Maurice & Friends

I suppose one could say that my main acquaintance with the lion that was to follow the legendary Ralph Lyon into the presidency of Kenya occurred when I hired his first wife, Catherine Cheetah Simba, to be the director of my newly founded Lawrence Leoparde Memorial Arts Center. When I think back on it, it seems so terribly prophetic in so many ways. The late Catherine, being a troubled feline with many emotional and personality disorders was under the care of Dr. Lachlan Lion. He, knowing me through my late lover, Lawrence Leoparde, asked me to give Catherine a chance with the job at the arts center. Catherine was brilliant and the daughter of my dear friends, Dorian and Cynthia Cheetah. I took a chance and she rewarded my trust in her by bringing my tribute to my late lover into real fruition. The arts center is the main cultural arena of East and Central Africa as I speak. In addition, I am living very happily with the young lion psychiatrist who first asked me to take a chance on Catherine. To make a very long story short, Shane Simba was backed by Ralph Lyon as the next president of our country. Catherine had died in a horrendous car crash taking their two unborn cubs with her. After his wife's death, Shane married Betty Chimpo who continually adored him to a fine fault. He asked me to maintain my same position in the State House that I enjoyed under Ralph Lyon. He even kicked me up a sizable notch, making me his chief of staff. So, as you can see, I have been privileged to observe at least two of his marriages - first Betty and now, the human descendant of colonialists, Alexandra Delamere Simba. Never have I seen him terribly distraught over kinks in his married life. Shane, being a player of the first order until now, has had the marital boat rocked more times than not. Always, he kept a cool, rather (if the truth be told) uncaring and chilly head. However with his marriage to the beauteous Alexandra, he seemed to put away all of his adulterous toys and curl into a cozy fetal ball of nuptial bliss.

Then last week happened. Shane intervened on behalf of his brother, Chris, and deported his former lover, Johanna Delacroix, who was married to Chris Simba recently. The very troublesome Johanna, safely ensconced on the British Airways jet that was to take her to her ancestral home in England, phoned Alexandra from her cell phone. She reported that Shane paid a call but did not state the real reason, alluding, most probably, to sexual shenanigans. I am really straining this explanation to the breaking point not knowing anymore than I do of the matter. Alexandra took her two children by Shane and disappeared all together.

Shane has been unlike anyone has ever seen him before. A total wreck emotionally, tearing his mane and the peace of mind of those working for and around him. The seismic activity from his anguish and frayed nerves is jolting everyone in his offices. At last, after putting my head together with his two secretaries, it was decided I should seek information from Alexandra’s secretary, Bernice Bear. With this as my goal, I walked gingerly down the hall and entered Alexandra’s office. There, Bernice sat going over some books and making notes. She saw and welcomed me in, signaling for some hot tea to be brought us.

“Bernice, I must know where Alexandra is,” I began, for there was no time for pussyfooting around and reluctance to speak bold facts. The situation was critical in our offices down the hall.

The matronly grizzly bear took her tea from the proffered tray and tested the heat factor. I put a hand on her knee and said, “Bernice, please…you know I don’t usually beg for other’s confidences.”

“Maury, I will be breaking a promise,” she answered, blowing maddeningly on the surface of the steaming cup. “I do know you to be the most sincere animal and Alex does adores you. I will tell you, if you will not tell Shane.”

“I will see Alexandra, myself, Bernice. I promise.”

Ashley Lyon landed his small plane on the beach and taxied toward an older house which lay behind a thatched garden wall. I was his passenger, having taken a day off to accomplish some long needed dental work – at least that was my story to Shane. Ashley cut the engines, jumped out and opened my door, helping me not to fall on my ass as I got out. We found a rusty metal gate embedded in the thatching and managed to open it with the bulk of Ashley’s muscles. I could hear the sound of small children as we advanced into the yard which was laden with old and gnarled bougainvillea bushes weighed down with bright blossoms. Small Sacha Simba toddled toward us, being familiar with both Ashley and me. Ashley picked him up and swung him around, eliciting merry giggles. Then we saw her. Alexandria stood just beyond us. Her face was strained and held the remnants of sleepless and tormented nights. Alexandra is a tender and loving young woman so she stepped forward, giving both of us a warm hug. She beckoned us into the parlor of her beach home which held faded furnishings, vestiges of rusting iron table legs and rather worn and faded chintz upholstery. In summary, it was the very essence of old genteel English surroundings assaulted by the relentless sea air. One of the nannies brought tea. Alexandra laughed and told her that something stronger was in order. We ended up with whiskey that loosened our tongues, which was its express purpose.

“I know you are both here on Shane’s behalf,” she began.

“Actually,” I giggled. “Shane thinks I’m at the dentist.”

“And Staci knows that I flew Maurice here. She’s very worried about you and her dad, who is absolutely beside himself,” noted Ashley. “And just let me add, Alex, that Shane was at Johanna’s home to inform her that she was being deported from Kenya. I was in the pub when she came in after his brief visit with three of his Masai guards. She had a full audience there and told the entire story, leaving nothing out. There was no hanky panky, Alex, this I am sure of.”

“I didn’t let him explain, Ashley. I was just too upset after her call. Why did Shane deport her?” asked Alexandra, lighting a cigarette.

