Shane looked as if he had swallowed the canary as he walked in my office. 

“Maury, it’s Betty’s birthday next week and I want to surprise her with a party.  Can you help me with the details?”

“Certainly, I will.  Did you want formal or light – or possibly a simple medium?” I laughed

“We have to do so much formal, I am damn sick of it.  If I could only keep her away from the bush house long enough, we could have it there,” he pondered.   

“Why don’t you have it at your pride’s resort in Mombasa?  Betty seems strong enough to go there now.”

“That’s a great idea, Maurice.  Will you help me with the details?  I’m not much of party giver.  I can sure as hell attend one and make an ass out of myself, but as for giving a good one – it would probably lack something important,” he laughed. 

“I will start making plans.  Do you have your sister, Tookie’s office number?”

“Yes, I’ll give it to you now.”

            When I got Tookie Simba on the phone she assured me that she would manage the details, book the Mombasa Simba Resort’s main banquet room and reserve a suite of rooms for Betty and Shane to lessen the stress on the pregnant Betty.  All Shane’s sister needed was the guest list.  I hopped right on that task. 

Tookie Simba, wife of a human yacht captain and pregnant.....

            Betty got her first sonogram at the Exotic Animal Clinic.  Much to her delight, the cub was growing like a weed inside her.  She returned to the State House and gave her husband the good news.  He hugged her and told her to go home and take her prescribed nap. 

“Do you know how much progress you’ve made since we got the fact of your brother’s death through hypnosis?” asked Lachlan. 

He was in Shane’s headquarters.  He had finished his lunch but refused the dessert on the basis that he was gaining weight from his lunch sessions in the president’s office.  They’re just too delicious, Lachlan had told him. 

“I feel very different these days, Lachlan and I owe it to you,” smiled Shane.

“I think you are actually glad that Betty is pregnant.  You seem like a different lion these days.  I’m quite proud of you, Shane.  Do ever think of other females?”

“No, I honestly don’t.”

“That’s amazing.”

“All thanks to you and my wife.”

“What are you planning to name your coming son?”

“Betty and I don’t want to jinx her pregnancy by naming him ahead of time.  I plan to leave it up to her though.  She deserves a bit of her family ties in the name.  All of her other sons are named for Simbas and Lyons.”

“I’m sure she will appreciate that.”

            When Sam Simba came on Friday evening to pick up his sons, Joshua and Jason who now lived with their mother and Shane, Betty invited him to stay for a drink.  He accepted and Betty asked the houseboy for Scotch for Sam and Perrier water for her. 

“You seem sort of down, Sam.  Don’t forget we were married and I know a bit about your moods,” she giggled. 

“Ali and I are not doing well, Betty.  Her pride stays with us most of the time.  We can’t afford to divorce because we have so many kids.”

“I’m truly sorry, Sam.  Can’t you two compromise about her pride members?”

“It’s all or nothing at all where Allison’s pride is concerned.  She won’t compromise a bit.  We are very cold toward each other these days.”

“Oh that’s terrible, Sam.  You need some sort of comfort when you come home from a hard day at your office.”

“I have comfort…..” his voice trailed off. 

“I hope so, Sam.”

“I’m having an affair, Betty.  It’s with Frank Tigeres daughter, Tawny.  She works for me and is absolutely wonderful.”

“I’m glad you have her, Sam.  I really am.”

            Joshua and Jason came bounding in and greeted their father effusively.  Sam got up and took Betty’s hand. 

“Thanks for letting me get this off my chest, Betty.  I needed that.”

“Anytime, Sam.”

She kissed her sons goodbye and watched as they entered the elevator with their dad.

“What the hell is wrong with her now, Leely?” shouted Ashley Lyon as he came downstairs to hear his daughter, Imani, wailing in fury and frustration.

“This dress is ugly, Mom,” screeched Imani, who was trying on one of the dresses designed for her by her grandmother, Janice, for the debutante balls. “I haaate it.”

“Ash, she’s upset over her dress.  Here Imani, we can get Grandma Janice to give it a nip and tuck and it will be just gorgeous.  You look lovely in it.”

