Maurice & Friends

Betty Simba was going through her husband’s dresser drawers, not for investigative purposes, but to add her personal touch in straightening things out. As she had continued to do since living with him, she caressed the items most personal to him before neatening. She was probing with a slim hand among his socks when she felt an object with a hard edge. She pulled it from under the pile and gasped. There, in a frame, was a breathtaking photograph of Shane, his late wife, Catherine, and their two cubs. It had been taken in the couple’s garden at the home on State House Road. Betty lit a cigarette and went to sit on the bed, still holding the frame. Through tear hazed eyes she took in the elegant physical beauty of her husband, Catherine and their adorable children. She realized that Catherine must have been recently pregnant with the two cubs she died with in the car crash. Once again, such intense feelings of wanting to have Shane’s child swept over her that she felt faint and went downstairs for a Bloody Mary. She knew what she was doing when she turned on television and began to watch Caroline Cheetah’s cooking show. She was struck again at the resemblance between Caroline and her late sister, Catherine. Caroline would accentuate her pregnant state by running her paws across her expanding belly as often as possible. Hatred traced a jagged path that ran its course through Betty’s heart and mind. She finally pulled herself together at the sound of Babs’ voice asking what she should fix for their evening meal. She conferred with Babs and then went to the study where she was working on an essay for the Masai Mara Daily. She lit another cigarette before starting to work. Thoughts raced through her mind of how lucky she was to have finally been able to marry Shane Simba. She shook her shoulders to relax them. She was very lucky and she knew it. Much more fortunate than the deceased Catherine who would never see her children grow to maturity or feel the weight of her husband’s body as he made love to her. And she didn’t doubt at all that her kismet was far greater than Caroline who was despised by Shane but still pregnant with his child. She erased the entire essay and began a new one titled: Bonding Families of Tragic Circumstances.

The picture Betty found in the drawer.....

Maude Lyon decided to speak with her son, Daniel, in regard to his new love affair with Roy Lee Simba’s daughter, Stella. With that in mind she headed the few doors to his bungalow. He had just gotten home and was making a drink for himself when she walked in. Being a brusque sort, Maude seldom observes the amenities such as knocking before entering.

“Hi, Mom,” greeted Daniel brightly. “Want a drink?”

“I think I would like a strong one. I have a bone to pick with you, Dan.”

He poured a stiff one. “And that would be?”

“That Simba female that you’re getting all mussed about.”

“I’m not getting mussed, Mom. I think I am in love though. Time will tell. She is terrific!”

“No Simba is ‘terrific’, Dan. They’re all trash. They may present well now but underneath that pseudo sophistication is a can of worms.”

“Mom, don’t you think you’re really overstating your case? The Simbas may have been not to the manner born but they brought themselves up and I admire that in anyone.”

“Rubbish, Dan. That’s the same Roy Lee Simba who sprayed my door and plowed through my yard with his Harley.”

“Mom, I’ve met Roy Lee and he’s one of the nicest guys in the world. I think you need to bury that bone in the yard, it no longer works. Ashley is married to Stella’s sister and he says he has never been happier in his life.”

“Well, I guess that’s better than being married to that made over monkey with her long string of big cat husbands.”

“Mom, you are so intolerant. This is Dad’s new world. Enjoy it.”

“Dan, you are going to regret getting involved with that worthless pride, mark my words,” she snarled, putting her glass down.

She left, slamming the screen door behind her.

Sloane Simba had consented to spend five days after Christmas in Montana with Caitlin’s parents. It was either go or get a divorce. Things were not going well for the couple. Caitlin was spending a lot of time in the office with her friend and supervisor, Jane the lioness. They were writing a series of columns placed weekly in the Masai Mara Daily. Jane was in the middle of a damn great relationship with Luke Leoparde. Luke had come off his high horse about commitment and they were spending time with his two sons by Simone Serval. Jane, being a matter of fact and tough sort appealed to Luke’s cubs. Jane had caught on to the art of deep sea fishing. She and Luke would spend weekends in his Mombasa home fishing with the Ashley Lyons. Jane noticed the slight melancholy aspect of her pal these days.

