Shane Simba, driving his new Mercedes, sped toward the territory which was his pride’s traditional turf.  Two Masai guards clung to their seats hoping their boss wouldn’t crash his car due to overzealous and very excessive speed.  When he reached his destination, he pulled his car under a tree.  A SUV already stood there empty.  He got out and looked in the distance.  There she stood waving at him.  He walked swiftly toward her, his guards flanking him. 

 

“I got held up at the office,” he explained to Jane. 

 

“No matter, I came a bit early.  It’s such a lovely day and I wanted to make some notes on the area.  What would you like to show me first?”

 

They had made arrangements to meet where he had spent his first years as a cub.   She was beginning his biography.   

 

“I have a place that I have avoided for years.  I want to take you there.  It’s not far.”

 

They walked side by side, his guards falling a bit behind, realizing that the lioness reporter was a familiar and harmless figure. 

 

“Do you ever get used to being shadowed like this?” she asked, lighting a cigarette. 

 

“It comes with the turf I suppose.  I almost don’t notice except when I want to take you in my arms and hold you for a while – like now.”

 

They had reached a tree shaded spot in an isolated area of the savanna. 

 

“This is beautiful, Shane.”

 

“Not to me, Janie.  My litter mate was torn to bits by hyenas here in front of my eyes.  We were just a few months old and I, being a bad ass, had led him away from the pride.  My mother never forgave me.  I named my new son in his memory.”

 

Jane’s golden eyes filled with tears and she touched his arm, but remembering the Masai, quickly pulled back. 

 

“Oh, Shane, how awful for you.  Hyenas are dreadful creatures.  I still can’t abide them.  I had an elderly aunt.  I loved her like a mother, my own mother, being something of a pain in the ass.  I would suckle her when my mother wouldn’t let me.  She was my mom’s eldest sister.  One day, we wandered in the bush.  She was rather infirm.  A pack of hyenas had a fresh kill.  I guess they thought we were a threat to take it.  They came for us – those terrible jaws and blood red eyes.  I will never forget them.  My auntie told me to run for the pride.  The last time I saw her as l looked back, they were on top of her.  They killed her.  We found her body two days later.”

 

“So you understand the pain,,,,,,I'm so sorry you had to witness that kind of thing too.  It's a lfe altering experience.”

 

“Yours was worse.  You were babies and you lost your brother who had an entire lifetime ahead of him.  And you say you were blamed for it too?” 

 

“My mother is a strange animal.  She was partial to my two litter mates and didn't take to me.  The Simbas becoming wealthy has gone to her head completely.  I also have an aunt that I love very much.  She offered me comfort when my mother didn’t.  Her name is Leander.”

 

“And your father, what was he like?”

 

“A son-of-a-bitch and a drunk - I hated him.  Oddly enough, I named my first son for him.  Are you sure you want to write my story, Janie?   It’s a rather sordid one.”

 

“More than ever.”

 

---

 

            Shane went down to breakfast.  Betty was already drinking coffee with Solly on her lap. 

 

“You’re not dressed yet, Betty?  Today is the Masai Cultural event and we have to be at the village right away,” he told his wife. 

 

“Darling, Solly has the sniffles.  I need to stay here and keep check on him,” she said, lighting a cigarette.

 

Shane cast a look at his son who was gnawing happily on a piece of bacon. 

 

“He looks fine to me.  At any rate three nurses man the mansion and State House 24/7.  They can keep watch on him,” protested Shane. 

 

“Shane, I really prefer not to go.  I have a new cub in case you haven’t noticed.”

 

Shane, who could be explosive when crossed, slammed his coffee cup on the table, splashing some of the contents.

 

“Betty, in case you haven’t noticed, you are the first lady of this country and as such have an official role to play.  You have lollygagged enough with your pregnancy and the birth, now it’s time to get off your ass and make some official appearances.”

 

“How dare you make that accusation? I am a mother first, Shane.”

