"You are going to be a good pilot, Sloane. You have a real knack for flight. We could use you if you have no other plans for employment," said Ashley.

It was a lovely, cloud free day despite the rainy season and the Great Rift Valley lay like a gleaming jewel below them.

"I would love that, Ash. I was going to beg to be a part of your safari team if you hadn’t asked," chuckled Sloane who was feeling oh so much better knowing he had resigned from his ministerial post.

"We need animals like you, Sloane. We are a booming business and always short of talented pilots and safari directors it seems."

"You’ve got me if you want me. This is what I intended when I left the ministry - a whole new way of life."

"Do you mind if I ask what prompted your departure from the State House?" asked Ashley.

"Well, it was just that......"

"I know I am Shane’s son-in-law now but I will keep anything you say to myself."

"It’s just that Sean got my daughter pregnant and Shane was too cavalier about it. I doubt he would have been that way if had been his daughter instead of his son."

Ashley put back his head and roared with laughter.

"I hope you didn’t give up your ministry for that reason," choked Ashley. "I got Shane Simba’s daughter pregnant and he didn’t give me hell for it. He just gave us his blessings to get married which we did."

"I think you can give Alexandra credit for fending that one off, Ash. Shane was pretty bent about it at the time."

"No matter, Staci is the apple of his eye and I had my way with her. Since we are on some rather personal subjects, my ex-wife Lucy thinks the world of you. She is a wonderful female. I just didn’t love her enough. But she’s great nevertheless."

"Lucy is wonderful. She has meant the world to me and my daughter, Georgy."

Sloane landed the plane with little effort eliciting further praise from his instructor. They taxied to the hangar where Sloan was invited to have a beer with Ashley and Luke Leoparde who had just landed shortly before.

Sloane Simba (left) during a flight lesson with seasoned pilot Ashley Lyon (right)......

    Lachlan’s face darkened when I told him of seeing Betty and her former stepson in Margaux’s where she appeared to be almost canoodling with Sean Simba.

"Betty has a wonderful male at last and if she fucks it up, I will wash my hands of seeing her again as a patient," he said, patting me on the back and following me to our back porch for our after work libation.

Heavy clouds were rolling in from the savanna with thunder sounding in the distance. Lightening rent the sky beyond the fever trees. We were in the middle of our rainy season.

"I do hope she won’t, Lachlan. I know you like Jack Tarzan as much as I do," I agreed.

Lachlan remained in deep thought for a time. Finally the inclement weather drove us inside where we made a fire to ward of the chill of the heavy rain. He remained subdued and rather saddened prompting me to wish I hadn’t shared that information about Betty with him.

Junior Lyon and his wife, Sylly Cougar Lyon....

  Junior Lyon and his doctor wife, Sylly Cougar Lyon, had made an early return to the Mara from their trip to America to glean further information regarding the football team Junior was to head. The couple had been slated to stay longer. They had been welcomed by several head coaches of important pro football teams in the U.S.

"Sylly, why don’t we return to the Mara for Christmas at least?" Junior had asked his wife one night on their Boston leg of the journey.

"That would be good, Junior, this a time we need to be with our families," she had agreed heartily.

    Now Junior was standing with his brother Charley Lyon in the locker room of the All Star Soccer Team in the Mara. Junior spotted Sean Simba come in. He looked a bit haggard and upon their greeting, Junior smelled liquor on the young chap’s breath. He decided against letting this issue drag.

"Sean, there will be no heavy drinking during training. I think you already know this. You are a remarkable athlete but if you do this when we get the football team started in its training, you will be fired. You are taking a big salary to be on the team. Don’t take this lightly, please."

"No sir," mumbled Sean and hastily made his way toward his locker.

    Sean Simba’s mind was on athletics and other things. He had thoroughly enjoyed his frolic with Betty and intended on setting up another. For the moment, however, he needed to get the ever vigilant Junior Lyon off his back. Sean played a splendid game of soccer that evening, winning an amazing number of goals. He was the hero of the night with the crowd going wild as the Masai Mara All Stars ran rampant over the European team they were playing.

Sean Simba in the locker room of the All Stars soccer team....

     Jane Leoparde, the lioness reporter who managed the Masai Mara Daily, looked in displeasure at the pictures that Glenda Gorilla had presented. She was seeking Jane's approval for their inclusion in her daily gossip column.

"My God, that’s Betty Tarzan with Shane Simba’s son. You can’t print that. It will be too hurtful to Jack. I know you like Jack too, Glenda."

"Yes and that’s why I wanted to ask you about them. Roscoe got them the other day from a vantage point where he can see Sean Simba’s house," explained Glenda.

"Let’s put them on ice for the time being. I will try to speak with Betty about this. I wonder what this thing is about, Glenda. He’s her former stepson."

