I HAVE NO RIVALS
"When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you."
Lao Tzu
“You seem to have no jealousy regarding your rivals,” said Shane as he and Alexandra were dressing for the cocktail dinner at the State House.
“I have no rivals, that’s why,” she stated without hesitation.
“You don’t?” he teased, throwing his arms around her neck and kissing her.
“No, I don’t and if I do you should enlighten me as to who they are.”
“All those who want my attention and affections.”
“Should I be jealous of your children then? If so, I’m not. They need all of that too and I don’t resent them getting it. I have my place in your life and so do they. We all have our niches…..”
“You’re amazing….you truly are. I was referring to Betty and Jane who you invited for tonight.”
“Why should I be jealous of them unless you plan to bonk them again?”
“I never plan to make love to anyone again except for you, Alex. You cannot imagine how much I love you…..would you be jealous if I sniffed at some female again?”
“I am sure I would be but you wouldn’t be aware of it in any case.”
“Why would that be?”
She stopped adjusting her neckline and turned her unflinching gaze on him.
“Because I would leave you the moment I knew of something like that. I would never return either. You need to know that about me, Shane. I think too much of myself to put up with a husband who can’t keep his willy out of other females.”
“Well said and believe me, I am a changed lion and only want you, my love.”
“You should stick to that. Oh bosh, we are running late. Get dressed and stop pissing around with the ‘what ifs’. They’re completely useless and absurd.”
As they sat in the back of the limousine, cuddled closely, he turned her face toward him.
“Alexandra, we are forever. This I mean with all my heart. I am totally in love and devoted to you.”
“I know that, Luv….as I am to you.”
The party was in the newly redecorated main floor of the mansion, the family quarters not completed as yet. The colors were lighter and more casual, the influence of Alexandra. She had asked CHANGING SPOTS to keep the formality needed for the executive mansion of Kenya, only the atmosphere was airier and less stuffy. The guests milled about happily having been received by the first couple. There was a band for after dinner dancing which played as the guests drank cocktails. I saw Alexandra greet Jane and Luke Leoparde. Luke was sharing Alexandra’s flying lessons with Ashley Lyon.
Alexandra and Shane at the state dinner.....
After dinner when everyone repaired to the ball room for dancing and further drinks, Alexandra had the first dance with Shane as all eyes were glued on the handsome couple.
“I think you should ask Betty to dance, Luv. It would be a considerate and gracious gesture,” she whispered in Shane’s ear.
“Would it be appropriate?” he asked.
“Completely,” she answered. “And very nice also – step to it,” she said, giving him a pat to his seat.
Betty was standing between Lachlan and me when Shane walked our way.
“Betty, how about a dance for old times sake?” he asked her.
I thought Betty might faint but she let him lead her to the floor where they danced in a formal manner, no melting together or clutching.
“This must have been your wife’s idea, Shane. This is not you at all. You have never been one to seek out a female once you were done with her.”
“It was Alex’s wish but as she reminded me, you are a family member because you are my sons’ mother.”
“If I didn’t have to loathe her so, I would be crazy about her too, Shane.”
“Why do you have to dislike her, Betty? She is amazing and has only decent intentions toward absolutely everyone.”
“Oh, I suppose loathe is too strong a word, Shane. It’s envy because I want you so badly still….with every fiber of my being. She has you and I don’t, that’s the crux of the matter as they say in the biz - the bottom line.”
“Betty, let’s move on from here. I want to be friends with you because of the wonderful children we share. You are part of my family but as for us ever being a couple again….it will never happen. I just want to prove myself worthy of Alexandra….she is so exceptional.”
Betty’s heart squeezed painfully. “I can’t do this anymore, Shane, sorry…..”
She disengaged herself from the dance and walked away, tears blurring her eyes.
Shane and Betty on the dance floor.....
Shane went to Alexandra’s side again, saying, “That was not the best idea you've ever had, Alex…..don’t try it with Jane unless you want to take me home with grievous injuries.”
“Sorry, Luv…I certainly don’t want you to be kneed in the groin. We need to leave that area intact for later tonight,” she laughingly told him, kissing his ear.
Betty drove her SUV in the moonlight toward Jack Tarzan’s remote house in the savanna. It was not too late, she decided. She needed to see him to counteract the desperation she had felt when Shane danced with her this evening at the state dinner. The front veranda lamp was off as Betty pulled into the drive. She didn’t want to ring a doorbell this late at night so she peeped in the living room window where a lamp was casting a dim light.
“I’m sitting here on the porch, Betty, do you need glasses?” laughed Jack.
“Oh, Jack, I’m sorry about the late hour. I just felt the need to see you.”
“How was the dinner?”
“Shane danced with me…..because his wife had asked him to…..it was heartbreaking, Jack.”
“She must be on the ball,” he remarked, standing up to put a kindly arm around her shoulder. “I just received an invitation to a state dinner for the artists and writers in Kenya.”
“She is and he will love her forever,” said Betty, lighting a hurried cigarette before Jack could catch the fact of her crying.
“That self-absorbed dude will love NO ONE forever, Betty. She is probably going to be just another victim.”
“Make love to me, Jack.”
