“Please help me decide, Shane.  Don’t just act disinterested. I’m new at all of this,” protested Betty. 

Betty, you are no greenhorn at this.  You have been covering the political scene in Kenya since Ralph Lyon became the president.  You were in the thick of things when I was still suckling on my mother's teats.  I don’t want to lead you by the nose on this issue.  You are a brilliant animal in your own right.  You find the role that suits you best in the government.  It’s not for me to choose where you will fit in.  That’s something that has to come from inside you or you won’t be happy.”

“My God, Shane, you are truthfully not an oppressive chauvinist, are you?”

“I never have been, Betty.  I believe that capable and bright females such as you and Catherine, should decide for themselves what is best for them. I never stood in Cathy’s way as far as her career decisions went and I won’t do it to you, either.”

“I love you so much, Shane.  Forgive me.  I’ll finally come to realize that you’re not  Sam or Ashley,” she said, sitting on his lap.