Maurice & Friends

Sean Simba ran headlong into a hornet’s nest unaware that his presidential dad was in a foul mood due to continuing labor disputes in Nairobi. He made his jaunty way from the elevator leading to Alexandra and Shane’s in place. Shane stood in the library, whiskey and cigarette in hand.

“How’s it going, Daddy-O?” asked Sean far too glibly, tossing his baseball cap on the couch.

Sean had come from another triumphant day of being lauded for his soccer skills by coach and teammates and being buzzed on his cell phone by at least four of the hottest chicks in the Masai Mara. He was pumped to the max and failed to notice the glacial green of his father’s eyes.

“I asked you recently if you returned to the Mara just to fuck. Now I want to ask you an additional question. Did you return for reasons of having your image plastered across every tabloid and newspaper, either nude or in a compromising position involving your posterior? The view of your genitals on the float was most endearing as was the near crotch shot on the soccer field. The one of you naked as a jaybird in chains was simply to die for.”

Shane Simba’s voice was drenched with angry derision. Sean was taken aback and almost spilled the Scotch he was pouring for his own consumption. He looked up to see that familiar frosty aspect in his father’s gaze. He added another finger of booze to the glass.

“Dad, I am your son and, as such, am chased by the paparazzi day and night,” Sean explained, hoping it would be an acceptable excuse.

“The media didn’t just happen on the PETA ad; you had to actually pose for that one, probably setting the crusade to end trophy hunting back at least ten years,” snarled Shane.

Alexandra, to Sean’s immense relief, entered the room followed by small Tanya and Sacha, his half-siblings. He made a rush to pick up Tanya and swing her in the air.

“Luv, Ashley and Staci are coming to dinner tonight,” said Alexandra, giving her husband a light kiss and a hug for her stepson. “Will you join us, Sean?”

Another life saver arrived on the scene in the form of Solly just returned from his junior soccer practice. Sean was instantly engulfed by his younger sibling who was an admirer of his oldest brother’s professional star status as an athlete.

Sean stayed for dinner, fearing to anger his father further if he declined. He babbled to Ashley, Staci, Solly and Alexandra not wanting to focus on his father’s judgmental presence. They probably all thought him to be daft, but he didn’t give a rat’s ass; the sooner he ate and got out of there the happier he would be. At last dinner was over and Sean lost himself in the family’s procession to the library by making a beeline into the elevator whose door was expediently open. Once free of the mansion, he got in his car and drove from the official State grounds, waving to the gate guards. He phoned Georgy Simba as he sped along the Mombasa Road on his way to the Watering Hole Pub.

Wally Warthog’s establishment was undergoing its usual holiday overload, the speakers blaring hip hop, the crowd pressing in and engulfing all available areas containing alcoholic beverages. Sean Simba knew Georgy Simba was there in the sports section. So was ABSOLUTELY everyone else he knew. He received admiring looks from females he didn’t know but might wish to later in the evening. A harried waiter dropped a tray in his path. Sean stepped over the mess and headed for the sports bar. There, he spotted Georgy in the company of the acid Imani Lyon. Georgy waved him their way. Imani lit a cigarette almost hitting it on Sean’s new suede jacket.

“Buns, buns, buns in the oven, do you plan to make an honest feline of Georgy?” crooned Imani in a taunting manner.

“Fuck you!” snarled Sean, causing Imani to pull at his waistline and pour her icy drink down his pants.

Sean winced in pain as the ice hit his gonads. Georgy jumped up quickly and led Sean from the pub. He immediately wanted to return to the exciting innards of the throbbing eatery. He took Georgy by the hand and pulled her back inside. By the time they reached the sports bar, Imani was no where to be seen.

The afternoon that Chloe Cougar had followed Bop Boon to her lonely home a short distance from Chloe’s ex-husband, Roy Lee Simba, she had actually enjoyed herself. The two had chatted as they imbibed heavily, realizing that they had more in common than just acting careers. From the very incidental get together had formed a rather strange but rewarding friendship for the two isolated females with the difficult personalities.

“You ought to put this place on the market and buy Shane Simba’s penthouse next to mine in Lyon Towers,” suggested Chloe, absent mindedly looking at the framed photographs that lined Bop’s mantelpiece.

“Everything is – for a price. He probably bought it to have a place to bring females other than his wife. Now that he met this one, he’s not screwing around anymore. Maybe he’ll sell it to you, Bop.”

“I tried to come on to that bastard in the pub one night before he became president. He’s an asshole,” stated Bop, handing Chloe her third drink.

“I screwed him in a closet at the Predator Club during a party. He was with Johanna, that human he got pregnant – the one that was murdered in London recently,” reported Chloe.

“Do you think he will sell it? I could rent this house for mega bucks. Leoparde Drive is all the rage these days.”