“Caitlin, you don’t seem to happy right now. Want to tell me about it?”

Caitlin lit a cigarette, “Sloane is a very difficult male.”

“I figured as much. What are you going to do about it?”

“Just hang in there and see if things improve.”

“That’s sort of a miserable way to spend your first Christmas together, isn’t it, Caitlin?”

“We’re going to Montana for a few days to see Mom and Dad. That will be nice.”

“If you ever need to get away, Luke and I have a great time in Mombasa. You can join us.”

Betty followed Shane upstairs to their room. He had just arrived from work. As they entered, Betty realized she had left the picture of Shane with Catherine and the children on the bed. She was nervous at what that might cause. She had completely forgotten to return it to his sock drawer.

“Good, you found this picture. I had almost forgotten I had it. I was going to give it to Staci as soon as she recovered a little from her mother’s death.”

“I found it in your sock drawer, Shane. I took it out to look at it. It is such a lovely photograph.”

“It is, isn’t it?” he asked, taking the picture to the light of the window. “Do you think Staci is okay to give it to her now?”

“I believe she is. I think she would love to have it.”

He put the photograph on his dresser top and came to where she stood. He put his arms around her and pulled her to him.

“I’ll bet you thought I had that in my drawer so I could sneak secret looks, right?” he laughed in to her upturned face.

“If you did, that would not be that bad, Shane. She was beautiful and the mother of your children.”

“This ‘mother of your children’ aspect still sticks in your craw, Fifi. If only I could disavow you of the notion that I do internal flip flops over that particular natal fixation. You are as much the mother of my children as Catherine or that damn sister of hers. I see you making whole my existing children and that is what makes me melt inside, Betty. If Staci is ready to receive this picture, it is all due to your loving and caring so deeply for her. And I see Sean lighting up again in his special way under your warmth. This is being the mother of my children, Fifi. Not some sexual and biological incident.”

“Oh, Shane, what wonderful things to say to me.”

“And all very, very true. Shall we get drinks, sit for awhile and then go to supper? We can take the picture and present it to Staci.”

“Oh, yes, my darling, darling husband.”

Shane and Betty in their room.....

Bertram Baboon’s house boy answered his door. He led a male lion to the great room where Bertram sat with his evening drink. It was Harold, Lachlan’s childhood friend and Bertram’s one night stand come to call.

“Why, Harold, how good to see you. Let us get you a drink, old chap.”

“Thanks, Bertram. I’d love a whiskey.”

The houseboy left to get Harold’s drink.

“What brings you to this neck of the woods?” asked Bertram, more pleasantly surprised than he wanted to admit to himself.

“I’ve been thinking, Bertram, you seemed rather taken aback by me when we came here from Montecore’s. I didn’t want to leave a bad impression. After all, you’re Lachlan’s friend and we go way back being from Tsavo. We grew up together.”

“I must admit, Harold, it was my first time with a lion. You could say that I’m rather virginal when it comes to your species.”

“Well, I suppose we can be rather alarming.”

“I would say it’s the teeth and the roar. Just the general aspect of you chaps. After all you’re not the King of the Beasts for nothing, one would suppose.”

“That is all such hype. We’re really very gentle sorts.”

The houseboy returned with Harold’s drink and asked if bwana was planning to stay for dinner.

“Yes, of course. Harold you must sample my French chef’s gourmet delights. Please say you’ll join me for dinner.”

“I’d love to, Bertram.”

Simone Serval was having a surge in her social life. She was now sleeping with Chris Simba, Alexander Simba and their brother, Sidney. Simone, being a film starlet, couldn’t afford to risk the paparazzi by attending the sexually charged gatherings at Sidney and Alexander’s rented bush home. Unlike the lax and loose Linda Cougar and Marci Mondo, she didn’t go for threesomes. Alexander and Steven would frequent her penthouse on separate occasions.

