WITH THESE HANDS
But happiness is no respecter of persons.
Stephen Fry
Shane and Alexandra admire his new hands.....
Jane Leoparde had an appointment with her former lover and father of two of her cubs. She was shown to his inner office. Shane Simba was standing at his desk when she came in. He turned a put a hand on her shoulder in greeting.
"Please don't put that hand on me," she growled softly. "I don't want a human hand touching me."
He jerked it back, his eyes went arctic. She felt inordinately nervous, partly from the nature of her request and from the racing pulse she still had in his presence.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Jane?" His words were clipped.
"I wondered if you would allow Luke to adopt Andy and Catherine. You never see them anymore or even inquire about them. Luke is really the only father they've ever known. He loves them like his own."
"Of course I will, Jane. I believe that the mothers should choose what's best for their children - after all they give birth to them."
"Oh how noble of you. Please hold that thought until the adoption process is completed, Mr. President." Her voice was laden with sarcasm that was not lost on him.
"Why the hell are you so angry, Jane? If you hadn't so hastily married Luke Leoparde, who knows - I might have married you after my divorce from Betty."
Her reaction was swift and decisive. She drew back her paw and slammed him with all the force she could muster on the jaw. Lionesses are known for their considerable muscle tone. He was knocked to the floor.
The secretaries and I were conferring when Jane left his inner office.
"Good afternoon to you ladies and Maurice, you should check the President. The last time I looked he was on his ass in there."
She beat a hasty retreat while I looked in on Shane. He was just getting up and massaging his jaw.
"Shit, she packs a wallop," he groaned.
Shane asked if he could fly with Betty Chimpo when she piloted her plane to Dar es Salaam for Pete's final days of campaigning. Shane was going to attend a huge rally and sing Pete's praises. When Betty arrived at the airport in the Mara ahead of Shane, she found men all over her plane for inspection purposes.
"What are you doing?" she asked them, irritated that her small aircraft was being violated by so many burly men.
"We've got to go over this plane, Miss Chimpo, if the President is going to be flying with you."
"Well, he can just fly a government plane. I have got to get to Tanzania and this is taking up precious time here."
"Mam, the President wants to fly with you so that's that."
Once in the air, the tension dissipated. She and Shane conversed, the only problem being that his Dolce & Gabanna was distracting. Upon arrival at the stadium which was to hold the rally, Pete came to greet them both. A crowd packed the stadium made up of animals and people to see the potential first animal president of Tanzania. Once again Pete exhibited his intense magnetism and charisma and enthralled his audience. It was to be his final campaign effort before the election. He convinced Betty to return to Dar es Salaam the day of the elections.
Once back in the Mara, Shane was visited by his minister of economics. A distinguished Oxford educated member of the Luo tribe in Kenya, he sat before Shane Simba's desk to give his report on the fiscal aspects of his country.
"What do you have for me today, Mr. Okello?" asked Shane once they were settled with cups of Earl Grey tea.
"Sir, everything is very sound except that revenue from tourism has taken a hit."
"Why is that? Tourism was bringing us in additional billions."
"Well, Sir, to put it as delicately as possible since you lions became civilized and clothed, things have fallen off. You lions are the rock stars of African tourism but people don't want to see you in business suits carrying about brief cases," reported Okello. "The game parks in Botswana, Tanzania and South Africa are getting all of our business."
"Yes, I know that. They prefer us nude and bonking away for the cameras. I've seen enough of You Tube to know that. I dare say that's not fixable. I can't ask lions to get out there and shag for the cameras. We're too savvy to be porn stars any longer," laughed Shane.
"Could we possibly import a few to perform for the camera, Sir?" asked a visibly uncomfortable Okello.
"That wouldn't work, they would just become like us. We have lions from Botswana and South Africa here who have taken up our civilized lifestyle."
"What about that old lion that First Lioness Mildred used to castigate for doing things before the cameras, Sir?"
"That's Old Scar who is under contract to my brother's film studio. He's cleaned up his act and now lives with his son, Oscar, who is a grocery entrepreneur."
"The economy is not hurting, Sir. Since your trade agreements, the economy is popping."
"But we need our tourism, Mr. Okello. There is still some hoof stock who remain nude. Could we interest the tourists in those?" asked Shane, lighting a cigarette.
Okello gave a great guffaw, having relaxed, "Oh no Sir, it's the big cats - mostly lions - that they come for."
"Sorry about that, Okello, but I think the days of lion porn are finished in Kenya."
