On a night that held a mere sliver of new moon, Jane felt the first pangs of labor.  She rang the intercom that Luke had placed on her night table for this very occasion.  He came quickly to her bedside, sitting and putting his paw on her pregnant stomach. 

“Is it time, Janie?”

“Yes, I think so,” she said, placing a paw over his. “The lionesses in my pride have a quick labor.”

“I’ll call the midwives, Janie.  Stay calm.”

However, Luke was the one that was rattled.  Even though these weren’t his cubs, he still loved his dear friend and wife and wanted her to have an easy time of this birth. 

            The midwives arrived just before midnight.  True to her heritage, Jane gave birth to two lion cubs an hour and a half later.  They were both healthy being a male and female.  They mewed as they were laid on their mother’s stomach.  Luke went in the room and sat with Jane for a while before finding the cell phone she used with Shane Simba on her dresser.  He went to the veranda where the night birds and animals called out in the bush.  He dialed the number Jane had listed as SS.  As a matter of fact, it was the only number she had stored.  Jane had told him of Shane buying these phones to be used only by the two of them.  As Luke expected, Shane answered after a few rings.

“Your cubs have been born.  You are welcome to come and see them.  Their mother probably wants you too.”

Shane didn’t answer.  He closed the cell phone which rested in his jacket pocket at all times.  It was in the early hours of morning, still dark.  The Masai had not even begun their morning chants.  

“What is it, Shane?” asked Betty who had been awakened by the sound of the cell phone which had an odd ring tone.  

“There’s a problem.  I have to go out for a bit.  I’ll return shortly, Fifi.  Go back to sleep.”

Betty was flabbergasted.  She didn’t have a clue as to what he was talking about. 

She knew nothing of a cell phone that awakened her president husband to troubles in his country.  She fell back on her pillow as he left the room and failed to find sleep again.  She would have been even more mind boggled if she had seen him sneak out, taking the gardener’s truck from the utility garage and drive off. 

            Luke was on the veranda as Shane drove down the long winding gravel path to his house.  He had a cup off coffee and was smoking a cigarette.  He was amused at the commonplace means of transportation that disgorged the President of Kenya.  Luke stood to greet him and show him to the room where his lover rested with his children. 

“I owe you one, Luke.  I thank you for this.”

“I’m going to remember the favor, Mr. President.”

He led Shane down the paneled hall to Jane’s room.  He didn’t enter with him but closed the door and returned to the porch where he watched the sun rise over the savanna.  What a strange life, he reflected as he lit another cigarette. 

            The following Sunday, the President and First Lady of Kenya were in the First Church of the Ascending Predator when Jane and Luke Leoparde stepped to the altar to have their cubs baptized.  Shane had no idea that Jane and her new husband would be christening his children so soon.  He and Jane had never discussed names for their cubs. He felt a deep flush under his skin as the couple reached the altar, each holding a cub.  Shane trembled slightly at the thought that he should be standing there in place of Luke. 

“What shall the male child be called?” asked the Reverend Saul Serval. 

“Andrew,” said his mother. 

“And the female?” inquired the minister.

“Catherine,” replied Luke Leoparde in a strong and very clear voice. 

Shane Simba felt so faint he leaned his head against the pew in front of him.  Betty placed a slim hand on his shoulder. 

“Darling, are you all right?” she whispered. 

“I’m not at all sure,” was his breathless answer. 

The final shocker, almost sucking the breath out of the President of Kenya, was the naming of the god parents.  For Andrew, it was Leland Leoparde and Ashley Lyon - not a surprise to anyone.  For the infant Catherine, it was Caitlin Cougar and Glinda Gorilla.  Upon return to the presidential mansion, Shane Simba retired to his bed for the rest of the day and night, citing stomach pains. 

            Jane walked to the office of her boss, Bob Bushbuck, who congratulated her on her new cubs and welcomed her return to the Masai Mara Daily. 

“Jane, I have a story for you to do, at my special request.  I know this is not your usual fodder, but Shane Simba’s daughter, Staci, is such an unusual and worthwhile young female, I would like you to do an article about her plans since her graduation.  Do you mind taking this ‘fluffy’ little assignment?”

“No, I’ll hop to it, Bob.  My husband is teaching her to fly so she can pilot the AIDS team.”

“Oh how exciting.  And thank you so much, Jane.”

            Roy Lee Simba picked up his wife, Janice Jaguar, their three new cubs, and took them lock stock and barrel to England where he would film his latest epic Arthur.  England would be lovely in the summer season.  He rented a large estate near Gloucester where he would be filming exterior scenes.  Their daughters, Leah and Stella Lyon had given them a going away party held at Stella and Daniel Lyon’s lovely home in the Lyon pride compound.  The morning of the party, Ashley Lyon had grabbed Leah as she was going to the kitchen for coffee. 

“Leely, I remember….our wedding, our kids – the whole kit and caboodle,” he shouted, kissing her all over her face and body.

She threw her arms around him, kissing him back. 

“Oh, Ash…oh that’s so wonderful.  I love you sooo much,” she squealed as he placed a kiss on a particularly sensitive spot. 

He picked her up and placed her back in their bed. 

“I was going to ask you to marry me again, Leely, if I hadn’t gotten my memory back,” he laughed. 

“And I was going to accept again.”

Ashley Lyon regains his lost  memory......

            Georgy Simba sat on the sofa taking in a fierce argument being staged by her father, Sloane, and his returned paramour, Caroline Cheetah.  They were in Sloane’s bush house.  Caroline’s son, Sonny, was napping in another room.  Sloane and Caroline battled frequently.  It was a trademark of their volatile relationship.  It ended with Caroline waking her son and leaving with him.  Sloane got a beer and sat by his daughter. 

