"You play a hell of a game," she told his back.

He spun around at the sound of her voice. His eyes widened in what Caroline imagined to be horror. She recognized him as Shane Simba, her late sister’s husband.

"Who are you?" he gasped.

"I’m Caroline Cheetah. I’m your sister-in-law. We never met at Catherine’s funeral."

He threw up his paws as if to avert a blow to his face.

"How about a game, Shane? I play well."

"No....no, thanks. I can’t. I have to go," he answered.

He walked swiftly away from her and into the club house bar. Staci and Sean were still in the midst of their various sporting lessons and couldn’t leave at the moment. He ordered a triple Scotch and tossed it back to slow his racing heart. The shock of seeing an almost identical female to Catherine was about to bring him down. He ordered another drink and killed some time. The bar was cool, dark and peaceful. Finally, he could retrieve his cubs and leave. He took them directly home where he availed himself of another stiff Scotch.

Simone Serval carried a drink in her paw as she answered her door. She was a bit tipsy. She looked through the security window to see Chris Simba standing there with a bouquet of orchids. She opened the door, greeted him with a kiss on his cheek and accepted the lovely flowers. He stood in her living room with the view of her roof garden and the vista of the savannah beyond.

"Wow! This is something. I’ll bet this thing cost my brother a pretty penny," he roared.

"He charges me a pretty penny to rent it too," she giggled.

A gloved house boy brought them drinks and canapés.

"I hear he’s back in the Mara, Chris. Shane is home?"

"Yeah but he’s keeping to himself pretty much. Catherine’s death socked him in the gut."

"Do you think he will ever remarry?"

"No. I don’t."

The females who awaited the arrival of Shane Simba back into the bachelor scene at the Watering Hole Pub, were severely disappointed. He was a no show. The first part of his interview with Betty Chimpo had made front page of the Masai Mara Daily. It was well written and topped off with a photograph of Shane. The females sighed and flocked to the bar to be the first to get his attention when he ordered a Scotch. It didn’t happen.

Sam Simba arrived with his sons, Jason and Joshua, at his mother, Sarah Lee’s weekly Sunday brunch. He was surprised to see Shane there with his children. Tookie was also present. The pride were shocked at the hug and kiss on the cheek that Shane gave his only full sister. The two had always been at odds with each other and barely civil. Sam gave Shane a brotherly hug and the two sat down together on the couch. After giving his sister-in-law, Cassandra Cheetah Simba, a peck on the cheek, Shane avoided her the rest of the brunch. The pride members looked at each other and spoke softly of Shane not being able to look at a cheetah female without a slight wince. They realized this meant pain upon seeing Catherine’s species. They had to wonder how he looked upon his daughter, Staci, who was the image of his dead wife.

"Sam, I’m going to Mombasa next weekend. How about letting me take your boys? They can have fun with Staci and Sean. My kids need to get reacquainted with their cousins," requested Shane of his litter mate.

"That would be great, Shane. They’d love that," answered Sam, pleased to be back on good terms with his brother again.

Sam could see the suffering in his litter mate’s eyes. What ever had transpired between Shane and Sam’s wife had been swept clean by the tragedy of his having lost his wife and the mother of his children. Sam was ready to forgive.

Alexander Simba was bothered. He had meant to engage in a one night stand with Caroline Cheetah but now he was thinking about her as he fiddled with some briefs in his law office. He sat at his desk and put his face in his paws, attempting to blot out his rising desire for Caroline. No accomplishment there. He picked up the phone and then put it back in its cradle. He decided to take his lunch break. Maybe that would break his chain of thought.

Shane Simba called Bob Bushbuck and told him that the second part of his interview for the Daily would have to be held in Mombasa the following weekend. He would be there with his children and could do it Saturday at Ashley Lyon’s home where he would be staying. Bob called Betty’s office and advised her of this. She would go to her own place on Friday night and be ready for Saturday and the interview.

Micah Mbubé was making no headway in his attempts to win his co-star, Leah Simba Lyon, away from her husband, Ashley Lyon. They had begun filming The Thomas Crown Affair. There were steamy love scenes which Leah did with great feeling but after that, she was pleasant and playful but ready to go home to her husband and children. Micah slaked his frustrated passions in the body of Caroline Cheetah. Betty Chimpo had mysteriously told him that she wouldn’t sleep with him any longer. Micah was no fool. He had read of Shane Simba and his return to the Mara. He knew the score.

Leah Lyon and her husband, Ashley......

Betty Chimpo pulled her car in the drive of Ashley and Leah Lyon’s home in Mombasa. She was here to interview Shane Simba. She held a tape recorder in one hand. Suddenly a growing lion cub bound from the house and almost knocked her down with kisses.

"Josh, oh, Josh," she cried. "Oh my darling, Josh. I’m so glad to see you."

She was crying and holding on to the son she hadn’t seen in months. She saw Shane Simba standing in the door.

"There’s someone else here to see you too, Betty."

Standing just behind Shane was another lion cub that she knew must be her son, Jason, who she hadn’t seen since he was a tiny cub. Betty was crying so hard, she almost missed a step. She came to the door and greeted Jason Simba who really didn’t remember his mother.

