Me dining with Bertram at my sister Margaux's eatery in the Lewis Lyon Mall.... 

    Bertram Baboon and I sat at a table on the sidewalk area of my sister Margaux’s eatery and gourmet food store. We were lunching together as is our habit when we have the time. With things popping at the State House under President Shane Simba, I have little spare time to lunch these days, usually grabbing a quick bite with Shane in the executive dining room of the State House.

"I suppose I will have a rapprochement with Gloria," sighed Bertram, alluding to his wife of rather recent vintage. "Things are so tied up with her being a minuscule partner in the studio. We mustn't lose our friendship. She has been backing off of her physical demands recently, at any rate."

"Bertram, she is a good friend to you as well as a wife. You two share much in common. It would be a shame to end the marriage. I’m sure you two can reach an agreement so all won't be lost," I advised, never having endured a day of marriage in my entire life.

"I think she will be spending more time at her home these days. She has a lovely one and I will visit her there as she will visit me in my home. As you point out, we are great friends and business associates. All must NOT be lost."

Having resolved verbally a bit of that conundrum, we proceeded to eat a lovely lunch of exquisite pasta washed down with a good Shiraz wine.

"I think you need to move Alexandra closer to town," remarked Dr. Frank Tigeres as Alexandra and Shane sat side by side in his office for her now weekly visits.

"Shane has me in the bush house so I won't do too much. It didn’t work, did it, Luv?" she laughed, taking her husband’s hand.

"No, you haven't slowed down one bloody bit," he agreed.

"These babies could arrive any day now. They seem fully mature and waiting for the moment. The three dimensional sonogram pictures reveal human bodies with slightly tipped ears. And hands will not need to be added. Both boy and girl are already equipped with them," added the tiger physician.

"They will be wonderful babies, Frank," said Alexandra.

"I believe they will be, young lady," responded Frank Tigeres, who was very fond of the charming Alexandra. "Before you two leave, allow me to show you the new areas of the clinic that you and Lewis Lyon funded, Shane. Our new lab is spectacular."

    Betty Chimpo and Jack Tarzan had a party at his home, which she now shares. The reasoning behind the invitation was the sheer joy of their union which has turned out to be the one of the greatest satisfactions of their lives. Jack’s home, bought from the government when Shane ousted Alexandra’s cousin from the premise, is a wonderful rambling structure in the Nau Narre Hill country of the Masai Mara. He has leased the surrounding land to farmers who reap the rewards of their produce and keep the soil cultivated. The farmers gift Jack's household with baskets heaping with marvelous vegetables as a reward for Jack’s allowing them to farm free of charge.

Jack Tarzan and Betty Chimpo on one of the verandas of his rambling home.......

    The guest list was extensive, the night of the party blessed with wonderful weather. Patsy had baked multiple goodies for the soiree and was sporting a new red dress that Jack had purchased for the old lady at our Harrods in the mall. Wally Warthog’s minions had several grills going with their specialties of the pub. Betty felt so relaxed about her status these days that she invited her ex-husband, Shane Simba and his wife, Alexandra. They arrived just as Shane and Betty’s son, Solly ran down the stairs to greet his dad and stepmother. The twins joined him. If this is confusing to the reader, Betty and Shane had twins of their own while still wed - Jalil and Tarek Simba. Jack turned his game room, complete with pool table, over to those youngsters brought by their parents. Betty was perfectly relaxed in Shane’s presence although aware of his intriguing physicality which had caused her obsession with him. The former married couple now shared their three children very amicably. Betty noticed that Jane Leoparde, who was their dear friend and an attendee, kept her distance from Shane, her former lover.

Solly Simba at the party given by Jack and his mother....

    Shane played a game of pool with Jack, Lachlan and Ashley Lyon. Ashley was with his wife, Lucy, and neglected to mention his date with Shane’s first born, Staci. Staci had been invited but chose to go to Nairobi and visit Lee, her cousin.

    The party was great fun, ending around midnight. Shane and Alexandria took his sons with them for a weekend in the bush house although Alexandria had been warned that the birth of their babies was immanent.

Lachlan and I drove directly from Jack’s to Mombasa where we planned a quiet weekend of fishing.

Frank Tigeres stopped Staci Simba in the halls of the clinic the following Monday.

"Staci, a new hospital in the Serengeti is opening and the President is sending out feelers for an experienced nurse to train the staff. It will only be six weeks. You might like the assignment. It would be a challenge."

"That might be good for me, Dr. Frank. Will someone fill in for me here?"

"We can spare you for a short time, Staci. I think you are the most expert nurse on our staff. You’re a real genius in your field."

"I’ll go then, Dr. Frank."

"Thanks, Staci. We will miss you but you will be returning very soon."

    Staci pulled her packed SUV into the parking area of the temporary headquarters for the presidential offices in the Serengeti in Tanzania. She got out and sought the offices of President Pete Levin and his main honcho who happened to be a dead ringer for her mom. Diana Duma welcomed Staci, knowing exactly who she was. She led Staci to an office door which she opened and revealed Pete Levin standing with his face to a window. At the sound of Diana’s voice, he turned around, causing Staci’s heart to do a great leap in her chest. His yellow eyes bore through her.

"This is President Simba’s daughter, Staci, who has answered our call for an expert nurse to train the staff at the new hospital," duly reported Diana.