“Because she was giving his brother, Chris, fits about their divorce. He told me this himself, Alexandra,” I added.

“Shane has to stop with the ruthlessness, Maury. He is incessantly meddling in others' lives – by request – but it is still meddling. He is a leader and can’t afford to do these things. I detest Johanna, but did she deserve to be deported?” asked Alexandra.

“Please, Alex, go back with Maury and me. I will send another plane for the nannies and children. I will phone Luke now and it will be here in an hour,” begged Ashley.

Alexandra looked at me and inquired, “Has he been awful to the staff?”

“Atrocious,” I giggled. “Awful doesn’t describe it.”

“Let me get dressed and I will come with you,” she said, patting us both on the knee in her cheerful way.

Ashley and I convince Alexandra to return to her husband....

It was most unfortunate timing but Sean Simba, being totally self absorbed, was unaware of Alexandra’s defection. He decided to visit his dad on the evening before I went to look for Alexandra. Shane was sitting dejectedly in the library in the mansion before a fire. He was rather drunk after having made his usual round of fruitless phone calls in an effort to locate his missing wife and children. He looked up when his eldest son entered the room, all cockiness and swagger. A light went on in his brain and he remembered that Sean had impregnated Sloane Simba’s daughter, Georgy. Sean made a move toward the whiskey bottle to pour a drink. Shane slammed his hand down almost upsetting the bottle of costly Scotch.

“Can’t I have a drink, Dad? I’m sure you have more where this came from.”

“I don’t want my Scotch wasted on a little bastard that has managed to get his blood kin pregnant. What kind of asshole are you, Sean? I warned you to lay off the relatives when servicing your sexual needs. There are plenty of females, both human and animal, that will be happy to fuck you - why Georgy and your aunt?”

Shane stood up and swayed slightly. Sean was nervous. He knew his father well and when he was drunk he could be especially pitiless. Sean’s friends and teammates, seeing the death of Johanna Delacroix written up in the Daily, had surmised that Shane Simba had probably put a hit man on his former lover. Sean stepped back but Shane made no move toward him and said nothing. Sean relaxed slightly. He knew his father to be a caring and loving one despite a formidable temper.

“What do you want me to do about Georgy, Dad? Just tell me and I will do it.”

Shane sat down again.

“I don’t know. I haven’t had time to think this thing out. Alex left me,” he said, rubbing his hands through his thick mane.

“Why did Alex leave you, Dad? You two are the happiest couple on earth,” asked Sean, taking a seat next to his father on the sofa and putting a comforting hand on his back.

“She thinks I screwed that bitch, Johanna,” said Shane with a half sob.

“I’m sure you didn’t, Dad.”

“Hell no, I went with three guards to kick her out of Kenya. She’s a total bitch and doesn’t need to be in this country. She was trying to take Chris to the cleaners even after she ran up a bunch of bills on his credit cards.”

“Did you have Johanna killed, Dad?”

Shane said nothing, just continued staring across the room at the waning fire.

That evening Sean stayed for a lonely dinner with his father. The subject of Georgy was not brought up again. Shane and his son spent the evening talking sports and Alexandra’s possible whereabouts.

father and son confront each other in the library of the mansion...left is Sean, right is Shane....

Alexandra Simba entered the front door of the State mansion to the delight of the guards and entire staff. We had just brought her there from her ancestral home in Mombasa which her husband had obviously forgotten that she owned. Her high heels clicked on the marble floor as she exited the elevator to the family quarters. Shane heard the tell tale sound and rushed from the library where he had been sitting, whiskey in hand and dialing phone numbers incessantly.

“Alex, my god, don’t ever do this again, I’ve been frenzied. Where are Sacha and Tanya?” he asked in one breath as he reached for her.

They both began to cry softly, their tears staining each other’s clothing and faces.

“They’re coming shortly with Luke Leoparde in another plane. Ashley and Maurice collected me today.”

“Where were you, I’ve called and gone everywhere you might have been, darling?”

As the couple went to the library where they both lit cigarettes and helped themselves to more booze, the sound of small feet sounded in the hall. It was Sacha and Tanya who ran quickly to the join their parents and crawled on their father’s lap. The reunion was quite emotional, the serious issues and discussions delayed in the ecstasy of the homecoming. The following weekend they went to to Lamu Island where they sailed alone under the setting sun.

The next morning in the office, we all looked up expectantly as our boss entered. His demeanor was totally changed from the past week. He was upbeat, greeted everyone with unusual fervor, warmth and wit as he went to his inner office followed by me with my usual paperwork. As I put the paper work on his desk, I heard him give a low chuckle.

“Let me see your teeth, Maurice!”

“My teeth, Sir?” I asked unwittingly for I had forgotten my excuse for being absent the day before.

“Yes, Maurice, smile, please, I want to see your dental work,” he said and then broke into a hearty laugh.

“I’m afraid I did a bit of fibbing, Sir,” I giggled.

He became serious and laid a hand on my shoulder.

“Maurice, thank you so much for your intervention and bringing, Alex back,” he said, his strange green eyes deadly earnest.

“Ashley flew me there, he was a part of it too,” I told him.

“I know he was and this I will never forget, Maurice. Ashley is a wonderful animal and I’m proud to have him as a son-in-law.”