"Oh, Shane. This must be your doing," she sobbed. "This is so wonderful."

"I had to kiss Sam’s ass which was no easy feat," he laughed.

    They all went, after a light brunch with Bloody Marys, to Shane’s sail boat which he hadn’t sold. Ashley, Leah, Arlon, Joshua, Staci Simba, Betty and Tigger Tigeres piled in. Shane was doing the sailing. Betty watched, almost mesmerized, by the ripple of his muscles under the taut skin and the wind blowing through the thick dark mane. Joshua sat with his head in her lap. Her heart welled with such love for Shane Simba that she thought it might burst.

    Back in the Lyon’s living room while everyone else enjoyed a siesta, Shane allowed her to conduct the rest of her interview. That night Ashley and Leah insisted that she stay for supper too. She spent a wonderful evening in her sons’ company. Shane was almost his old self as far as jollity but he never once touched her. He always kept several feet between them. She noticed his intense involvement with his own children. He hung on their every word. Staci was already an accelerated cub but with this sort of engagement with her father, she was bound to mature and enjoy the same brilliant and cutting edge mind of both her parents. Betty noticed that Sean was also a very sharp cub. He was beginning to discuss interesting topics with his father. When the evening was over, Shane walked her to the drive where he placed the recorder on the passenger seat in her car.

"I can never thank you enough, Shane. I don’t deserve this wonderful thing you did for me.....letting me see my sons."

"Betty, we’ve all been scorched by the flames of a fiery hell. We have to move on and beyond that. There can’t be all of this baggage from the past.  By the way, I read your last book, Outside of Heaven. It was great. I was rather touched. Drive safely."

With that said, he headed for the back door. She watched him until he was out of sight, before she slowly drove off.

The next weekend, Shane Simba bought another home in Mombasa. One free of memories of Catherine. His home on State House Road was painful for him but he had bowed to Staci’s love of the place and kept it.

"Daddy, let’s get a new place in Mombasa," she had asked.

"Want to help me pick it out, Staci?"

"Yeeeees!"

    Monica Margay Cougar, Carson’s realtor wife, had shown them several until Staci had loved a particular house with a thatched roof, surrounded by palms with a pool. Staci was delighted with it. Shane closed on it the following Monday. Shane Simba was a long way from confronting the ghost of his beloved wife.

Shane and his daughter, Staci, in front of their newly purchased beach house in Mombasa.....

Alexander Simba dialed Caroline Cheetah in her office at the arts center. He had a spat with his wife, Lucy, the night before and she had gone, as was her habit, to her parent’s home to spend the night. He was fed up with this childish behavior and filled with desire for the sexy, long limbed cheetah. She asked him to meet her at her apartment that evening after work. He did. It was glorious and sexy to the max. After an erotic session, they lay in her bed with the ceiling fan turning slowly over them. They lit cigarettes.

"I saw Shane at the sporting club. He looked like he had seen a ghost and almost ran away from me," she told Alexander.

"You look too damn much like Catherine. He’s not handling her death very well."

"He sends his children to see my mom and dad but he doesn’t join them."

"He’ll have to face the music sooner or later, I suppose," said Alexander, rolling over on top of Caroline.

Their third session was even better.

Cynthia Cheetah ran into Shane Simba during the lunch hour at Fennec’s Fresh Food in the Lewis Lyon Mall.

"Shane, dear. We’re so glad you’re back in the Mara," said Cynthia. "I wish you would come to see us too. Not just send the kids."

"I can’t yet, Cynthia. It’s not that I don’t love you and Dorian. I do but the sight of you is still too painful. You all look so much like....her."

Cynthia realized that he wasn’t able to say her dead daughter’s name. Her heart went out to him.

"Whenever you can manage, please come see us. Dorian and I both love you, Shane."

"Thank you. Same here. Please give Dorian my love, Cyn."

Bernard Cougar retired from the vice presidency of Kenya. He wanted to be able to travel with his wife, Sylvia. He also wanted to take advantage of his boat in Mombasa.  Bernard loved to fish with his wife, Sylvia at his side.  He accepted the post of Wandering Ambassador For Kenya. Ralph hated to see his old friend go but knew he would remain in the Masai Mara and still be his dearest friend, continuing to fill a valuable role in his government. He set aside a good office for Bernard  to conduct his ambassadorial duties.  He called Shane Simba to his office. I was present.

"Shane, Berns is retiring from the vice presidency. He wants some leisure time to travel with his wife and do some fishing in Mombasa.  Will you accept the post of Vice President of Kenya?" asked Ralph.

 The young lion stood stark still for a few moments. I suppose he was absorbing the shock of what had just been said.

"Sir, are you sure I’m the right one for this post?"

"None other would do, Shane. I hope you will accept. I will let your deputy minister carry on until I select a new minister for  your former post."

"I accept, Sir. And thank you."

The house boy brought in a tray with a bottle of unopened Chivas Regal and four glasses. We all toasted the new Vice President of Kenya. Bernard Cougar joined us.