Maurice & Friends

Betty rose from her sick bed, knowing full well that dreadful things were brewing. She had found a newspaper stuffed in a far corner of the housekeeping area that showed her husband with Dina Myers on the beach. She took a shower on the day she knew he would arrive. She dressed carefully and attractively, spraying Chanel #5 liberally about her person. She aired their room that had served as her sick bay area. She had the housekeepers order fragrant flower arrangements. She didn’t meet the helicopter but had drinks ready in the mansion for his arrival. He stepped off the elevator and she wanted so badly to hold him close but didn’t act on that impulse. Instead she handed him a Scotch and bid him a warm welcome.

“Well, darling, how was your trip?” she asked, sitting on the chair that sat adjacent to the couch.

“It went very well, Fifi. How is your bronchitis?” he said, sitting on the couch and crossing his long muscular legs on the coffee table. He lit a cigarette. “The conference was unbeatable. We got worlds accomplished.”

She bit her tongue in order not to say, “I’ll just bet you did.” He looked happy and relaxed. She had been obsessed with Shane for so long, she knew every tiny nuance of his physicality and behavior. She knew this mood meant that he had finally made love to Dina Myers. She inwardly said the mantra she had created from Lachlan’s advice: This too will pass and it’s no great loss to you. At dinner that night he was positively ebullient, conversing with his children and her. She continued to withhold asking the things she wanted so badly to know. He had mentioned that Sloane had gone with him to the conference. She made a mental note to speak with him. Later, they had brandy in their room and then he did something that told a story she didn’t want to know. He yawned and told her he was tired. Before she could join him in the bed, he was sound asleep. He had not seen in a full week yet he didn’t want to make love to her. She lay awake deciding that she would brow beat Lachlan into more sleeping pills and Valium.

Sloane Simba was very miserable and totally ill at ease. He was in the living room of his bush home with the first lady who had told him she needed to speak with him neither in Simba Brothers nor the state mansion but a place that offered privacy. He had suggested his home. She now sat before him, drink in hand.

“Can you get rid of this Dina Myers, Sloane? She is bringing a crisis in my marriage and eventually will affect the nation,” said Betty, quite dramatically thought Sloane.

Sloane Simba barely knew Betty, seeing her only on rare occasions at Sarah Lee’s brunches or things he would be invited to because he was part of the Simba pride. Now she sat before him airing her most fraught and sullied underwear. He hated every minute of this. .

“Mam, uh….I can’t fire her. She is invaluable to my firm not to mention the fact that Shane and Sefu are the CEO’s of Simba Brothers. He would kill me and only bring her back.”

“Please call me Betty. You were on that trip; did they get together and make love?”

“Betty, how the hell would I know that? They sure didn’t invite me to the occasion if they did.”

“Sorry, I’m being foolish, I know. What did you witness between them?” she asked, continuing her probe.

“I took the siesta breaks in my hotel room doing what that term indicates but I did see them windsailing and swimming.”

“Whose idea was it to take her?”

Betty lit a cigarette and put her lighter to the tip of the one he had placed nervously between his lips. He ran his paws through his exceptionally luxurious mane in a manner that told Betty that he absolutely loathed every minute of this interrogation.

“Betty ,for starters, Dina is a walking encyclopedia on African law. She’s from South Africa and pointed out that many of the old apartheid laws on the books were blocking AIDS relief there. She’s a brilliant girl. I imagine Shane told her to come.”

Betty finally thanked the young lion for his nervous testimony and left for her next mission. This was one, unaccomplished. Lachlan was not about to prescribe more addictive medications to Betty. Instead he recommended the yoga class at RUNNERS as well as working out with Gerald Giraffe, something she had given up with her marriage to Shane. She visited her old friend, Cynthia Cheetah and signed up for both. When she returned to the State House, Mildred Lyon and Lisa Lyon Leo were there mapping out another AIDS trip in conjunction with UNICEF.

“Betty, I hope you can go with us,” prodded Mildred. “The new AIDS doctor, Juma Mnyama, is going with us too.”

“We need you,” added Lisa, who, like her mother, had no real idea of what Betty was going through in her marriage.

“Okay, I’ll go. Let’s plan the details.”

That night when Shane arrived for pre-dinner drinks with Betty, he was still quite upbeat. He chatted on about the day. He lit a cigarette.