“I hate these spots all over my body.  You don’t have any, Mom.  Neither does Dad.  I hate having them,” screeched Imani, growing more grating by the second. 

“They are like your beautiful grandmother, Imani.   Kitty has leopard spots.  Spots are beautiful,” insisted Leah. 

Imani’s answer was to ascend the stairs mourning in an even more lamentable approach with loud cries following her to her room and slammed door.

“She needs a shrink, Leely,” suggested Ashley. 

“Ash, she’s just a teenager and that is an awkward time in a female’s life,” insisted her mother. 

“Kitty is not that way and she’s a teenager.”

“Don’t make comparisons, Ash.  They are odious,” said Leah and then softened her approach.  “Let’s go to our room and have our supper there.  We can watch television in front of the fire and do some of the things we like to do.”

She stood up and began to caress him. 

“That is a wonderful idea, Leely.” 

In the renovation and enlargement of their home on Leoparde Drive, they had added a third floor boudoir for them which was stunning and cozy. 

            Down the street, Staci Simba was spending the night with her best friend and cousin, Lee Simba.  Janice had brought Lee’s debutante dresses home from JAGGERS and she was trying them on in her room with Staci playing critic. 

“I wish I didn’t have these leopard spots.  You are lucky, Staci, you got your dad’s body color.  I wish I had gotten Dad’s instead of Mom’s.  These spots are so ugly with clothes.”

“There are always trade offs, Lee.  You got the big boobs.  I’m flat chested,” giggled Staci. 

About that time, Janice stuck her head in the door. 

“Do you girl’s mind if Imani spends the night?  She is very upset,” inquired Imani’s very kind maternal grandmother. 

Imani Lyon was getting quite a reputation with Lee, her aunt and Staci, her cousin.  However, they were caring youngsters so they consented, both adoring Leah and Ashley.  So Imani, cheered greatly, was escorted down the street by one of the Lyon’s maids.  Roy Lee showed one of his movies in the screening room and the evening became a delight. 

            Shane Simba and his pregnant wife, Betty, headed for Mombasa in a light aircraft flown by Ashley Lyon.  Their children were to arrive later.  It was the day before Betty’s birthday and Shane had suggested a stay at the Mombasa Simba Resort in one of their best suites.  Ashley, unknown to Betty was to remain for her surprise party the following evening.  They took a limousine to drive to a place Shane wanted to ‘show’ Betty.  When they drove to the exact spot, there within group of trees was a magnificent home with a swimming perched on a small bluff on the Indian Ocean. 

“What a beautiful home, Shane.  Whose is it, darling?” asked Betty as he helped her from the car. 

“Happy Birthday, Fifi, it’s all yours – ours actually.  I thought we needed a place of own free from memories of other lives.”

“Oh my God, Shane, it’s the most beautiful house in the world.”

As they took a tour of the splendid home with panoramic views of the ocean from all rooms, Betty thrilled to her gift. 

Above: Shane shows Betty around the new beach home.  Below:  The new beach house, gift to Betty from Shane. 

            They spent an idyllic night in the presidential suite of the Mombasa Simba Resort hotel, eating a leisurely breakfast and reading the newspapers in bed.  That evening, Shane told Betty they were going to dinner in the main dining room.  They dressed but before they left the room, he presented a jewelry box which held a platinum and diamond bracelet of great beauty..  Engraved within the band was:  All my love for life.  Shane.  Betty felt she would burst from happiness.  As they left the elevator, Shane led Betty to the main ballroom.  The lights were out but suddenly lit up with great cries of happy birthday shouted by a host of guests. 

Leah annd Ashley Lyon at Betty's birthday bash......

Lee Simba cuts a rug at Betty's party......

            Two who spent a relaxing weekend in Mombasa, invited to Betty’s birthday bash, were Sloane Simba and Caroline Cheetah.  Caroline had left little Shane, Jr., with his nanny in the Mara so the couple could have a cub free and romantic time at the beach.  The weather blessed the entire weekend, leaving Sloane and Caroline free for moonlight walks on the beach and hours in the sun on his patio. 