     Imani Lyon and Georgy Simba were bound to let competition get the better of them sooner or later. Two young female animals, both modeling for JAGGERS with all the competitiveness that field entails, were bound to have a falling out. It resulted in Georgy finding her own apartment. Georgy was making money out the kazoo with lucrative advertisement deals. She decided to treat herself to one of Lewis Lyon’s new penthouse apartments which graced his Lyon Manor complex. Her dad approved and was the first invited to dinner when she moved in. Lucy Cougar accompanied Sloane when he came to have dinner with his daughter. She was greeted with great affection by Georgy who liked Lucy very much. After all Lucy was Georgy's cousin too.  Georgy's mother, Caitlin Cougar, made a trip to the Mara to help her daughter with the details of furnishing the first real home of her own. Caitlin, Georgy and Lucy made a day of shopping for apartment items and lunching in the mall. 

        Imani Lyon, left, competes with her model cousin, Georgy Simba below.....

    President Shane Simba summoned me to his office on a matter of great importance to him.

"Maury, who do you think would make a good candidate for replacing Sloane as the minister of justice?" he asked as the houseboy arrived with my cup of steaming Earl Grey tea.

"I believe that your brother Sam would make a good one, sir," I replied, stirring my cup with a gold spoon.

"Sam has never been one for high pressure jobs. He likes heading Simba Brothers where his wife is also a lawyer. Give me some more ideas, Maury. I trust your judgement."

"I know that you are a little leery of appointing another member of your pride for fear of public disapproval but you have to admit the Simbas have the toughest reputation for legal work in Kenya, sir."

"You are quite right there, Maury. Kenyans know the Simba pride to be real nasty when it comes to court matters. I wonder about Sloane’s brother, Alexander. He’s running the Simba Garden Center with Sidney at the moment."

"Too weak, I’d say, sir, meaning no offense."

"Not taken as such but you are very right. I believe Aunt Goosey’s son, Dicky might be the ticket. He knows how to keep a low profile and is a damn good lawyer. He’s kept his nose clean personally. What do you think, Maurice?"

"Too bad there are no Leo or Lyon lawyers about except for our Vice President. You will have to rely on your pride, I suppose. The Leos are all into the bookish fields - teachers and professors."

"One day I think that Arlon Lyon will be great as a minister. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders," mused Shane.

"Oh yes indeed, I believe Arlon will be well worth looking into after he has finished his schooling," I agreed.

     Dickey Simba had not expected the call from his half-brother. He had just finished up a long court day for Simba Brothers when the phone rang in his inner office.

"The President is on the line, Dicky," informed his secretary.

Dicky Simba, new minister of justice for Kenya.....

    Betty parked in Sean’s drive way. She was in her older model SUV and wore a raincoat with a hood, hoping to remain anonymous just in case the paparazzi were lurking. He had phoned her that morning and asked her to come before practice. She had grabbed a cup of coffee and fought her inner demons but in the end Shane Simba’s sexy son proved too great a drawing card for the pregnant and married Betty.

    One that wasn’t fooled by Betty’s attempt at going unnoticed was the private detective Shane had hired to check on his son’s intemperate behavior. He snapped some photos of Sean opening the door to his lover. He also checked the plates on the SUV. They came back as owned by Betty Chimpo. When Betty left, with Sean grabbing a kiss and hearty hug, the detective snapped additional photos.

    The Christmas party of note this year is the one thrown by clothing designer Duke at his elaborate new home in the savanna. Though it was raining, the attendees’ mood was gala. The place looked gorgeous, Christmas trees in the library and main drawing room. Lachlan and I were invited. Georgy Simba and Imani Lyon were there and quite drunk in the room away from Imani’s mother, Leah Simba, who looked lovely and was with her squeeze, Lion Lion. Gerald Giraffe was another partygoer who was feeling absolutely no pain. Duke is now a partner in JAGGERS, the first time another animal, other than family, has made inroads into that long established fashion house. Roy Lee and Janice (Jaguar) Simba made a brief appearance before going to another party among the older set.

Duke the couturier in at his Christmas party....

    Lachlan’s faced was wreathed in amazement. I had just gotten home from a hectic day at the State House. He was holding a letter.

"Do you have anything to do with this, Maurice?"

He handed me the letter causing me the same amazement. It read that Lachlan was to receive the honorary Harambee Ribbon awarded to those whose service to Kenya has been invaluable. It was signed by President Shane Simba. 

"I swear that I knew nothing of this, Lachlan. Shane kept this from me."

"There’s to be a ceremony in the garden if the weather is good or inside if not. It will be at the State House next Monday," read the still incredulous Lachlan.

"You deserve every thread of that ribbon, Lach," I assured him.