 

“Well one thing is for sure, you’re no Mildred Lyon who worked tirelessly to bring clinics to this country and put us on the map as the leaders in the battle against AIDS.”

 

Staci had just entered the room and was caught by the rancor between her father and Betty. 

 

“Daddy, I’ll go with you.  I have just one class today and I ace that one all the time,” she offered. 

 

“No, honey, thank you all the same but you have school and Madame President here needs to do her duty.”

 

“I have gone to AIDS villages until you bitched about it, probably due to jealousy over Juma Mnyama,” stated Betty, stubbing her cigarette furiously in the porcelain ashtray. 

 

“Jealousy, did you say, Betty?  I wasn’t jealous at all.  I just expected you to be more innovative in this role.  You are a follower in the AIDS crisis.  Mildred started it and Lisa joined her.  At least get off your duff and give the Masai the honor of your presence.  They risk their lives guarding us.”

 

“You are such a bastard,” shouted Betty, giving Solly to the nanny and leaving the room.  Shane went to the elevator and punched the down button. 

 

---

 

            Lucy Cougar waited ten days and gave up the thought that Dick Simba would call her.  She had thought of nothing else since that night in the pub and his home.  She dialed the familiar number at Simba Brothers and asked for Dick.  He finally came on the line after many machinations between telephone operators and secretaries. 

 

“Dick, this is Lucy.  You didn’t call so I wanted to invite you to dinner at my new home.”

 

“Lucy?”

 

“Lucy Cougar,” she almost wailed.  “I slapped you in the pub last week.”

 

“And you’re inviting me to dinner?” he laughed, in that same manner redolent with insolence. 

 

“Yes, I am.  Will you come Friday night?”

 

There was a silence on the line in which she almost hung up but finally his answer came forth. 

 

“I guess I can, where do you live and what time?”

 

She gave him the directions and time.  After hanging up, she went excitedly to her closet to decide whether a new outfit was in order. 

 

---

 

            Meanwhile her sister, Chloe had run into Simon Simba, her ex-husband’s look alike.  It was in the pub and Chloe couldn’t vamp the handsome lion quickly enough.  Before the evening had really begun she had led him to her penthouse in Lyon Towers and bedded him.  He refused to stay the night, causing her to drink two more Bloody Marys at his departure.  Chloe had a dastardly hangover the next morning at rehearsals for the Kenya Festival Pageant in which she had a part. 

 

---

 

            The hot equatorial sun was already heating the landscape when Shane arrived in his official Rolls at the Masai Village.  He made his way about the area, his guards flanking him.  He shook hands with the various dignitaries, greeted his niece, Leah and Ashley Lyon who were in attendance.  He looked around him seeking something.  He didn’t realize until he spotted her, how much he had hoped she would be there.  Flash bulbs popped as the President posed with people and animals of varying importance.  Jane was one of those taking pictures. 

 

“Mr. President, look this way,” she had called, placing her camera in the appropriate position to catch his likeness with a village warrior of great import. 

 

He had no opportunity that entire time to get a moment alone with her.  At one point, late in the day, he looked about him only to realize she had left. 

 

Shane in the Masai village as Jane looks on...

 

---

 

            It was Ashley Lyon’s birthday and Leah had planned an elaborate birthday bash for him at the Leoparde-Lyon Safari Club.  She had called her uncle and asked him to especially attend with Betty.  Shane, being a friend of Ashley, who had even saved his life after his plane crash, readily agreed.  . I helped Leah oversee the decorations on the afternoon of the party. 

 

Ashley with Leah at his birthday bash.....

 

            The guests began to gather.  It was a casual affair like Ashley Lyon liked them, being one for shabby chic or clothing of a bizarre nature.  The fare was barbecue of every variety.  A band played in the corner.  Lachlan, Bertram Baboon and I stood in another corner playing our favorite game of fly on the wall.  We noticed Luke Leoparde arrive with Jane, the lioness reporter, as his date.  I heard Lachlan suck in his breath and knew why.  A while later, after many more drinks, there was a stir among the crowd and we realized that Betty and Shane had entered the room with their Masai guards.  They greeted many and were given drinks.  The band was playing some dance music of a romantic nature.  We saw Luke and Jane go to the dance floor.  I saw Lachlan watching Shane who had his eyes glued on Jane and Luke Leoparde. 

