Maurice & Friends

On a slightly chilled morning, for Jack Tarzan’s home is almost in the high country of the Mara, the lion author tied the knot with Betty Chimpo. The wedding took place in the library of his home. There were only a few intimates there as well as Betty’s family members. It was a real surprise when almost at the appointed time, a striking young male lion, totally reminiscent of his father, arrived. Sean Simba was greeted with a hug from his former stepmother and a slap on the back from Jack who was a sports fan and had followed the young lion-cheetah’s career since his return from South Africa. Solly Simba was Jack’s best male, happily dressed in a jacket and slacks for the occasion of his mother’s nuptials to Jack whom he adored. Gloria stood with her sister. The occasion was an auspicious one. Betty after four marriages (a fifth to her second husband, Sam Simba, whom she wed twice) the cosmetically enhanced chimpanzee was marrying a male who might actually be the best ever. Ashley Lyon (her second husband after the white tiger, Montecore) was in attendance with his pregnant fourth wife who just happened to be Betty’s former stepdaughter from her marriage to Shane Simba. After the ceremony where the couple toasted each other with cognac and tossed the glasses against the hearth, the wedding party retired to the veranda which was now warmed by the ascending East African sun. We milled about with Betty’s sons, Arlon Lyon, Joshua and Jason Simba, and Solly, Tarek and Jalil Simba. Bertram Baboon was greatly taken aback at the resemblance between Shane Simba and his oldest son, Sean.

“Let’s just hope that our dear friend and my sister-in-law, Betts, can now descend from the martial merry-go-round she has ridden for lo these many years, and take advantage of a husband who seems so right for her,” said Bertram to Lachlan and me as we drank Mimosa’s on Jack’s bougainvillea banked veranda.

“I’ll second that one, Bertram,” laughed Lachlan.

Almost as we spoke, a limousine pulled up and discharged Montecore, Betty’s first husband. He and Betty had remained very good friends all along.

“Sorry, Betts, I over slept,” explained Montecore with a chuff. “Late night at the disco.”

He had brought with him, as a gift to the newly weds, four cases of the best champagne on earth, Dom Perignon.

The new Mr. And Mrs. Jack Tarzan at their wedding brunch......

Arlon Lyon, now an attractive and fully maned lion, joined the cubby crowd at the pub. He was an immediate sensation. Georgy Simba, having been told by her cousin, Sean Simba, that his dad had given orders to lay off pride members, turned a green eyed gaze toward the striking Arlon. Arlon, who was staying between his mother and father for the holidays, had full access to Ashley’s safari club bungalow. If he wanted to get laid all he had to do was attract the female and head for that particular abode. When Georgy Simba made her approach, Arlon was about to invite her to his lair, when he spotted Sean Simba just behind her. He didn’t care for the vibes emanating from his former stepbrother. The air was rife with jealously. Arlon decided that he would test another. He was in something of the same position as the Simba males – almost all the comely females were related to him. His half sister, Imani, was rather hot but then, she was just that – his freaking half sister. Lee Simba just happened to be there with her mother, Chloe Cougar, who was quite the bar fly. Arlon ended up with Lee for the night, disappointing Chloe, who though older, still had an eye for young male pulchritude.

Two hours later, in a fit of intense passion, Georgy Simba and Sean Simba ignored the warnings from her father and his. They took off for Leoparde Drive and spent the night in Sean’s rented home. The next morning, very early, he left Georgy still snoozing and made his way to soccer practice.

Christine Cheetah Mbube phoned Chloe Cougar. She had a proposition to make to the volatile leopard-cougar mix.

“Chloe, the arts center is staging The Children’s Hour. It will be Bop Boon’s first theater venture. Micah is directing it. Would you like to play Bop’s lesbian lover?” asked Christine, with great trepidation.

“I hate that ape and I’ve never played a dyke before,” snarled Chloe and then began to think better of the outburst. “Uh, Christine, how long can I think on the matter?”

“Till today at closing time,” snapped Christine, sorry she had made the offer.

“Okay, let me make a drink and smoke. I’ll call you in an hour.”

Chloe lit a cigarette on the way to the bar in her dining area. She poured three fingers of vodka and splashed tomato juice over it. Stirring it with her fingers, she made her way to her balcony where she did her best thinking. She stood looking over the striking vista of the savanna and Cholula Hills to the east. She stubbed her cigarette out and immediately lit another. She was not getting any younger and the film roles were not coming since her divorce from Roy Lee Simba. Why not try the stage with Bop Boon, who had just had a major critical success in the role she had won from Chloe at the studios. It was said that Bop would probably end up with a major film award playing Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire. She sighed and returned to the den where she picked up the phone.

“Christine, I’ll take the role,” she told the Executive Director of the Lawrence Leoparde Memorial Arts Center.

Lucy hooks up with Sloane Simba....

Lucy Cougar was feeling all the symptoms of being in love again– and so soon after her divorce from Ashley Lyon. It must be remembered that Lucy is not the most emotionally mature animal in the Mara. She is the spoiled youngest daughter of Bernard and Sylvia Cougar. A pet of her dad’s as well as her great grandmother, Lucretia Leoparde, she has been pampered and sheltered her entire life. Now here she was with Sloane Simba in her bed. She padded to the kitchen and began to make coffee and a major omelet. It was a Saturday morning and she knew Sloane didn’t have work that day. What she didn’t realize was that the lion minister of justice was due to pick up his youngest daughter and adopted son at his wife’s new apartment. Another tidbit that she could not possibly know about Sloane was the fact that he was in love with a lioness who happened to be a nun. She drew a huge slab of bacon from the fridge and put it on a griddle. Her children were with their fathers this weekend so the house was quiet as a mouse. Finally she heard a moan from her bedroom which was very near the kitchen on the main floor. Sloane almost stumbled in the kitchen holding his head, his rich mane in tangles.

