Chapter 22

When the gray Clifford limousine pulled into the circular driveway of the Cartwright mansion in Beverly Hills, Andy was waiting outside with her mother. While Bill Clifford remained in the car, Ken jumped out as soon as Fred Clark opened the door. Ignoring the others he took Andy in his arms and melted his lips to hers. Then Ali got out carrying her youngest, Kristin, who was just over one year old.

After kissing Connie warmly, Ali raised an eyebrow and looked at her daughter skeptically. "Are you sure you can handle it? Is your milk going to be good enough? After all," she said archly, "Kris is used to only the very best!"

Replying in kind Connie said, "Oh? What about poor Andy? Are you sure she won't be poisoned at your tit?" Then dropping the pose she took Kristin in her arms and loved and kissed her. "Nursing your own sister! I mean, Mom, really! Isn't this really ... a bit much?"

Then with great warmth in her eyes she said, "Mom, I love you so very damned much!"

Looking over to where Andy and Ken were still locked in each others arms she said, "God, Mom! I feel so badly for poor Andy and Ken. Would you please look at them. If you were to mention those two to any outsider and say they were in love, they would think, 'How cute!' But those two are truly in love in the most adult way."

Looking into Ali's eyes she said, "And after what I saw this afternoon, it looks like it's spreading. Did you see Sue Carlson and Mike Morris when court adjourned? He gently squeezed one of her ass cheeks and she just turned and melted into his arms."

Then she glared at her mother and said, "You run the damned firm. Why didn't you plan better? Why did you allow so many of us to have girls as first children?"

"Darling Connie," Ali replied blithely, "I can't do everything by myself. After all," she continued airily, "I did have a little boy!" But then she looked at Ken and said, "I really can't wait, though. We both know that our kids are not ordinary. Their children are going to be utterly spectacular. And by the way, daughter, for a first effort, you really didn't do too badly with Andy."

The women warmly embraced again and then Ali gave Kristin a kiss causing the little girl to just beam happily. Dragging Ken and Andy back to the car, they were off. As they moved down the driveway, Ali looked at her granddaughter and said, "Andy Cartwright, I don't know about you."

With her eyes wide the little girl replied, "What did I do this time, Kenny's Mommy?"

"Well..." she responded, drawing out her words, "for openers, you put our lives at immediate risk."

Ali's words were stunning. The little girl's eyes widened and tears came to their corners. "How did I do that?"

"Andy, what did you do when you finally came over to the car?" The little girl thought but couldn't think of anything. She had just gotten in. "Darling," Ali said, answering her own question, "you extended your hand to Fred who was holding the door and said, 'Good evening, Mr. Clark. Thank you so much for driving us to the circus tonight.' When you held up your arms, he picked you up and you kissed him.

"Andy, you nearly knocked him down. Now that you're getting older you have to understand that your love — undiluted — is really far more than most people can take. Now look at him. I'm afraid poor Fred is still in a daze ... but he's driving the car. Heaven knows, Los Angeles traffic is dangerous enough as it is without being distracted, let alone trying to handle it in a daze." With a grin she concluded, "Now do you understand?"

Andy who was riding facing backward in a forward seat opened the window separating the limousine's two compartments and said, "Mr. Clark, I think I should apologize for kissing you the way I did. Gram is afraid you'll lose control or something."

Fred adjusted his rear-view mirror to be able to see her without turning his head and spoke into the tiny microphone he used to communicate with the passenger compartment. "I'm not at all sorry, Miss Andy. When Ali said we were picking you up this evening the first thing I thought was, 'Oh, boy! Maybe I'll get one of Miss Andy's kisses.' And I certainly did! Young lady, your kisses are in a class by themselves. I do have a question for you, though: When are you going to do something productive?"

"Productive?" she responded, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Productive. You know: useful. Like marrying young Master Kenneth back there. That would be useful! It would get him out of my hair and you can just fry each other's brains with your kisses instead of using them to destroy the world. You two have to get married, you know. I am certain that there are no other people your ages alive who could survive the intensity of your love.