“Sorry you had to see that, Georgy.”

“You and Caroline fight all the time, Daddy.  It’s nothing new to me.”

Sloane looked at his precocious and adorable daughter.  He gave her a kiss on her very sweet cheek. 

“Could you be getting too big for your pantaloons, my little girl?” he teased. 

“I have to keep you in line, my precious daddykins,” was her answer. 

Georgy Simba at her father's bush home...

            Shane Simba had received two striking blows to his male ego from the two main females in his life.  On the afternoon of the baptismal, Shane had taken to his bed from the shock of seeing his children named by others and his new daughter given a god mother of disreputable proportions.  Seeing him in bed in their darkened room, the shades all drawn, Betty had spoken uncharacteristically to her husband.

“Shane, what is wrong with you now?  You remind me of those aging Southern belles in novels who go to bed in a state of dishabille and vapors.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Betty?” he asked, jumping from the bed and pulling on his trousers. 

“Shane, darling, I know you have been nervous and ill lately but don’t you think a bit of light in this room would help immensely?”

            On finally seeing Jane, who met him at his pride territory, he drilled her as to why she had been silent on the cell phone he had given her for purposes of their secret communication. 

“Shane, new cubs take a great deal of my time.  I’m not as free as I was once.  I’ve also gone back to the Daily.   Bob has allowed me to take them in my office while I work.”

“What were those names about, Janie?  Why Andrew and Catherine and, yikes – Glinda Gorilla as godmother?”

She sat down and pulled him with her. 

“Shane, let me catch my breath before I answer your questions….a breather, please,” she laughed, kissing his face and lips. 

“I’m sorry, Janie, I have not been at all myself recently.”

“Andrew is a name I have always loved.  My favorite brother, who ran away from the pride ages ago, is  named that.  Catherine is for your late wife.”

Shane’s face registered total astonishment.  “My Cathy?”

“That was the only thing I could afford to do so as not to link them to you totally.  I don’t want them to be perceived as the President’s bastards.  As for Glinda, she warned me and even tore up some photographs taken of us instead of using them.  She’s a friend.”

“I want them known as mine…..they are my children,” he roared.

“Listen to you, Shane!  Hear what you are saying!  This is not all about you.  These are two cubs that belong to me also.  They need their own identities. I know you loved Catherine; it has come out in all you’ve said of her.  I wanted to honor you and her by this gesture.”

“Why not name the girl Betty?”

“Because, in reality, you don’t love Betty.   The difference in your voice when you speak of your two wives is like diamonds and bottle caps.” 

“When can I see them again?”

“Luke has said you can come anytime to see them.  I have an assignment from Bob Bushbuck to get an interview with Staci.  He wants me to do it.  Why don’t you bring her to the interview?  I’ll put the request on your desk today and you can speak with her.”

Shane sighed heavily, leaning his head against the trunk of the fever tree.  He lit a cigarette. 

“Staci is a sharp girl.  She may sense something between us.”

“Somehow I don’t think she will get the picture.  Anyway, Luke is her flying teacher.  He can be there too.  She knows that I cover you as a reporter.  It seems to me a natural setting.”

            Luke Leoparde almost spilled the pitcher of martinis he was carrying across the floor. 

“Janie, this idea is a bit of foolery if I ever saw one,” he protested. 

“Luke, it will be just fine.  You will see.  Have we got Scotch for Shane?”

“There will be so much pent up emotion in this room the flick of a cigarette lighter will blow it to hell.  Yes, there’s Scotch for big daddy.”

“Shane and I are used to containing ours,” she giggled. 

“Jane, I haven’t told you yet, but I have fallen in love with Staci.”

“Oh, Luke, that’s wonderful.  Anytime you want us to part so you can marry her, you know we can.”

“Janie, she doesn’t even know.  That bastard won’t let me anywhere near his daughter, I am sure.  I will have to have one of those unrequited type thingies.  We are quite the pair, aren’t we?”

“We are indeed.  The real irony is that you are in charge of his other daughter, Catherine.”

Their banter was interrupted by the sound of tires on the drive outside.  The door was opened by two Masai guards and Shane Simba stepped out of the Rolls with his daughter, Staci.  Jane and Luke came to the front door in greeting. 

“Mr. President, welcome to our home,” they said, almost in unison. 

            Drinks were served, Scotch for Shane, martinis for Luke and Jane with a glass of white wine for Staci.  They chatted pleasantly until Jane suggested she repair to the library with Staci to hold her interview.  When Staci and Jane had cleared the room, Luke led Shane to the nursery and left him alone with his children. 

            Shane had returned to the living room when Staci and Jane arrived, having completed their interview. 

“Can I see your new babies?” asked Staci. 

Luke and Jane brought them out and put them in a playpen. 

“How adorable,” cooed Staci, who genuinely loved the very young.  “They look like full lions.”

“My wife’s genes obviously ran riot over mine,” laughed Luke. 

“That happens.  Look at me.  My face is my mother’s,” giggled Staci.  “What are their names?”

“Andrew and Catherine,” answered Jane. 

“Catherine was my mother’s name.  I think it’s such a beautiful one,” sighed Staci. 

“I’ve always thought so too,” said Jane, placing her arm about the shoulders of her lover’s oldest daughter. 

Shane stood abruptly. 

“We must get back to the State House, I have a meeting.  This has been a lovely time in your home.  Your children are beautiful.  Thanks for letting us see them.”

Then they were off in a cloud of dust.