 

“I need another drink, Maury.  I feel a ‘shit hitting the fan moment’ coming on,” said Lachlan, reaching for the proffered drink tray and grabbing a strong looking Scotch. I knew why and grabbed my own.

 

             We saw Betty and Shane head for the floor and begin to dance in a not particularly engaged fashion.  She looked terribly tense.  Nevertheless, they continued dancing, finally leaving the area to take a seat at the table which held, among others, Ashley and Leah, Mildred and Ralph.  Lachlan relaxed after that and the three of us who had been joined by Gloria Chimpo, engaged in an animated and jolly spot of conversation.  I took a few moments to survey the room and found Shane Simba missing from his table.  I noticed Luke Leoparde sitting next to an empty chair and put two and two together. 

 

---

 

            Dick Simba rang the doorbell of Lucy Cougar’s ornate home.  He was invited in by a houseboy and led to where Lucy was arranging Scotch bottles in what could only be construed as a library.  A roaring fire was in the huge fireplace.  Three cubs were there.  They looked at him curiously but failed to speak. 

 

“Jimmy, this is your Uncle Dick.  Aren’t you going to speak?” prodded Lucy. 

 

Jimmy, who Dick figured, correctly, was spoiled rotten simply left the room.  The younger two followed. 

 

“So much for family ties,” he teased, handing her the bottle of good wine he had brought.  He also held a pot of flowers.  “From the pride garden center, maybe you can plant it somewhere.”

 

“Do you like my house?” asked the always naïve Lucy. 

 

“Yes, it’s quite charming.  I especially like the Chinese war pugs flanking your door.  I had a couple of those in my apartment in Amsterdam.”

 

“My mom owns CHANGING SPOTS.  She decorated the house for me.”

 

“Very good,” he chuckled.  “You seem to have it knocked.”

 

“I suppose you could say that,” said Lucy in what she hoped was a sophisticated and jocular air.  “We’re having rib roast this evening.  Do you like that?”

 

“I’m a lion; I like anything that smacks of good meat.”

 

They had several drinks and then it was dinner time.  Lucy led him to a dining room which held a banquet sized table – an oversized one at that. 

 

“Shouldn’t this be in the President’s home?” laughed Dick.  “You don’t have a more intimate table setting?  I notice it’s only set for two.”

 

“I eat with my kids as a rule,” announced Lucy, ringing a small tinkling bell to summon two houseboys bearing platters of meat. 

 

They ate, making conversation of a less than weighty nature.  Finally, the meal was ended and they repaired to the same library for cognac.  Dick looked at his watch. 

 

“Certainly you’re not ready to leave?” she asked, in her usual wide eyed way. 

 

“I have an early meeting at the firm tomorrow,” he lied. 

 

“Tomorrow is Saturday.  Certainly you don’t work then.”

 

“Lawyers often work around the clock.  You should know that.  You were married to one.”

 

“When will I see you again?” she asked, tearing welling in her greenish eyes. 

 

He stood.  “Lucy, I’m not the ticket for you.  You need someone who wants to settle down.  I want to do anything but that.”

 

“Don’t you like me?” she asked, tears sliding down her face. 

 

“You’re very appealing,” he said, wiping a tear from her cheek. 

 

“That’s a non answer.”

 

“I’ll call you sometime.  We’ll go to dinner.”

 

“Please kiss me.”

 

He held her tightly and gave a great kiss, causing her once again to tingle in all the pertinent parts of her anatomy.

 

“Thank you for a lovely evening, Lucy,” he said. 

 

He left her standing at her front door gazing as he pulled his car from the drive.