“I’ll call Roy Lee and ask him. I’ll bet Shane has even forgotten he has that penthouse – he is getting so rich investing with Lewis Lyon,” said Chloe, lighting a cigarette and offering one to Bop.

Duke was having a drink with Leah Simba after an entire day and evening of fittings and rush orders. They were exhausted and kicking back in Leah’s froufrou pink office.

“I noticed that your daughter Imani is getting to be quite the looker, Leah. Why don’t we incorporate her among our models? She looks a great deal like you,” suggested Duke, lighting a cigarette and applying his Versace lighter to the end of Leah’s.

“I realize that Imani is quite lovely, Duke, but she is such a problem, always on her high horse and going through this stage of absolutely detesting me. I am a bit fearful of involving her in things here. She can be quite the bitch.”

“If she was directly under my management as a junior model, would you go for the idea, Leah? Be frank – you’re the boss.”

“This brings up something I have been meaning to discuss with you. Mom wants to make you a part owner of JAGGERS. She adores you and your designs….and yes, if you handle Imani, she can be your model.”

“Leah, it would be the culmination of a dream for me to be in some sort of corporate partnership with you and your mother. I have been divinely happy here. I am also a fan of the wonderful Janice Jaguar Simba. I took my inspiration from your mother, Leah.”

“We’ll get together with Mom as soon as we get a breather and have Simba Brothers draw up a contract that will work for all of us,” said Leah.

“Oh this is so exciting, my adorable Leah,” chortled the delighted lion designer.

“Shane, I caught a bit of what you said to Sean the other evening regarding his recent attire. Don’t you think you were a bit unfair?” asked Alexandra Simba as she and her hubby were relaxing on a Saturday evening at their bush home.

“Unfair? How unfair, Alex? He has gone around with his ass literally hanging out ever since he returned to the Mara,” stated Shane, pouring more whiskey.

“Luv, I was familiar with a great deal of you before we even met – thanks to those spectacular Speedos you filled so admirably on the beach in Mombasa. The paparazzi always made sure everything was pictured and then some,” she giggled.

“I simply adore them, Luv, but they are really no different from your son’s double whammy exposures.”

“I’ll bet you didn’t. Those photos may have been part of the reason for your landslide election to the presidency - especially with female voters,” she giggled.

The next time he saw his eldest son was at dinner at the bush house. Tarek, Jalil, Ashley and Staci were also present for a merry dinner to kick off the holidays. Shane got a private moment with Sean when he beckoned him to his office. He poured both a whiskey from a bottle of Black Label Scotch he kept on his desk.

“Sean, I think I may have been too harsh on you the other evening and I apologize,” said Shane, lighting a cigarette.

“I know with my checkered past, I have no room to lecture. I think maybe I just don’t want you to end up like me, Sean,” he told his son, putting an arm about his shoulder.

“Not end up like you, Dad? Jeez, I wish to hell I could end up like you. You’re the president of a country, on your way to being a billionaire, have at least six homes the last time I looked, a gorgeous wife you adore and a shit load of kids who love you. How bad can it be to end up like you, Dad?”

It was Ashley Lyon's weekend with his children from divorced wives. First it was to Lucy Cougar's where he had collected the two very cute tots. Ashley had done a few good natured chores for Lucy before he left. He had brought a load of firewood which he stacked neatly in the groove next to the fireplace. He and his children then bounced merrily along, in Ashley's SUV, on the road leading to the Mara's urban area. His next stop was Leah’s home on Leoparde Drive where he drank a beer with her before he added Adam and Sim to the group that were heading for the new home he shared with Staci Simba Lyon. His adopted cubs with Leah, Brad and Kitty, were almost adults and as such been given apartments in their Uncle Lewis' complex which housed Imani and Georgy. They were close to their dad but visited when they were able, having been gifted with automobiles also. .

Duke makes adjustments on Georgy Simba backstage at the JAGGERS fashion show...

In a fashion show held at JAGGERS on a Sunday afternoon, Imani Lyon was a smash hit. She did an exaggerated walk on the runway sporting five outfits designed by her mother and Duke. For some reason, Imani had all the model moves down pat. She looked professional and gorgeous. On the cards given the clients, there were flattering notes on Imani’s appearance along with their orders. Imani, having a rather self absorbed take on life, felt smug when Duke gibbered on about having to adjust Georgy Simba’s outfits before she went on the runway. There was a great deal of whispering about Georgy’s expanding waistline. Imani cared about her cousin and apartment mate but with Imani Janice Lyon, caring carried only so much depth and went just so far. In Monday’s edition of the Masai Mara Daily, a large and very sexy photograph graced the fashion pages, referring to the daughter of Ashley Lyon and Leah Simba as being the next big rage in the Masai Mara. It was also noted that she was a genetic product of the two most powerful lion prides in Kenya. Three days later Calvin Klein committed her to one of their infamous underwear ads. Imani was ecstatic. This should get the attention of two hot male lions she had been cruising in the sports bar at the pub.