In spite of Jane Leoparde’s slugging of Shane Simba, he sent word through Sam Simba it was okay for Luke Leoparde to adopt Andrew and Catherine Simba, his cubs with Jane. The proceedings took place and the adoption became final. Jane and Luke held a celebratory bash at their lovely bush home. Lucy and Ashley Lyon came as well as Jack Tarzan who was with Betty. The males drank beer while the females gathered in the huge kitchen. While Lucy got her new cubs settled, Jane broached the subject of Shane Simba.
Jane and Betty discuss Shane Simba in the Leoparde's kitchen.....
"Shane is one cold animal," she told Betty who was tossing a salad.
"He let Luke adopt your kids even though you slugged him," giggled Betty.
"When he is through with a female who has his illegitimate kids, he’s through with the kids too, Betts. Look at Caroline Cheetah - he let Leland adopt Sunny and now Sloane has adopted him. He only loves his kids if they’re legitimate or he’s still hot on the mother."
"Oh, Janie, you're judging him too harshly I believe. I think he wants the best for his kids - all of them," argued Betty.
Jane turned toward Betty. "Betts, you are still gone on him, aren't you?"
"I am actually in love with Jack but haven't told him yet."
"Oh, Betty, you two are made for each other. I think he loves you too."
"I am content to take this slowly, Janie. It’s a nice and easy love and I am savoring it for a while."
"Good for you, Betts."
Betty sat with Pete and several of his lion and human cronies watching the election returns in Dar es Salaam. They were in a suite in the Slipway Hotel. Betty had been there since morning. Having been born in Tanzania, she was allowed to vote. She went with Pete that morning to cast her ballot. Betty sat on the sofa in the suite drinking Scotch. At 2:00 am it was finally decided that Pete was the new president of Tanzania. Much shouting and celebration went on among the friends with others joining the fray. Betty went to her room in the suite and began to pack her things. Pete noticed her absence and followed her there.
"Betty, am I going to stop seeing you just because I’ve won? You are probably the reason that I did win," he asked, turning her towards him.
"We've accomplished your goal, Pete. You are the first animal president of Tanzania. You will be a busy fellow."
"I don’t want this to mean that I will never see you again, Betty."
She lit a cigarette. He blew the smoke away as was his habit.
"What happened to that male chauvinist pig of a lion who refused to look at or acknowledge me when we first met?" she laughed.
"A greatly changed and humbled lion, Betty. I could not have done this without you and I am in.....well, quite fond of you. I can't let this be a final goodbye. Please say that it’s not. You are a born Tanzanian. Your place is here. I will give you a wonderful position in my government."
"I made my home in the Mara long ago, Pete. My mother and siblings are there as are my friends of many years. My sons' fathers are there as well. But I will see you again for certain. I need to go home and concentrate on my children for a while and get my house in order.."
"Betty, please promise me this will not be the end for us," he said, his yellow eyes soulful.
She put her arms around his neck. "Would you like for me to stay just one more night with you?"
"Yes, please do that. I want to make love to you as the President of Tanzania."
Pete acknowledges his victory as President of Tanzania...
Alexandra and Shane paid a visit to Dr. Frank Tigeres to get an update and ultrasound on her pregnancy which was said to be progressing smoothly with the fetuses growing and looking fine. The gender could be discerned and they were said to be a male and female.
Shane and the pregnant Alexandra exit the clinic......
"What would you like to name our children now that we know they are a boy and girl?" asked Shane that night after the couple had retired to their bedroom.
"Do you have any special family names, Luv?"
"No, I’ve used all of mine. Let’s do your family, how about that?"
"I adored my Russian grandfather who was named Sacha and my Russian grandmother who I am, in part, named for - Tanya. Will those do?"
"Very well. Tanya and Sacha they shall be."
At the onset of a new lion president in neighboring Tanzania, many animals who had businesses in Kenya, set up shop in Tanzania as well. Bertram Baboon and Roy Lee Simba opened a branch of Baboon-Simba Studios in the Serengeti. Pete asked for help from Kenya since we were adept at running a government based on animal-human equality. Betty spent another week in the Serengeti, helping him get started. He realized he had to take a surname as president. He chose Levin which is the latin term for lion-hearted.
"So you are a Jewish lion?" she teased him.
"I suppose I am that," he said, nuzzling her neck. "Have you ever been married or thought to be married to a Jewish lion?"
"I haven’t thought to get married recently at all. I’m just recently free from walking over the hot coals. I need a breather."
He didn’t press the issue. They made love before she returned to the Mara. He showed her where he planned to build a new home on the savanna in the Serengeti. Like Ralph Lyon, he planned to move the Tanzanian seat of government to the Serengeti, bit by bit.
She ascended into the skies over the game reserve with Pete waving goodbye. She headed her plane for the Masai Mara and home. She wanted to take a long shower and visit with her boys and Wilda when she arrived. She would call Jack and tell him she was home.