“I hear you are planning another AIDS trip with Lisa and Mildred. That will be grand, Betty. You are doing such wonders in this area. I am so proud of you.”

She stood up, faced him and threw a full glass of Scotch in his face.

He stood, shocked, wiping the liquor from his suit front. His eyes lacked fury. They only seemed to question.

“I’ll bet you’re glad I’m going, Shane - and what will you be doing? Fucking Dina Myers like you did on your trip?”

“Betty, why the hell do you think I banged Dina Myers on my trip?”

However, there was no real bite in his question and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he had done just that. She didn’t bother to answer him. She went to her small office in the mansion and worked the rest of the evening on her computer, missing dinner. When she finally went to their room, he was asleep. She went to a guestroom. The next day, she had Babs move all of her things to that same room. Two days later, with little contact of a friendly nature with her husband, Betty left for the trip with Mildred and Lisa. Ashley Lyon was flying them in his biggest plane.

‘”I made love to Dina Myers, Lachlan. I think I should tell you that,” said Shane, during his first session since his return.

“Chalk one up to restraint, Shane,” snarled Lachlan, who was on the dessert portion of his lunch. “I suppose I should ask how it went.”

“It was wonderful. She was a virgin.”

“How special!”

Betty and Dr. Juma Mnyama working in the village......

Betty threw herself into the task of comforting and helping the HIV mothers learn the means to treat themselves. The AIDS drugs that President Shane Simba had pushed for were now ready for use. The group consisted of the new doctor, Mildred, Lisa and several UNICEF workers. Dr. Juma Mnyama, the lion physician hired by the government to oversee the AIDS battle, worked tirelessly as well. In the evenings the group sat around a light supper and talked of the day’s events. One day, the villagers lined up for injections. Juma asked Betty to help him. She helped the children who had seldom, if ever, experienced needles, to calm their fears and stand still for Juma. They worked for four hours in the intense heat of the African day. At last, the line dwindled to only a few.

“We’ll take a lemonade break after this last one,” said Juma, realizing Betty was probably fatigued.

“That would be wonderful, Dr. Mnyama. I could use some. I’m parched.”

They went to sit under a tree where Juma had placed camp chairs and held a pitcher of lemonade. He poured some in Betty’s plastic glass and sat down.

“I’m guessing from your accent, you’re from Kenya, Dr. Mnyama.”

“Yes, Samburu reserve. That habit will kill you, Mrs. Simba.”

Betty had just lit a cigarette. She smiled at him.

“As far as the habit goes, you are quite right. But, do let’s dispense with the Mrs. Simba. I am just plain Betty around here.”

“I’ll reciprocate, Betty….I am just plain Juma.”

She thought him not plain at all. She asked and he told her of his decision to make a life of battling HIV with his medical skills. They chatted pleasantly until they felt the need to return to further duties. Betty followed Juma around the village as he sat by bedridden women and heard their fears for their children and very lives. She noticed his strength and soothing manner with those suffering and hopeless. When she placed her weary head on her straw filled pillow that night, she realized she hadn’t thought of her husband all day. Yes, it was best to keep busy.

Vonda Vulture sat in Mayor Leah Lyon’s office. She was interviewing for a job. Leah’s secretary was finally retiring after having served Sylvia Cougar as well. She had stayed onto to see Leah into her new role. Vonda wanted the position.

“Vonda, dear,” declared the diplomatic Leah “It is a tough job. Don’t let my friendliness trick you into thinking I’m not a hard taskmaster.”

“Of course you are, Leah. I need a job. Victor, my husband, is drinking a good deal. I need to supplement, if you get my meaning,” cackled Vonda.

“All right, Vonda. I’ll give you the usual three month trial period.”

The miraculous Leah had already tamped down the contentious vulture from the her first day as mayor.

Glenda Gorilla sat in the stuffy office of her leopard boss who owned the ANIMAL ENQUIRER where she was the main writer. Glenda wished the leopard would spruce up his offices a bit but then that was the way with freaking leopards. They spent so much time in trees, they didn’t care what their staff had to undergo on the ground.

“I need to hire my favorite photographer from WMM-TV. His name is Roscoe and he can do the most incredible acrobatics with a camera. The president is having an affair with a human. I want to get the full scoop,” said Glenda, prodding a piece of breakfast vine from her between her teeth.