“One, two, three kick,” shouted Cameron Caracal to her evening jazz dance/aerobic class. Among her members was Steven Simba, attempting a high kick and badly pulling a ham string. He winced in pain and fell to one knee.

“Try to keep going, Mr. Simba and don’t disrupt the class,” rebuked Cameron. “You’re a big boy. You can take the heat.”

Steven wondered amid the intense pain why everyone he had contact with in the fitness center insisted on referring to him as big boy. He managed to rise again but his kicks were no where near the same. Finally it was time to get on the mats and cool down with stretches.

“Take one leg and pull it to your chest, encircling it with both arms,” crooned Cameron.

Steven did as instructed. Another wave of pain hit him from his injured ham string. He gave a loud groan. Cameron showed no mercy.

“Mr. Simba, I have heard you lions make those sounds on Animal Planet. Are you in pain or is that what you guys do for a living?”

A small ripple of titters crossed the room.

“I am in pain, Miss Caracal. That was not a sound emitted due to my lionship,” snarled Steven.

“Don’t attempt any more moves, Mr. Simba. I’ll check on you after the cool down.”

Steven sat on the mat quietly until the class closed and filed out. Cameron came to his mat and asked him to lie flat. She pulled on his legs and asked where it hurt. He showed her.

“That’s a ham string, Mr. Simba. It will need attending to. I recommend our steam room followed by the hot tub.”

“Ham, huh? That seems porcine in nature, Miss Caracal.”

“Very funny! You are such a wit,” she spat.

He managed to get to his feet with a groan.

“Miss Caracal, can we drop our weapons and at least be friendly? I really don’t know what I’ve done to deserve such hostility from you?”

“Just knowing that you’re a participant in that dreadful home where my sister disgraces herself is enough.”

“Cameron, and I insist on calling you that, I no longer live in that home. I live very near you in the Salt Lick Condos.”

“Oh, wonderful,” she snapped. “So Sodom and Gomorrah has come to our neighborhood?”

“Cameron, you seem to be on the puritanical side. Have you ever been fucked?”

Her answer was to slap him so hard across the face he almost fell to the mat again. She stormed from the room turning the lights out, causing him to fumble for the door in his pained state.

“That went well,” he grumbled as he managed to exit the unlit room.

Steven drove home, made a drink and turned on the Jacuzzi on his deck. He entered the warm, churning water and sighed with relief. His leg felt better but his mind was bothered. He had managed to screw up royally with the remark to Cameron. He would have to do better and possibly adopt a more aggressive course.

Roy Lee Simba decided to have a holiday party at his wonderful home on Leoparde Drive. He would allow Troy and Lee to invite their crowd. Hopefully they would mix with his friends. This new home was so large and with so many facets there was room for everyone to spread out and do his thing. He invited Janice Jaguar to come and make sure everything was up to snuff for the following night. She met Lee and Troy and charmed them both. At Janice’s suggestion, they planned a film festival in the screening room of all the faddish films for teens that abounded. This would take care of the cub's friends for the evening. Janice and Roy Lee turned their attention to the adult aspects.

Shane had made a plan. Seeing how impressed Betty had been with the picture of him with Catherine and their children, he conferred with his brother, Roy Lee. He and Betty went with Staci, Arlon, Sean, Joshua and Jason to Baboon-Simba Studios. Under the professional lighting, director’s placing and camera work of the studio’s best, they had a family portrait made. It was one of Shane’s Christmas presents to his new wife. Betty was touched and delighted. The children enjoyed the antics of getting positioned in the approved manner and mugging for the camera before getting serious. The result was a marvelous family portrait of the united group. Shane ordered one to be made and framed for the library wall. Others, he asked to be made in smaller form and eventually presented to the children.