"What is that in your nose and your belly button, Imani? You look like some sort of human tribal freak - a frigging witch doctor," he roared.

"I have to go to school, Dad, I’m rushing. I pick up Georgy everyday and take her to school too," she answered, managing to sprint out the door before Ashley could extend his take on the situation.

    Sloane Simba, who was not necessarily hung over and much more of the observant dad type, looked in horror at his daughter, Georgy, as she quickly pulled her satchel and books together and waited for the tell-tale sound of Imani’s SUV horn to signal her ride.

"Georgy, you have something in your nose and it’s not a booger," he said.

"Daddy, Imani and I got nose rings yesterday at the mall. Isn’t it cool?"

"Not at all, Georgy....in fact it’s rather horrifying," answered Sloane.

The saving car horn sounded and Georgy rushed out throwing her dad an air kiss.

    Wally Warthog was also worked over the situation of the two cubs. They would come on Friday nights and most Saturdays to his pub and take over the dance floor, coining the juke box with its hip hop tunes. The two would either dance wildly with each other or others who joined their gyrations on the floor. Wally really didn’t give a damn about Sloane Simba’s daughter but Ashley Lyon’s was another whole ball game. Wally couldn’t say a word to them as long as they didn’t imbibe liquor on his premise. However, Imani and Georgy didn’t need to drink at Wally’s bar. They would go to Dodi Dik Dik Lyon’s tent and buy reefer and smoke it in Imani’s SUV parked just outside of the parking lot near the Watering Hole Condos. They would sweetly order lemonades from the pub’s wait staff. Wally and Juanita Warthog’s noses twitched with agitation as they witnessed the debauchery of the Simba and Lyon daughters. Of course, it wasn’t really all that dire. Imani and Georgy were just going though the typical throes that all ‘cultured’ civilizations are prone to create in their young.

Imani Lyon left, gets transported into the hip hop world at the Watering Hole Pub as does her cousin (right with nose ring) Georgy Simba....

    Shane Simba, on the other hand, had a situation of a more difficult nature. He had acted morose on hearing the news from his young son that his ex-wife, Betty Chimpo, was about to marry Jack Tarzan. His astute human wife had caught his vibes and taken grim exception. She had not gone to her plantations as she had before when miffed with her husband. Shane had no idea where she had got to. He was nothing short of frantic while being unnaturally gruff with his office staff. Finally, I took the bull by the horns and advised that he contact Alexandra’s brother in England. I had become that close to the situation being a friend of his and his charming wife. I felt far beyond just my role as his chief of staff. He and Alexandra had involved me in their lives.

    In Nairobi, Stanley Morrison, Alexandra’s confidante before her marriage to Shane, was privy to Alexandra’s location. He knew she was at a friend’s plantation in the highlands of Kenya. Stanley was in a tight spot. He was in love with Shane’s daughter, Staci. He had this knowledge of Alexandra’s whereabouts and had not told her yet. He decided to rectify the situation. He chose the next evening when he and Staci would be alone at the home Alexandra had loaned her for the duration of her schooling. Lee Simba, Staci’s first cousin and house mate, had gotten involved with a leopard male living in Nairobi and attending the University of Nairobi with her. She would be out with the leopard and Staci and Stanley would have the needed privacy.

"Staci, I know where Alex is," confessed Stanley, just having been handed a Scotch by Staci.

"Please tell me, Stanley. Daddy is a wreck. I don't know what happened between them but he is going bonkers not knowing where she is."

"I do know what happened between them. Alex told me."

"What was it, Stanley?"

"Solly told him that Betty was remarrying and he got all worked up about it. Alex told me that he was distressed that Betty was going to marry someone else. She did a bit of happy slapping and got her knickers in a twist. I would suppose it is the hormonal imbalance that comes from being preggers. Alex is usually as cool as a cucumber."

"Where is she, Stanley?"

"She is at the plantation of a friend in the highlands not far from her coffee plantation."

"I have to tell Daddy, do you mind too much?"

"No, I think it’s for the best, Staci."

    Shane’s small plane landed on the airstrip carved out of the highland bush on the plantation of Alexandra’s friend. Shane, accompanied by two Masai, went to the main house and asked for Alexandra. The woman in charge looked him over in a cursory manner. Some of the colonial descendants were not extremely fond of this young lion president who did not take to their monopolizing great plots of land in Kenya. Despite his new wife being one of them, he had confiscated several sizable plantations from absentee owners. The white woman’s manner was haughty and distinctly cool when she told him that he would find his wife at her neighboring coffee plantation. With that said, she closed the door abruptly on her president. 

    Shane stepped off the plane and walked the distance to Alexandra’s manor house. It was hot as blue blazes this time of day, even in the mountainous regions in this part of Kenya. The Masai walked beside him. The houseboy came out and greeted the party with a tray of cold water for the three of them. He invited them inside and told the Masai guards that lunch was waiting for them in the breakfast room. Shane went to the sun porch and waited for his wife to be notified of his presence. The houseboy placed a bottle of Scotch on the table and poured two fingers for Shane. Finally, after what seemed like a long time of pacing and tossing back Scotch, Alexandra arrived. She looked troubled and had been riding one of her horses.

"Alex, I think you might let up on the riding just a bit since you are in your second trimester of pregnancy," he stated and wished he had not said it.