The leopard’s clear but unreadable green eyes took in his star reporter, weighing the checks and balances of her request.

“Where were you planning to have him perform the photo tricks, Glenda?”

“At the bitch’s house – she lives in the bush where Caroline Cheetah lived. His fancy new Mercedes has been seen out there a number of times. Their picture was in the news during his last trip.”

“Okay, I’ll up the budget but if you don’t get the goods, it will come out of your pay.”

“Fair enough, the goods are there for the taking. I just need Roscoe to hop about in that tree outside her bedroom.”

Glenda left, tossing the finger at him once the door was closed to his office. Nothing like working for a classy guy, she thought disdainfully.

Carson Cougar, realizing that his daughter had gotten her life on the right track once more, decided to buy her a condo of her choice. She was living with Monica, their new cubs and him. He knew it was a distance from her nursing school and on the job training at the clinic. Linda had become dedicated to a nursing career and helping the AIDS problem in Kenya. He was proud of her. So for her birthday, he asked Monica, who was back at part time realty, to show her some condos. Linda chose one in the watering hole group, promising her father that she wouldn’t succumb to the charms of the Watering Hole Pub, just down the path. Once settled, she invited Juma Mnyama to celebrate with her. He declined, stating he wasn’t the partying sort and had just returned from a trip to several villages. Feeling let down, she invited old pal, Steven Simba, who had once been an integral part of the Simba Fuck Farm, to join her. Steven arrived with flowers, a bottle of wine and a mind preoccupied with thoughts of Caitlin Cougar who was pregnant by him. They celebrated her new home with drinks and snacks. He asked politely of her new career but she noted his lack of real interest. He left early, saying he had a case in court the following morning.

The presidential helicopter landed on the State House helicopter pad, disgorging a tired but peaceful Betty. She didn’t go to Shane’s office. Instead, she went to take a shower and find the children. After a cleansing and refreshing shower, she went to the family room where Sean and Staci watched their favorite television show. They greeted her lovingly. She talked with them about their activities while she was gone. Staci had begun track practice. School was about to reconvene. It would be Staci’s senior year. She had escalated so high in her studies.

“Have you thought about where you want to go to university?” asked Betty.

“Far away. I will miss you, Betty but I want to go away from Daddy – way away.”

Betty didn’t want to go where questioning that announcement might lead, instead she asked, “Would you like go to school in South Africa where Tigger is studying?”

“No, Betty, I want to study in England where Arlon is.”

“That will be grand; I’ll speak to Shane about this.”

Then, he was there, leaving the elevator and coming to join them. Betty stood up to greet him, patting his arm instead of throwing both around him as she wished to do.

“Fifi, I’m so glad you’re back. I thought you’d come to the office and say hello.”

She poured him a drink. “I was tired and dirty so I came here instead.”

He took the drink and said, “Tell me all about your trip.”

“It was very eventful; we managed to inoculate the villagers in both townships. We gave them the dosages of medication needed to help the further spread of the virus.”

His light eyes narrowed. “Who are ‘we’?”

“That marvelous new doctor, Shane – Juma Mnyama. He is miraculous and so dedicated. I worked mainly with him. He is going to be a sensational addition to the AIDS battle in Kenya.”

“He’s a lion, right?”

“Yes, he is. He is very strong and yet tender with the people stricken.”

“You have just assigned multiple and very positive adjectives to him, so you were apparently impressed.”

She realized he was jealous and was enormously delighted. She decided to lay it on a bit thicker –not lacking subtlety but enough to twist his heart as he had so liberally done hers.

“He tells me that he is impressed with my dedication. He wants me to organize more trips. We seem to work well together.”

The pale green eyes went flat. She hoped she hadn’t pushed the envelope too far. She waited.

“I’d like a bit of you myself, if the good doctor doesn’t mind,” he almost growled.

Then supper was announced by the houseboy. The conversation was very lively on the part of the children and Betty. This time it was Shane who was quiet. Later, he caught her in the hall going to the room she had decided to occupy. He grabbed her arm and spun her around.

“Oh no, you’re not, Betty. Tonight you’re making love to me in OUR room. I’m hungry for you,” he said, burying his face in her hair.

And, it did seem that he was. He was back to his passionate and engaged self. When she got up to leave the bed, he grabbed her and pulled her back down and close to him. He made love to her off and on all night.