Dr. Frank Tigeres does a sonogram on Alexandra in the delivery room room as Shane looks on.....

"OH MY GOD," screamed Alexandra Simba at the top of lungs. "This bloody hurts."

The first lady was bathed in perspiration and on a delivery table in the Tigeres-Lyon Clinic. Dr. Frank Tigeres, Dr. Sylly Cougar Lyon and an intern were at her feet. Her husband, Shane Simba, donned in hospital scrubs, was at her head, his hands stroking her sweat soaked hair. She had been brought by special ambulance to the clinic four hours earlier in labor. Being strong and athletic, Alexandra had kicked into the main segment very early and was now about to give birth to the first of her twins.

"You did this to me....I’ll never let you freaking touch me again...EVER," she shrieked to her husband who held her head.

Frank Tigeres winked at Shane. He had heard this before from pain wracked mothers and wives in the delivery room.

"You'll change your mind, young lady, when these little beauties are born and in your arms," soothed Frank.

At ten minutes to twelve midnight, Sacha Simba made his entrance into the world swiftly followed by his sister, Tanya Simba. I was called by Sylly Lyon, as was my co-hort at the State House - Amy Chui. We were needed to keep a throng of maddened reporters at bay.

    Alexandra, long past her fury with Shane at having impregnated her, causing a great wash of intense and long lasting pain, was wheeled to a special suite. There, the couple got a look at their twins. There was almost instant rapture for these gorgeous infants who were human in form, except for small lion ear tips. Both parents sat closely while examining and reveling over their first children together. It was a magical time for the controversial couple. Both had the blue eyes of human offspring with full heads of dark hair. They were quite stunning.

    Meanwhile, Amy and I were having a horrific time holding the news hounds at bay. Paparazzi and reporters had gathered from far and wide as the news got out that the delivery was immanent. This was the first natural pregnancy from a lion father and human mother and the world was ravenous for pictures and news of the event. We were relieved when Frank, Ted Tigeres and Sylly Lyon joined us to give a report on the babies and their health. There was a literal stampede over the Mara and in the clinic parking lots and surrounding areas.

That night, President Shane Simba went on television to address his nation. He told of the birth of his and Alexandra’s children, hailing a new day in human-animal relationships.

"The birth of our twins, as the offspring of a lion father and human mother, bodes well for our country which is the forerunner for a world where humans and animals meet, socialize, wed and work as equals without the stigma of bestiality attached," he told the Kenyans.

    It was left up to Amy and me as to how to get the new mother to the bush house without a thousand paparazzi following like a pack of hounds at a fox hunt. Alexandra, being strong of body, had no lasting after effects from the birth. She was frothing at the bit to get her babies home and start their lives with their parents. She was fully dressed and pacing around the clinic suite when Amy and I told her of a delivery truck behind the clinic kitchen that would - not too luxuriously- transport mother and infants to the presidential bush home undetected. We gave Alexandra a hospital doctor’s jacket to wear. Two nurses carried the babies down the hospital halls to the kitchen. There the group, including Amy and me, piled into the truck. It was a bouncy, very unglamous ride to the bush house, but we, having been assured by the driver that we had made our way undetected by the media, laughed with glee.

When we reached the bush house, gates firmly closed behind us, Miss B. was waiting with two human nurses to receive us. Miss B, a baboon, and Shane and Catherine’s old nanny, was to be very much a part of these children’s upbringing as she had helped raise Staci, Sean, Solly, Tarek and Jalil - Shane’s children born in wedlock.

That same afternoon, having gotten her babies settled, Alexandra rode her favorite mare. She waved to the paparazzi from a distance as she galloped off across the savanna.

"You’re moving in with Caroline and me, Georgy," roared Sloane Simba to his oldest cub. "You have been disgraceful and it has to STOP!"

"Daddy, I will make your life hell with Caroline and you will end up divorced. If I promise to change my ways, will you let me stay with Imani? I just lack a month of being legal age."

Imani Lyon was casting glances at the distraught Sloane as she meandered around the kitchen in the condo her dad had bought for her and she shared with Georgy Simba.

"You will not go out at night sans your undies nor will you get drunk," demanded Sloane.

"We don't get drunk, Daddy. Wally Warthog won't serve us liquor even though Imani can legally drink."

"You look smashed in those photographs, Georgy," insisted Sloane.

But he was easing on the situation. He knew his daughter to be telling the truth when she stated that removing her to his home with Caroline, her son Sunny and their cub, Cindy, would break the fragile peace of his existence with his thorny wife.

"I’d best not see you in anymore headlines, Georgy. You are to study and keep up your grades. Modeling is not the end and all of everything until you finish school. Any more raunchy behavior and I will send you to a convent school."

"Okay, Daddy, I get it," acquiesced Georgy in an effort to ease her father toward the door and out of the condo.

When Sloane had left, Georgy and Imani broke into relieved giggles.

"You are lucky your dad isn't such a stickler, Imani. I guess that’s what I get for being such a daddy’s girl," said Georgy.

"My dad is cool. He doesn't give a shit as long as I don't bother him with anything and get in his face. And Mom is all busy with that stupid lion doctor she’s gonna marry," giggled Imani.

"Well at least my mom is all busy with our Uncle Chris," snorted Georgy.

"Where shall we go tonight? Dodi will have some reefer if we go to Klip ‘n Dodi’s," said Imani.