“Here’s a cup of coffee, it will make you feel better,” said Lucy handing the lion a porcelain cup. “I’m frying bacon too.”

At that announcement, Sloane put his hand to his stomach.

“I could easily toss my cookies this morning..uh, uh…….”

“Lucy, Lucy Cougar. I used to be your sister-in-law, remember?”

“I know that Lucy, it’s just that I have one bitch of a hangover and have to get my kids today from Caroline’s place. I don’t know how I will manage,” he groaned.

“I’ll tell you what, Sloane, I’m damn good with kids,” she announced, removing her apron. “Why don’t you bring them back here? I have the pool and all the accoutrements. I’ll watch them while you nap - how about that?”

“I don’t have a car. You brought me here last night, Lucy.”

“Okay, Sloane, I’ll drive you to wherever to get your car, kids or anything else you need.”

He looked at one fetching breast that was peeking over the silk of her night gown.

“Would you really do that for me, Lucy?”

“Damn right I will, Sloane. Shall we get ready? The breakfast can wait for later. Maybe the kids will like brunch,” she said, hands on hips.

“Okay, I’ll jump in the shower. You’ve got a deal, Lucy.”

Sean Simba drove his BMW convertible at top speed toward the Serengeti just across the Tanzania-Kenya border. He had Georgy with him. They were going to drop in on his uncle, Chris Simba and Georgy’s mom, Caitlin Cougar. It was Saturday noon, after Georgy had spent Friday night at Sean’s house, keeping a low profile lest the paparazzi get wind or nosy neighbors take note. Now they were on the way to visit two that just might not disapprove of their relationship.

Chris Simba was pruning some shrubs around his newly completed home when Sean and Georgy Simba drove up. He shadowed his eyes so he could get a better view of who his guests were. Caitlin walked from the house about that time and recognized her daughter getting out of the convertible. Chris still stood there totally perplexed it seemed. Sean got out and came toward his uncle with an extended hand.

“Uncle Chris, I’m Sean Simba. You haven’t seen me in a long time. I know,” he laughed. “I look just like Dad.”

“Dear God, boy, you’re the image of Shane. You don’t look a bit like Catherine. I guess that’s to your advantage, your dad got all the females,” said Chris, taking his nephew’s hand and giving it a hearty shake.

Caitlin was busy embracing her daughter and didn’t get a full gander at the one who had brought her. When she did, she also got a startled expression on her face. Chris laughed and put his arm around the pregnant Caitlin.

“Cate, this is Sean, Shane’s oldest cub,” he told his lover. “Come in and have a beer. I’ll grill some steaks for lunch.”

Sean and Georgy followed their elders into the lovely house on the Serengeti plains. Caitlin and Chris didn’t see the two youngster link hands for a few moments as they followed the couple inside.

Little Cindy Simba on her way to Lucy's house....

The day was hot with a haze over the bush country. Small Cindy Simba, encased in a swim ring, splashed happily in the pool with Lucy Cougar who looked mighty fine in a bathing suit, noticed Sloane Simba. He lazed on a chaise near the pool, snoozing at times and watching his youngest daughter playing with Lucy. On the other chaise stretched his adopted son, Sonny (who was really his nephew being the illegitimate son of Shane Simba). Sonny was working with his Mac Playbook. One would have thought this was a young family spending a relaxed Saturday together. However, these were not Lucy’s children nor was Sloane her husband. Nevertheless, things went smoothly and at 1:00 pm, the houseboy laid a tasty meal on the table in the pool area and everyone ate heartily. Sloane had Sunny and Cindy until Sunday afternoon. Lucy invited them to stay the night. After much fun and laughter, Sloane and Lucy got the cubs settled and went to her bedroom. There they made love for most of the hours of darkness The next day, before returning the cubs to Caroline, Sloane tried to call Georgy on her cell phone. The voice mail was on.

Georgy had spent the night with her mother and Chris Simba. In their large new home in the Serengeti were many bedrooms. Chris, having eight offspring between ex-wives, Christine Cheetah and Laura Leo, had to provide rooms on their rare visitations. Caitlin and Chris occupied a boudoir on the first floor. After things had quieted in the house and the youngsters could be assured of not being caught, Sean slipped next door to the bedroom occupied by Georgy. Of course they got it on until Sean heard his uncle stirring around the house about dawn and returned to his own room.

The BMW pulled out of the drive way on Sunday. Neither Chris nor Caitlin had made mention of any regularities in the two cousins seeing each other. That may have been because the couple didn’t get a real bead on what was transpiring sexually between Caitlin’s daughter and Chris’ nephew. It was a jolly visit and the two cubs were invited to come again the next weekend. Sean drove Georgy to the apartment she shared with Imani Lyon and he made his way to Shane and Alexandra’s bush house where he was to join his dad and stepmother for dinner. This time dinner was quite jolly. Ashley and Staci were there also. Shane assumed that his lecture about incest had taken affect. The Serengeti was a good place to hide whenever he wanted to bonk his sexy cousin, thought Sean.