I stayed with Jennifer for a while and she told me about everything that had happened in the office. I smiled and nodded politely at her gossip, although none of it was as dramatic as what I had been through, which sadly I couldn’t share with her. I vowed that one day I would tell her the truth, and I hoped that she would not resent me for taking so long. I found that I didn’t miss the office at all, and if I needed any more reinforcing that this life wasn’t for me, I had just gotten it.
I realized that my life had moved on and I had ambitions that didn’t involve anything to do with the city. Aside from my friendship with Jennifer there was nothing here that was of any importance to me, and after we’d finished speaking I was glad to leave.
I wanted to promise Jennifer that I would see her again, but I knew there were no guarantees in life. I hugged her tightly though, and there were tears in my eyes as I walked away, not wanting to stay in the city for a minute longer than I had to.
*
The sun was shining brightly on the day that I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy, as though the sun was welcoming him into the world, blessing him with a golden kiss. It was a painful experience, and labor lasted for hours, but as I held the baby in my arms I was happier than I had ever been, and as much as I loved Rick and Dalton, I knew the feelings I had for them didn’t even begin to compare to the unconditional, profound love I had for this baby. I saw in its eyes all the potential for the future, and as I looked at him I also understood my parents a little better. I gripped their hands and expressed my love for them, grateful that I had been given the opportunity to find them again and make up for all the lost time and all the childhood angst.
But the happiest people were Rick and Dalton. I had given their pride new life, new blood, and new energy. Even though Rick was the father, I knew that the child was going to be cared for by the entire pride and that he would never want for affection or guidance. Rick lifted the child up triumphantly, aloft in his arms, stating to the world that he was here, that he was present, and that the other prides should be warned that we were still around.
When I held him in my arms, I promised my son that he would have everything he wanted. I promised him that he would be a king, and I hoped that he ruled with the wisdom of one. I wanted to give him many brothers and sisters to play with so that they might enjoy the same kind of relationship as Rick and Dalton enjoyed, the same kind of closeness.
There were already rumblings that other prides were coming to challenge Rick and Dalton’s claims on this land. The fact that the baby was still just a baby was enough evidence for some that Rick didn’t have what it took to protect this part of the world, and apparently, choosing me as the new mother of his lions brought some controversy among some of the other prides. Bruce wasn’t the only one who thought it was a mistake to involve human DNA into the mixture, apparently. Driving off Alyssa had improved Rick’s reputation, but soon enough other lions were going to come to challenge him.
I had faith that he would be able to drive back any challenges though, because I knew that this was the future of the lions. I knew that I was here for a reason, and that we had fallen in love for this purpose. Our children would usher in a new era for all of lion-kind, and for all of humanity too. Eventually they would find their way to the city and I couldn’t wait to see where their lives would lead them. Before me lay a grand adventure, one that I couldn’t have even begun to fathom before I met Rick and Dalton. They had changed my life, brought me back closer to my parents, and now had given me a beautiful child.
I kissed the baby on the head. He scrunched up his face and wriggled in my arms.
“I love you,” I said. He opened his eyes and looked at me. Then he smiled.
*****
THE END