“How about I take you out for brunch?” I offered.
“No thank you,” Tory said. “I like cooking for you, Johnny. Please let me take care of you, ok? It’s the least I can do for everything you’ve done for me. How about French toast? I make a mean raspberry compote.”
“Yum.”
Tory smiled. “You go do what you need to. Breakfast in 30 minutes, ok?”
“Whatever you say, sis.”
“Whatever I say? Hey, I like that rule! Now, scoot. I’ve got a lot to do.” Tory looked happy this morning, bustling around my kitchen as though she belonged there.
After I finished shaving, I took a moment to look at myself in the mirror and realized Tory wasn’t the only sibling looking happy today. My eyes seemed to shine, as though lit from behind. I looked relaxed, like I’d been on a two-week Caribbean vacation.
Over yet another delicious home-cooked meal, which made me realize how much I liked being spoiled by my sister, Tory asked me how I wanted to spend the day.
I put down my fork and wiped a dab of compote from my mouth. “Well, T, I’ve been thinking about that. You know how you said that you felt like you knew me better after we shared my music?”
“Yeah.”
“I want the same chance. I want to get to see into your soul, to have you share one of your passions with me.”
Tory’s eyes positively shone. “Really, Johnny?”
“Really, T-bird. I realized that I have no idea what you’re passionate about. Ever since I left for college, it’s like I don’t know you that well. We’ve been living in the same city for over a year now. I know we don’t see each other all that often, but it seems like I should know my sister better than I do.”
“I’d – I’d really like that, Johnny. You promise you won’t make fun of me?”
“On my life, Tory.”
“My passion has always been animals.”
“Animals? Really? I would’ve never guessed that. We didn’t even have any pets growing up.”
“Well, it wasn’t because I didn’t want them, Johnny. Mom and dad just had sticks up their asses about the pet thing. I’ve been thinking that I’ll major in Zoology.”
“Would that be like being a veterinarian?”
“No. That would be cool, but I’m interested in the big cats, particularly lions. I’d love to take you to the zoo, Johnny.” Tory seemed almost shy, and I thought she must still be afraid that I’d tease her.
“I would love that,” I said, taking Tory’s hand in mine. “I don’t know anything about animals, so will you teach me?”
The broad smile on my sister’s face absolutely made my day. “Oh, Johnny! Yes, yes, yes! I’d be thrilled to. This is going to be so much fun!”
It maybe wasn’t the best day for a trip to the zoo. The temperature, which had been unusually warm for February, had dipped significantly overnight. We could see our breath in the air when we went out, so we quickly came back in to dress for the change. Tory hadn’t brought a coat over, so she went through mine to find something that would work for the day. She chose an old 3/4 length gray peacoat which was quite a bit too big for her. She looked almost like a little girl playing dress-up, but with her daddy’s clothes rather than her mom’s. She hugged the coat around her. “This will work.”
“Sure,” I replied with a grin. “It’s almost long enough to keep your knees warm, too.”
“Never underestimate the importance of warm thighs, brother,” she said with a playfully seductive wink, then giggled.
The drive to the zoo took nearly an hour. While I drove, Tory told me about the big cats she loved so much: the hierarchy of pride life, how the females hunted to provide for the pride, and how they cared for their offspring.
Tory was so animated during the drive, so happy, it seemed as though all of the tough stuff from the past few days was miles removed from her mind. We arrived at the zoo and found very few others visiting; the place was nearly empty. I’d never been here, but apparently Tory spent a lot of time here; she was known by name to quite a few of the employees.
Tory led me by the hand to where they kept the big cats. She introduced me to a pretty woman in her 30s named Becky, who was a Vet Tech. Becky was very excited and told Tory the lions had been mating. This got Tory very excited, and she led me straight to them.
“Oh, Johnny, this is incredible! Did you know that, in the wild, lions mate only about every two years, but in captivity, they mate every year?
“I didn’t know that. Why is that?”
Tory shrugged. “I don’t really know. Might be boredom. You know, like how an extended power outage in a major city tends to lead to a mini population boom 9 months later.”
I laughed. “Is that true?”
“Oh, yeah. There’s a lot of documented evidence. Nowhere to go, nothing to do, can’t see a thing? Sex is always a good option!” My sister laughed, then gasped. “Oh, Johnny, look! There’s one of the lionesses – see, there, rolling on the ground?”
“Yeah, I see her. Why’s she doing that?”
“She’s in estrus,” Tory explained. “in heat. She’s leaving her scent to let males know there’s a ready female available.” She pointed. “There’s the alpha male of the pride. Watch how he approaches her. This is their courtship.” Tory clasped my hand in hers. I looked at her and saw she was entranced by what was happening in the lion enclosure.
The lioness, aware of the male’s presence, rolled onto her stomach, waiting expectantly. The male approached her and rubbed his head against hers. I’d only known lions to roar like… well, like they did in The Lion King, I guess, but this pair made noises I couldn’t describe. Tory squeezed my hand. I saw she was biting her lower lip, her attention was rapt.
The female raised her tail as the male moved behind her. His front paws straddled her body as he raised up, more or less squatting behind her. He moved and was suddenly inside his mate. It didn’t look as though much happened after that. He bent his head down and bit the female on the neck. She raised her head, turning it back to him and making some kind of noise in her throat. Then, the lion pulled out. The female turned with a roar and snapped her teeth at him as he moved away. She lay on her side before getting up. The entire thing took less than 30 seconds.
“Is that it?” I asked, not impressed. I’d expected more from the ‘king of the beasts’.
“Well, yeah. They mated. What did you expect?”
“I dunno. It just wasn’t very… I don’t know, captivating. It was over in no time. What’s with that?”
Tory laughed. “Johnny, it’s not a porno. They aren’t performing for our entertainment. It doesn’t last long, but a male and female might mate 50 times a day.”
“Bullshit! Really?”
“Really. And here, with several lionesses, that big guy might mate 100 times in a day.”
Now, I had to admit I was impressed. “OK, dude’s a stud!”
“Yeah. Oh, look, there’s another lioness who’s ready!”
I watched as another lioness rubbed herself against some rocks. “She’s leaving her scent,” Tory explained.
Sure enough, within minutes, the Lion Stud was on the new lioness. It looked like a repeat of the first time. I was noticing distinct behaviors by the lions that mirrored the earlier copulation.
“Why does he bite their necks?”
“Lions are kinky fuckers,” Tory said.