Carson Cougar was excited. He had worked all day with Chief of Police, Bubba Simba, on a complicated case and now he was heading to the Masai Mara Airport to pick up his daughter who was moving from Montana.  She was the result of his long term relationship with Lola Lynx.  Her name was Linda.  Carson’s wife, Monica Margay Cougar was still working part time with Jackal Realty, but being pregnant with their first litter, had slowed her frantic pace.  Linda had visited the Mara on many occasions and had grown quite fond of her grandparents, Sylvia and Bernard Cougar. 

            Linda came off the commuter jet and ran toward her father, giving him a colossal hug.  Father and daughter caught up on their lives as they drove toward the elaborate estate that Carson had bought from Ashley Lyon.  Linda would be staying with Carson and Monica until she got situated and found a job. 

Linda Cougar, daughter of Carson and granddaghter of Bernard and Sylvia.... 

     Caroline Cheetah was feeling especially clever one Sunday afternoon while visiting her parents, Dorian and Cynthia.  She found her niece and nephew spending the day.  Staci and Sean Simba adored their grandparents and visited them whenever possible.  Caroline sat down with her mother and Staci while Dorian took young Sean to the small park in the area to dribble a ball around.  Caroline made a concerted effort to ensnare her niece by appearing to be interested in all topics that were of significance to Staci. These ranged from soccer to computers.  Staci had just made the grade as a cheerleader for the Junior All Stars, the soccer team on which Arlon Lyon played.  At three o’clock, Caroline offered to take Staci to her home by way of Barnes and Noble.

“We can book shop, Staci.  Then you can go to my house and we’ll chitchat some more.  Your dad can pick you up there,” suggested Caroline.

“That would be fun, Caroline.  Is it okay with you, Grandma Cynthia?”

“Of course it is, Staci.  You two have fun. I’ll tell Shane to pick you up at Caroline’s house,” agreed Cynthia. 

“Call ahead, Mom, and tell me when Shane is coming, so she’ll be ready,” requested Caroline. 

“Will do.”

Caroline and Staci drove off, heading for the Lewis Lyon Mall and the amusement offered there.  

Shane Simba rang Caroline’s doorbell. 

“Well, hello there,” she purred. “Come in, please.”

“Just tell Staci to come out, if you don’t mind.  She has cheerleader practice at seven.”

His eyes were cold as he stood there, arms crossed. 

“She’s not here at the moment.  She is with her other aunt.”

“Don’t pull that shit with me, Caroline.  I’m here to pick up my daughter.  Where ever she is, have her at my car in ten minutes.”

“Well, Mr. Vice President, feeling your oats, are you?”

In a matter of seconds he was inside and had her shoved against her living room wall.  His paw around her throat. 

“Look, you raving bitch, don't play games with me.  If I have to call my Masai guards, I will.  Get my daughter NOW!”

“I believe I’m the one that needs the guard.  You have my throat in your paw.  Take it off!”

He did that but still held her pressed against the wall with his weight.  She reached up and kissed him, exploring his mouth with her tongue.  He was about to respond when Staci came bursting through the door.  Shane straightened his jacket and stepped away from Caroline.

“Staci, you have your practice in a little while,” he told his flabbergasted daughter. 

“I know that, Daddy.  Thank you, Aunt Caroline, for a lovely afternoon.  I have to get the books she bought me, and then we can go.”

Shane rushed from the house, his guard opening the car door for him to enter.  Staci followed with her books.  Caroline stood smiling as their car drove off.  She almost had him.  She licked her lips.  It was a sign that he was still fallible. 

            Linda Cougar sat in Jerrilyn’s office at Jackal Realty.  She was applying for the position advertised.  She was a very potent contender for the agent job since her stepmother, Monica, was a favorite of Jerrilyn.  Monica Margay Cougar had helped Jerrilyn run the place, selling properties like a house afire.  Now she was pregnant with her first litter and cutting back on office time. 