            Bertram Baboon, Harold Lion (Lachlan’s childhood friend and Bertram’s current squeeze), Lachlan and I spent the weekend between our two homes in Mombasa.  We lured Bertram and Harold onto Lachlan’s very eclectic pearl diving alias fishing boat.  Bertram was far from impressed.  He managed to suppress as many yawns as possible out of politeness, I’m sure.  Harold, having been a long time friend of Lachlan’s jumped right into the process and caught a couple of good sized sea bass for grilling.  I couldn’t resist flaunting my new found angling skills before Bertram.  He seemed even less awed then he had with the general process.  One thing could be said about the talented baboon director, he knew who he was and the talents he was imbued with and took no heed to those he lacked.  Lachlan and I dressed the fish and kept them for the morrow’s lunch.  That night we attended Betty’s birthday bash and had a rousing time of it.   

            A week later, Betty was lying in the dark of her bedroom at the mansion, listening to the soft sounds of her husband in sleep.  She suddenly felt a quickening in her lower abdomen.  She held both hands there for a while and realized that her cub was moving and she could feel it for the first time.  She shook Shane awake. 

“Darling, your son is moving,” she said, gently placing his paw on her belly. 

Shane leaned toward her, propping his head on an arm.  He continued to feel her stomach as it moved. 

“He’s our son, Fifi and you should be accustomed to this movement since you have had three cubs before this.”

“But this one is yours, Shane.  He is very special to me.”

He gave her a kiss and continued to stroke her stomach.  Soon he fell again into a deep sleep.

            Trey Timbo sat with his legs on the coffee table in Chloe Cougar’s penthouse where he now lived.  He was home after a long safari flight into Botswana.  He was relaxing with a stack of Captain Marvel comic books and a beer.  Chloe came home, slamming the door, after an afternoon of browbeating Roy Lee Simba at the studio.  She wanted a new musical comedy role and there were none.  Gloria Chimpo was directing a small, low budget film that she had written the script for.  It starred Bop Boon and newcomer, Amy Chui.  Roy Lee informed his ex-wife that the Baboon-Simba’s next film would be a drama after he has completed his stage role in the arts center.  Chloe was frustrated and furious.  She felt she had no more clout there since her divorce from half-owner, Roy Lee.  She took the entire unfortunate day, where she had even had a scrap with Bop Boon, out on Trey.  She pushed his feet from her coffee table and sat down, lighting a cigarette. 

“Where is that stack of fan magazines I gave you so you could mark my articles for me?” snarled Chloe.

“Chloe, Captain Marvel is on a new adventure.  This is the latest comic book.  I’m reading it right now.”

“Screw Captain Marvel.  My fan magazine articles are more important, Trey.”

“Captain Marvel is a hell of a lot more important than your shit, Chloe.”

“If you aren’t going to do what I tell you, then you’ll have to leave my apartment,” she growled. 

“Fine, I’ll go now.”

            He got up and began to gather his belongings which weren’t many.  He was glad of this opportunity to leave the home of the autocratic Chloe and her incessant demands on him both sexually and otherwise.  He had vacated the premise in less than an hour and a half, returning to his bungalow in the safari club compound.  As soon as Trey had cleared her turf, Chloe phoned Sloane Simba. 

“Yes, Chloe,” he answered in a bored tone having caller ID. 

“Why don’t you come here anymore, Sloane?” whined Chloe.

“I am engaged in a live-in situation at the moment which may culminate in marriage.  I am not on the market for the time being.”

“Who is she?  That damn Caroline Cheetah?” growled Chloe. 

“I am not going to discuss with you the merits of Caroline, but yes, that’s who I am living with quite contentedly, I might add.”

Chloe slammed the phone down.  She decided the best course of action when feeling this blue was to go to RUNNERS and a session with Gerald Giraffe.  As she entered RUNNERS and spotted Gerald, he turned on the treadmill. 

“Get your ass on here, Princess and then it will be thirty minutes on the Nordic Track,” chortled Gerald.