"Let’s do that after I get this book report written," agreed Georgy.

    Staci Simba, after a full week at the hospital in the Serengeti, finally felt at ease with the situation. She was heading up a team of nurses to be trained for various administrative duties in the hospital’s various branches. She was enjoying Pete Levin’s guest cottage behind his estate. Matter of fact, she was enjoying Pete Levin, himself. Each evening, after Staci freshened up from a hard day at the hospital, Pete would have her join him for cocktails and chat in his garden room. Staci found him remarkably like her father in his quicksilver mind and quick grasp of things. He did lack Shane Simba’s high polish but at the rate he was going, Pete would soon accomplish much of that. Tailors would come to the mansion and Pete would ask Staci’s opinion on the suits he was having made. On the weekends, Staci would go with Pete in his new sports car and find things for his home. There had been no sex - but who knew at the rate their relationship was going.

    Shane and Alexandra were besotted by their children. Shane was also besotted with his wife who had regained her pre-birth figure in absolutely record time. She was working out and riding daily between times with the twins. That weekend, the couple went to their home on Lamu Island. It was obvious from the pictures that hit the media that the first lady had her spectacular body back and that her husband was enthralled. They were caught on one of their boats and windsurfing. The media wanted pictures of the newborns but Shane let them know that there would be none of those forthcoming until much later. There was also a huge risk that two such unusual and high profile children could be subject to kidnap.

   Shane and Alex in the water and on their boat (below).

    Shane and Alexandra’s first non-beach appearance after the babies was to a soiree honoring the members of parliament given at the state mansion. The couple looked wonderful and totally in love as they welcomed the Kenyan ministers, among them Ashley Lyon, the tourism minister.

In the state mansion dining room for the ministerial reception as a portrait of Ralph Lyon gazes from the wall......

A few close friends and family were invited to the bush home to view the new babies. There was Shane’s immediate Simba brethren and sister and his mother, Sarah Lee. Lachlan and I were invited as were Ralph and Mildred Lyon, Daniel and Stella Lyon and Lewis and Gina Lyon. It was a casual and entertaining party. The dress was informal and barbecue and a number of great dishes were served along with the usual abundance of booze. The shining moment was those two gorgeous children, the like of which not many had seen either animal or human. It seemed that even their lioness grandmother was taken with the beauty of her unusual grandchildren.

"Mom, be sure not to pick them up with your teeth," teased Shane to Sarah Lee, indicating their remarkable thaw.

"Oooh no, I won't, Son," she giggled.

Shane's favorite picture of his wife and new daughter.      Shane holding his new born son, Sacha Simba.

Tanya Simba in her father's arms.....

Betty called me at my house one late afternoon. I was waiting for Lachlan to arrive and having our drinks ready with a canapé tray.

"Maury, I’m next door visiting Wilda. Can I come down?" she asked.

"Of course you can. I have the drinks and tasters available," I laughed.

In a few minutes my doorbell rang. I led my visitor to the back porch where it is always so lovely in the evening and where Lachlan and I kick back with our pre-dinner drinks.

"You look well," I told Betty, placing a kiss on her cheek. "How are things going in your life with Jack?"

I handed her a martini and sat down next to her.

"I was very upset that Shane didn’t invite me to see his new children, Maury. Very pissed!"

I was stunned for a few moments and attempted to formulate an answer.

"He just had mostly family Betty and not even all of his pride members. It was a very few," I protested.

"You were there, Maury."

Betty was adamant in her hurt at not being included.

"I am, after all, his right hand, Betts."

"And I am the mother of three of his children. I just don't get it."

"I really couldn’t say why you weren't included except to repeat that it was a very small gathering."

Lachlan arrived on that note. Later when Betty had departed, Lachlan gave a great sigh.

"Although she’s got the nicest lion in the entire hemisphere, Betty is still carrying the torch for Shane Simba."

"I beg your pardon, Lach. Betty does NOT have the nicest lion in the hemisphere - I do."

    I spoke to Alexandra the next day. She was in her office at the State House and working with Bernice Bear on one of her projects. The babies had been secreted under cloak of night to the mansion so they would be near their mother when she took over her role as first lady once more. Although the official limousine with the blacked out windows would arrive each evening at the bush house, no one but the driver was actually in it. The gates would close tightly and the driver would have a cup of coffee with the kitchen staff while the paparazzi fumed outside the high walls of the bush house. No one had yet guessed that the children and their parents were now in residence again at the state mansion.

"I suppose I shouldn't mention this, Alex, but Betty found out that you two showed the children at a gathering and she wasn’t included," I told Alexandra, feeling rueful at having done it. "She seems terribly hurt." 

"Oh, Maury, I am so sorry. I just forgot. I was so busy contacting Shane’s pride that Betty slipped my mind entirely. I don't get much sleep these days.  Solly, Jalil and Tarek have seen them already this past weekend. I will call Betty."

"There was no reason to call her, Alex, after all she’s not a pride member - only an ex-wife," I chuckled.

"Maurice," she giggled. "Ex-wives are the ones that you must pamper first. I just forgot to do so."

    The next afternoon, Betty was invited to the mansion to view Sacha and Tanya. Shane was still in the office and Jack had not wanted to go so it was Betty and Alexandra only. When I phoned Betty later to see her reaction, she was slightly shaken and her response was weird.

"They are beautiful, Maurice. Damn, damn, damn they are gorgeous," she huffed.