“Where did you go to school, Linda?”

“I have a degree from the Butte business school.  Dad insisted that I go there.”

“Welcome to the firm, Linda.  You’re on,” said Jerrilyn. “Are you living with Carson and Monica?”

“Yes, but I’d really like a place of my own.  You know how strict dads can be,” giggled Linda.

“I do indeed.  I got my own place early.  Let me show you one of the Watering Hole Condos that's for lease.”

      After the game, three players asked her out.  Arlon Lyon wasn’t among them although he was becoming more captivated by the pretty Staci with each passing day.  Shane refused to let her date, telling her to wait another few months. 

Staci Simba leading the cheers for the Junior All Stars Mara soccer team.....

    The month’s issue of Animal Enquirer hit the stands with a spread of Betty’s before and after shots.  It sold out.  The accompanying article was written by Chichi, the pen name of Caroline Cheetah.  It was scathing, bringing up Betty’s many marriages and the reasons for their failures.  Of course, Chichi made Betty’s matrimonial debacles sound as if the culpability rested only on her shoulders.  It was scandalous reading and those who weren’t titillated, were filled with scorn at whoever had written this about Betty.  It was the spoken flavor of the month in the Mara which is prone to gossip. 

            Betty held her head high and continued to shine on her weekly newscasts.  Her video on the Amazon trip was snapped up by the National Geographic channel. 

            If Caroline Cheetah had imagined that the Enquirer layout on her arch-rival would drive a wedge between Shane Simba and Betty, she misconstrued the situation.  He moved in, with his children, to Betty’s house a week later.   They had made the decision that Betty’s was the larger home to comfortably contain the couple,  three children in addition to Shane’s housekeeper and nanny, Miss B. There was also Babs, Betty’s friend and housekeeper.  No one wanted to part with old friends and retainers. Shane placed his home on State House Road for rent, using the services of Jackal Realty. 

    Sam Simba, newly wed to Allison Scar, was not continuing his generosity in allowing his sons, Joshua and Jason, time with their mother.  Shane decided to address the issue.  He walked the stairs to Sam’s office in the State House. 

“Sam, you let Betty see her boys once and then you called a halt.  Why is that?”

“They love Ali.  I don’t want to upset them.  They no longer need Betty now that they have a new mother.”

“No one gets ‘a new mother’, Sam.  That’s a ridiculous premise.  Betty deserves to see her sons and they need her presence in their lives.”

“I hear you’ve moved in with her.”

“Yeah, I did.  Is that the reason for the back off, Sam?”

“Are you planning on marrying her, Shane? If you are, you’re nuts.”

“That’s not your problem. Can she see Josh and Jason, is my question?”

“No, she can’t.  I have full custody.  She can take it back to court but be warned, it won’t be pretty.”

“You’re a prick.”

Shane returned to his office. 

“My god, Shane has moved in with that monkey,” roared Sarah Lee Simba. 

Leander was present, smoking a cigarette and drinking her fourth martini of the day. 

“I guess you’re doomed to have that chimp in your life.  That makes Shane his own grandpa or something, doesn’t it, Sarah Lee?  His nephews are not only that, they’re his stepsons as well.”

Sarah Lee’s response was a loud groan.

“Want a martini?  I’ll make you one,” offered Leander.

“Yes,” sobbed Sarah Lee, who had grown fond of drink with the existing problems. 

    Shane Simba had spoken of his decision to move in with Betty to Ralph Lyon.  He didn’t want to create a sticky political situation with his affair.

“Your personal life is your own, Shane.  As long as you don’t get caught in bed with a dead female or live male, you will do just fine,” said the president. 

“Thank you, Sir.  I’m sure I won’t be doing any of those things – hopefully.”

“Go and make Betty happy.  She’s a fine female.  I think the world of her.”

“Thank you, Sir.  I think so too.  I plan to do just that.”