"And I think you might let up on your wish to see all of your former wives still at your disposal," she snapped and wished she hadn’t as well.

"One is dead and the other is going to marry and I am damn happy for her. I was just a bit taken aback on a very momentary basis, Alex."

"You seemed much more than that, Shane....distraught is the way I would have phrased it."

"This is a matter of bullshit and semantics, Alex, you are the one I love and I think I have made that very clear to you."

"You are so very mercurial and fickle, Shane. I find myself pregnant and married to someone I didn’t want to love quite this much. I suppose I did overreact a bit on that one, though." She said it with a quick bite to the lip and a smile.

He put his arms around her and said, "What is all this nonsense about not having wanted to love me as you do? You’ve mentioned this before, Alex, and it has me slightly rattled."

"I didn't mean to fall into crackers and go all potty over you and I seem to be just that."

"I think that is the way it should be between a married couple...I feel that way about you too, darling. And by the way, I have never called anyone darling before you."

"Shall I shower before we leave for home?" she asked him with a kiss.

"No, I would say we make love first, then both shower and go home. Does that work for you?"

"Wonderfully well."

    On the flight to the Mara, she asked him from whom he had learned her whereabouts.

"Staci told me and thank goodness she did, Alex. I was going nuts."

"Well," she giggled. "It is a simple deduction in knowing who sprung that bit of information....it had to have been Stanley."

"Whoever it was, I am most grateful for their intervention," said Shane, pulling her close to him in the small plane.

Shane and Alexandra arrive back at the State House......

below:  Bernice Bear and I in front of the State as they arrive

    They landed in the Mara and were transported by helicopter to the State House where they were welcomed by the usual crowd. Bernice Bear and I were among the greeters.

"I am so glad she’s back, Maurice. He seems so lost when she’s not around," she said.

"So cross, is the way I would put it," I giggled.

"Cross as a bear, was he?" teased Bernice with raised brow.

"Yes, every bit of  that."

Dr.Juma Mnyama newly divorced and free again......

     Dr. Juma Mnyama received his divorce papers from Simba Brothers. He went the next day to Sam’s office and signed the agreement. Staci’s beach house, a gift from her father, remained hers and the house they had bought on the river was his. No alimony and, of course, with no cubs, child support was not an issue. He walked away from the law office feeling saddened but slightly relieved at no longer having to face a failing marriage. He returned to his office in the Kenya Medical Facility and picked up the phone.

"Betty, this is Juma Mnyama. I am freshly divorced and would love to invite you as my guest for dinner at a restaurant of your choice."

Betty, though in love with, was not engaged to Jack Tarzan. They had declared their feelings and toasted them at the dinner table at Jack’s home but settled nothing in regard to culminating their affections. Betty and Jack were in a place where they didn’t want to really change things in their already highly satisfying relationship. In fact they had not even spoken of ceasing other relationships if they had them. So Betty’s answer to Juma was affirmative.

"I’d like that, Juma. But you please name the restaurant. They are all the same for me," she declared.

"Is Saturday night good for you and I’ll surprise you with my pick?"

"That will be fine. See you then?"

"Eight?"

"Yes."

    Roy Lee Simba’s great shaggy head was seen among those standing at the bar at the Watering Hole Pub. Wally Warthog decided that he was the one to impart the news of Imani Lyon to - after all the lion superstar was her grandfather. Wally screwed his courage to the sticking place and served Roy Lee, himself.

"What can I do for you, Roy Lee, don’t see you much anymore," began Wally.

"Happily married males need nothing but your barbecue, Wally. I’m here because Janice is working late and I need a drink. It’s been a long harrowing day at the studio."

They chatted amiably, Roy Lee reporting that Janice was about to retire and leave the day to day operation of JAGGERS to their daughter, Leah. Wally told the lion actor that he was opening another pub in Tanzania with a cousin who was a citizen there and lived in the Serengeti. Wally gulped and proceeded with his news at the most appropriate opening.

"Roy Lee, your granddaughter, Imani, comes in here a lot with her cousin, that little Georgy Simba. I thought you should know this."

Roy Lee didn't seemed shaken at all as he inquired, "Do you sell them booze?"

"Oh no, sir, I would never do that with a minor," said the horrified warthog, cloven hoof to breast.

"I didn’t think you would, Wally," answered Roy Lee, giving Wally a great slap on the back which almost felled him, reminding him of days past when warthogs were lion snacks.

"They seem to have nose rings," continued Wally, thinking that if his kids behaved in that manner he would be in a dither.

"Janice and I noticed that the last time we saw Imani. Thank god the damn thing didn’t get infected. Oh well, Wally, this crap is all part of growing up in this day and age, I would suppose."

"Do you think Ashley should be told?"

"Oh hell no, Ash is already into a marriage with Chloe’s sister. If Lucy is as full of piss and vinegar as Chlo, Ashley Lyon has bigger fish to fry than his daughter’s nose ring," guffawed Roy Lee in that way of his that drove filmgoers wild.

"That was a water haul, Juanita," Wally later told his wife. "Roy Lee Simba doesn’t give a rat’s ass what his grand kids do."

"He has new little cubs from his remarriage to Janice Jaguar. I guess they take all his attention now."