"Shane, I’ve been so hoping you would come to Nairobi again. I’m so sorry about your wife."

It was Maggie Gordon. She looked fresh and appealing as she took a seat on the stool next to his.

"How have you been, Maggie? It’s been quite a while since I saw you last."

"Just the same, Shane. The neighboring farmer still wants to court me but I just think of you and continue to resist him."

She leaned in closer. He finished his drink and ordered another. She chatted with him about her children and his loss. Her long, red hair was falling across his arm, she was leaning so close to him. He began to stroke her leg. She inched nearer.

"Please come to my place tonight, Shane. I have missed you so terribly."

Suddenly he ceased caressing her and lit a cigarette. He finished his drink and stood up.

"Maggie, it’s been great to see you. I hope everything goes well for  you and your children. You might want to reconsider that farmer. It’s a lonely world out there."

He paid for the drinks, said goodbye and made his way toward the exit, his Masai guards following. Maggie watched him, his wide shoulders above the crowd, until he was lost from her sight.

Shane runs into old flame, Maggie Gordon.......

"I’m not doing well residing with another," announced Bertram Baboon, crunching a celery stick.

We were in the Watering Hole Pub for lunch. The racket was considerable. One could barely hear over the clatter of glassware, cutlery and dishes.

"You mean you don’t want Chad Cheetah to live with you any longer?" I asked him, just as a waiter set my second Bloody Mary too roughly on the table, staining the cloth and barely missing my recently purchased trousers.

"I’m just too old to change my ways and induct another into my home routine. This place is becoming most annoying. I think we should stick to OKAPIS in the future."

"What’s wrong with Chad?"

"He’s a young whipper snapper and I am anything but."

"Can’t he change the things you don’t like, Bertram?"

"They never do. Are you in agreement about changing our venue for lunch?"

"Yes, completely. I just wanted to give some business to Wally and Juanita (Warthog)."

"Oh dear God, Maurice. They’re as rich as Croesus by now."

Chris Simba ran into his ex-wife, Christine Cheetah, in Lyon Towers. She was going to Micah Mbubé’s apartment for dinner and activities of a sexual nature. She looked very beautiful. He stopped to speak with her.

"Chrissie, you look wonderful. How have you been?"

"Just marvelous. I took Catherine’s job at the arts center and have a new love."

"Who?"

"An actor. You probably don’t know him. He’s very delectable."

"Is it that Mbubé chap that makes movies for Roy Lee?"

"One and the same. Ciao, Chris. I’m late."

She flounced into the elevator, giving him a last wave before the doors closed.

Betty was sitting on the beach with Staci Simba. Shane and Ashley Lon were wind sailing.

"Betty, are you in love with Daddy?"

Betty was at a loss for words. She tried to hastily construct something salable.

"Staci, your dad and I are great friends these days. I like to think I’m helping him get past your mom’s death in some small way."

The young cub said nothing but gave her a very wise and all knowing look. Betty realized that Staci Simba wasn’t buying any part of the bullshit just told to her.

Sam Simba was at the bar in the Watering Hole Pub. Standing just next was Caroline Cheetah.

"I can’t believe you haven’t hooked up with someone by now, Caroline."

"Oh, I have, Sam. But he’s married. That’s always so unfortunate. Actually, it’s your half-brother, Alex."

"His wife is pregnant."

"I know. That’s the only reason he can get out and about and be with me sometimes. Thank goodness for small favors."

"Why would you want a married male whose wife is pregnant, Caroline?"

"Alex is very good in bed. I suppose all you Simbas are.  I’ve had you and you’re a great partner. The one I haven’t managed is Shane. But then there’s always tomorrow."

"Have you tried Chris?"

Sam’s voice was rife with disdain and sarcasm.

"I don’t believe I have. He’s too recently divorced from my sister, Christine."

"He’s over all that now. You might give him a call."

Sam paid the bartender and without another word, left the pub.

    He went from the pub to his Mara River home. Allison Scar, the nanny,  was just putting his cub, Jason, to bed. He gave both sons a goodnight kiss and followed Allison to the kitchen. Joshua’s nanny was off for the evening.

"You seem down, Sam."