“No, Betty….I won’t make love to you to assuage your aches and pains over Shane Simba. You can stay here tonight, if you wish but no fucking.”
Shane placed a call to the Nathan Leoparde Memorial Foundation. He was seeking the director – his brother, Chris Simba. Chris came on the phone after having been signaled by his secretary.
“Bro, how goes it?” asked Chris.
“All is well with me, Chris but you and Johanna are in my penthouse and not paying rent. That’s an expensive piece of property.”
“Johanna said you gave it to her,” roared the astounded Chris.
“No, let her show you the paperwork on it, Chris. It states clearly that she can live there as long as she wants barring a live-in relationship or marriage. I’m glad you two found each other but the penthouse is too valuable to just throw away. I even kicked Simone Serval out of there, thinking Johanna and the baby would be living there for a long time.”
“Shane, you still owe Johanna. You have hurt her greatly,” argued Chris, who didn’t want to have to get up the money to pay his brother’s expensive price for leasing the penthouse. Simone Serval had apprised him of the rent and Chris felt it was outrageous.
“I don’t owe Johanna a god damn thing, Chris. You two can rent it if you like but if you don’t sign a lease, I will have to rent it to someone else.”
“Balls, Shane, you have just bought a shipping line with Lewis Lyon and you’re belly aching over a fucking apartment. You're cheaper than chips."
“That was a shipping line I offered the pride as a purchase. I believe it was you and Sef who nixed the deal.”
“You must be rolling by now,” continued the enraged Chris, whose frustration lay partially in the fact that he had married a real whiner and knew Johanna would resist moving out of the penthouse.
“Johanna has got her own very healthy income. Let her foot half the rent. I’ve got bigger fish to fry. I’ve got a meeting in ten minutes, Chris. Make up your mind by the weekend, please, and call me.”
It was the consensus of the Simba pride (except for Sam who had a rapprochement with his litter mate these days) that Shane had become a megalomaniac. Roy Lee, being the arbiter of the pride, didn’t feel his younger brother was all that obnoxious and felt a great deal of affection for the younger brother who had made it to the presidency. He felt there was a great deal of jealousy within the pride since Shane had reached the pinacle. Sarah Lee Simba, the matriarch, made things much worse by her hatred of all things human and having banned Shane and Chris from her home. It seemed that Chief Magistrate Sefu Simba was intensely miffed at Shane for having removed his divorce law from the books. Another bone of contention within the pride was their negative vote regarding the Greek shipping line. Sefu and Chris had cast the deciding votes against the purchase. Now they could see that the ships bearing the Kenyan flag and the name Simba-Lyon Shipping were cutting through the waters of the richest seas, canals and oceans in the world and gaining in wealth each day with Mombassa’s port being in perfect form now with the Japanese financing the expansion deal. With the first month’s income, Shane had already paid Lewis for his half of the partnership that the lion tycoon had fronted. The Simba pride was wretched at their bad judgement. Roy Lee had not been present for the vote which would have been an aye. In hindsight, he wished he had made a quick trip from Italy and stayed long enough to cast the ‘yes’ which would have enriched the pride’s coffers instead of Lewis and Shane’s personal ones.
A Simba-Lyon shipping vessel docked in Suez and one in the Port of Mombasa......
The state dinner for the artists of Kenya was held in four large tents set up on the State House lawn, an idea of Alexandra’s. It was less formal but more fun and relaxed. The guests arrived with casual attire rather than the formality of the dinner held at the mansion. The First Lady had overseen the preparations. Four grills had been set up outside the tents where Wally Warthog and his caterers from the pub were preparing the restaurant’s specialties. Waiters walked among the invited with drink trays and four bars also adorned the garden. The evening was clear and lovely with stars in profusion. Jack Tarzan and Jane Leoparde, as well known writers, were among the group. Luke accompanied his wife and Jack brought Betty who as a major best selling author was on the invitation list. Alexandra made a special effort to greet and put at ease Jane and Betty but Shane never approached them. Jane was always as at ease with anyone she met so she chatted warmly with Alexandra and liked her a great deal. Betty still resented the woman who had grabbed her beloved’s heart so absolutely. She did make an effort at pleasant conversation so Jack would approve.
Alexandra, Jack Tarzan, Luke and Jane Leoparde on the lawn of the state house at the party honoring the artists of Kenya.....
The following day the media assaulted Alexandra as she exited the Exotic Animal Clinic where the various international doctors had come to examine this pregnancy. Frank Tigeres came to Alexandra’s aid. He told reporters that the First Lady was pregnant and that further very interesting details would be forthcoming. He held off the media hounds while Alexandra got in her car and was driven to the mansion which was now completely redecorated.
The news of the pregnancy sent Betty into a severe case of depression as it did Johanna who had finally become a Simba by way of Chris. Johanna refused to fork out any money to rent Shane’s penthouse. A solution was found when Chris paid a visit to the offices of Jackal Realty and was told that the house he had lived in with ex-wife, Christine Cheetah (now Mbube) was for rent for a less expansive price. He leased it causing Johanna and Chris Simba became to become our neighbors on Leoparde Drive.