"Welcome, Staci. You are most gracious to come and answer a call of desperation. Everything is very new here. We are just getting started making the move of the center of our government from the coast to the Serengeti. I think your dad did a similar thing in Kenya," said Pete, holding out a welcoming hand.

"It was President Lyon who moved the center of our government from Nairobi to the Mara, I believe. He was homesick and hated Nairobi," giggled Staci.

"My sentiments, exactly. I was born and raised in the Serengeti and here I shall move the center of my nation’s government. I would be most pleased if you would except a place to stay on the grounds of my new home. I have a very nice guest cottage that you are welcome to use while you are here."

"Thank you, I’d like that. Is it near the hospital?" she asked.

"Very near. I can get my driver to take you to work each day if you like," he offered, his intense eyes alert with interest in the pretty Staci.

"No, that’s okay. I have my car with me. I like to drive and unwind while I go to work in the mornings."

    Staci was shown to the guest cottage and found it very nice and airy. She put away her clothes and went to the shower. She adjusted the knobs and walked in. This is going to be fun, she thought to herself. Pete is a very strong presence. Sort of like Daddy.

Staci Simba meets Pete Levin in his office in the Serengeti......

"Would you like to come to the Serengeti and pay a visit, Georgy?" asked her mother, Caitlin Cougar Leo. "I miss you terribly. Chris and I have a great place."

"No, Mom, I have a runway show this weekend. Leah keeps me pretty busy this season with the school year in full swing," said Georgy, who was smoking a cigarette - a nasty habit she had picked up from Imani Lyon.

"Georgy, you are not ready for this lifestyle yet. You're still very much a cub," protested Caitlin, lighting her own cigarette.

"Imani is leading a great life, Mom, and I’m her cousin and roommate."

"Imani is older than you, Georgy. Your dad is all riled up about your life these days. Are you keeping up with your grades?"

"Yeeeeees, Mom, I am. Daddy is such a sorehead these days. I think Caroline makes him miserable and so he bitches about me."

"Maybe, Georgy. Do keep in touch and I love you."

"Me too, Mom," she said and hung up before there could be further parental inquiries.

    The next night, the paparazzi shone their flashbulbs on Georgy and Imani emerging from Imani’s SUV with no undies, sporting naked pubes. The picture emerged on the Internet and the newspapers with the offending areas blurred. Sloane Simba went ballistic.

Georgy Simba caught in the raw with cousin and housemate, Imani Lyon.......

    JAGGERS was rather quiet when Sloane Simba entered and strode straight for Leah Simba’s office. It was on off time in the early evening. Leah was still in her office gazing at some sketches of new hat designs.

"Uncle Sloane, how nice to see you......."

"Leah, do you run a freaking brothel here? My daughter, Georgy, has gone to hell in a bucket since she began her career with you," he roared.

"Uncle Sloane, I just hire Georgy as a teen model on weekends, nothing more," answered the rattled Leah.

"Have you seen this? It involves your kid too," he raged, handing her the newspaper folded to the offending photos of the exposed Imani and Georgy.

Leah took the paper and looked with amazement upon the picture of Imani getting out of the vehicle, her legs splayed, a goofy expression on her face and completely without underwear. Leah cringed.

"You don't keep tabs on Imani?" asked the horrified Sloane.

"No, uh, I-I’ve been so busy with JAGGERS, Uncle Sloane," she stammered.

"Well, I do keep tabs on mine, Leah," he said, taking the paper from her hand and walking out.

Sloane Simba (r) accosts his niece, Leah Simba (l) in regard to their daughters......

Suddenly Leah was angry. Sloane Simba was no angel, himself. He had no right castigating her for his daughter’s behavior. She followed him to the parking area and caught him as he was about to enter his Lexus.

"Uncle Sloane, Imani is not tying Georgy to the bedpost. She could leave if she wanted. Also, why don't you take care of the situation instead of heaping all this shit on my head?" shouted Leah.

"Her frigging mother has run away to the Serengeti and left the cub to her own devices," he shouted back.

"She’s your daughter too," reminded Leah.

Sloane got in his car and without another word, spun from the parking area.

    That evening Leah asked Ashley Lyon to come to her home for a conference about their oldest offspring. When he saw the picture, which Leah had gotten off the internet and printed, he stood there scratching his head in complete befuddlement.

"Oooh, no undies - this is NOT good, Leely."

"What can we do, Ash?"

"Absolutely nothing, Leely. Imani is of legal age."

"Uncle Sloane bitched me out at work today about the issue."

"Oh, Sloane Simba, that bastion of good behavior? Just remind him of the days when he and his brethren were busted for drugs at that awful whorehouse Sidney Simba rented in the bush. Sloane has gotten too big for his britches as the minister of justice, don't you agree, Leely?"

"I certainly do, Ash," agreed Leah who was mad as hell.

    That evening the day’s events stretched further when Leah walked down the street and shared the details of her day at work with her dad, Roy Lee Simba and her mother, Janice. When Leah had left after getting tipsy with her parents, Roy Lee picked up the phone.

"Is Sloane home, Caroline?" he inquired.

"Hello?" said Sloane, coming to the phone.

"Sloane, this is Roy Lee. Please do not feel free to bless my daughter out anymore. Georgy is not Leah’s problem, Bro --- she’s all yours. All Leah has done is give the cub a good job for weekends. If she is delinquent the ball is in your park."