"I just came from the Watering Hole Pub and all of the desperate single females that hang out there. They’re depressing, Ali."

"All single females don’t hang out at bars, Sam. My friends and I have full lives."

"You have a male friend, Ali. You’ve told me about him."

"We broke up. But that still doesn’t mean I will hang around bars on my off time. My female friends and I have other things we do. We see all of your brother’s films, for instance."

Sam moved closer to the young nanny. He put a paw on her shoulder.

"Too bad, I can’t meet someone like you, Ali."

"You have met me, Sam. I’m with you this minute, in your home."

"I would never take advantage of an employee."

"And if the employee doesn’t consider a personal relationship ‘taking advantage’, then what?"

He kissed her for a long time, she returning it with real feeling. Sam removed her apron.

"Let’s go to your room, Sam. Joshua may get up and come to the kitchen."

 Behind the  locked door of Sam's room, they removed each other’s clothes, garment by garment, relishing the act. When they finally came together in Sam’s bed, they both wondered what had taken them so long to reach this point.

Sam and Ali Scar finally get together....

Lucy Cougar Simba decided to live in her parent’s home for a while. Alexander wasn’t the most patient sort these days. Lucy, with her cervix sutured temporarily to prevent miscarriage, was fretful and cross. She had taken a sabbatical from the Masai Mara Daily, which Bob Bushbuck had graciously allowed her. Now she was home all day, having to take it easy. By the time Alex returned from work in the evening, her mood had deteriorated. He was leaving the house more often, staying for hours at a time.

    Sylvia Cougar took her youngest daughter to their home on Leoparde Drive. She made Lucy comfortable in her childhood room. She didn’t ask too many questions, realizing that when Lucy chose to, she would speak of her problems with her second husband.

Sam walked down stairs to his brother’s suite in the State House. He was feeling relaxed and happy these days. Allison Scar was turning out to be the female of his long held dreams. Shane’s secretary directed Sam to his inner office. Shane looked up when he came in.

"Shane, this weekend you can get Josh and Jason and let them spend time with Betty."

Shane got up and came from behind his desk.

"What brings about this change of heart, Sam? This is very decent of you."

"I am in love with a wonderful female that made this suggestion to me."

"She must be special, Sam."

"She is, very. You can pick the boys up Friday night. They’ll be ready."

"Thank you, Sam. Thank you for this."

Betty was already in Mombasa. Shane was to follow her later. She had driven her car with Staci, Miss B, Sean and Arlon Lyon as passengers. Shane had said he had business to attend to before he could join them.

    When they pulled in her beach drive, the cubs piled out. She had bought them  new video games, including some the younger Sean would enjoy. Miss B fixed supper for the cubs and they ate before going to the den where a large television set resided in the corner. Betty had gotten another drink and taken it to her patio. There was a full moon, added to the relaxing sound of the waves gently lapping on the sand. Betty lit a cigarette and lay back in a chaise lounge. She felt content and totally happy. She heard the smooth purr of Shane’s Mercedes in her drive. Her body tensed with excitement.  She always felt  exhilarated at the thought of seeing him. Joshua came bounding around the corner and pounced on her, licking her face all over. He was followed by Shane and the lioness nanny that had once worked for her. Jason toddled after the nanny. Betty clutched both her sons to her.

"How did you manage this, Shane?" she asked, through excited tears. 

"I had nothing to do with it. It was Sam’s idea. He told me to come pick them up. It seems he has a new female friend that doesn’t approve of him keeping you from your kids," explained Shane.

"It’s the other nanny, Ali Scar. They got something going on big time," announced the nanny lioness. "Wouldn’t surprise me none if they tied the knot."

    Later, when Arlon, Staci, Sean and Joshua were playing video games and young Jason was tucked in his bed, Betty and Shane went to the patio.

"Shane, I am so happy tonight it almost scares me."

"That’s that old chimpanzee, Gombe voodoo resurfacing, Fifi.  The gods aren't going to frown on you.  Relax, you deserve to be happy."’

"I just want you to be happy too, someday," she said, reaching for a kiss. "And your children."

"I’m getting better every day, and my kids seem to be also. I owe my improvements to you."