"And even though I'm a lot older than you two, I'm certainly not blind. The most wonderful thing is to see you kiss one another and see the incredible level of passion you possess flowing between you. And this is on top of the purest love I mentioned earlier. Young lady and young sir, with anyone else, you would be dangerous menaces! But together?" Clark just slowly shook his head and let out a long low whistle.

"Oh, in that case..." Andy turned towards Ken sitting beside her, reached out her arms and in seconds was enfolded in his. They spent the rest of the trip just locked in each other's arms with their lips together, separating very seldom and then only to breathe.

"My, what a wonderful idea!" Ali exclaimed. Turning to her husband she said throatily, "Bill Clifford, I need you!" As he turned toward her he saw her unbutton her blouse and peel it back to expose her perfect breasts now refilling with milk. She had nursed Kris just before dropping her off. They locked in a passionate embrace while Bill just gently ran his fingers over all of her perfect body that was within reach.

Nearing the Forum, Clark announced, "Folks, we're almost there. You can break it up now."

Andy and Ken eased apart with sighs. Seeing his parents locked together he couldn't resist. "Mom and Dad, what are you doing? Good grief! Don't you realize there are impressionable young children around?"

Easing away from Ali just enough to speak, Bill Clifford replied, "The answer to your first question is that your mother and I were necking. That's because there wasn't even time for a quickie — it's all I could do. As for the second part about impressionable young children: Who? Where?"

Andy and Ken just giggled at his reply while Ali ostentatiously put her clothes back together.

Bill and Ali Clifford were one of the world's wealthiest families and he was quick to give her incredible investing skills credit — or blame — for most of it. He constantly teased her about bombarding the family with ever more money when they couldn't put a dent in what they already had. With total assets of more than $10 billion, the family investments were necessarily widely spread. One of them was the entertainment conglomerate that controlled the circus; the Cliffords were, by a wide margin, the largest single shareholders. As a result, when Bill had called his office and told his secretary he wanted four tickets to the evening performance, it was a simple matter for her to call the office of the CEO of the entertainment company, introduce herself, and explain what was required.

As they pulled up to the main entrance, there was a delegation of senior officials from the circus waiting to greet them. When introductions were made, a very well-built man with flowing blonde hair was introduced. It was Gunther Gabel-Williams, renowned as the foremost wild-animal trainer in the world. Of particular note was the fact that he was almost alone in the world in working with tigers as opposed to the far more tractable and less ferocious lions.

Recognizing him, both Ken and Andy were wide-eyed as they were introduced. Again the Cliffords were so pleased and impressed as Andy made a most graceful curtsy and then extended her hand. In the finest continental manner, he kissed the back of her fingers bringing a blush to her cheeks. Ken bowed and then shook hands. Already Gabel-Williams was very impressed.

Because arrangements had been made to show the Cliffords around backstage, they had arrived well before the evening performance was scheduled. After a tour, they ended at the cages where the tigers were kept. Earlier Gabel had ordered ten of the big cats to be placed in a training ring available for him backstage so he could give the children a private demonstration. With the cats in the cage, while he was preparing to enter he saw something he had never seen before in his life: As Andy and Ken stood near it, the big cats all came over to them and just looked at the children lovingly.

Then he saw something truly remarkable: The tigers were seated back on their haunches and looked exactly like house-cats — they even wrapped their tails around their forepaws. The two children had started at one end of the line and apparently were introducing themselves. Incredibly, it appeared they understood the tigers and the tigers understood them.

"Good evening, Prince," Andy said softly. "My name is Andy and this is my lover, Ken. We are both so happy to meet you!" The response was a sound that Gabel had never heard: it sounded like a purr! The giant cats — averaging about 600 pounds apiece in weight — were purring! Of course, given their great size — they were all males — it was like no sound Gabel had ever heard, but it was undeniably a purr. Moreover, the names the children were using were in several cases names Gabel used, but more often they were names he had never heard. It appeared that the cats actually had names. In addition to Prince there was Rudy, Will, Fred, King, Charles, James, Ferdie, Sasha, and — remarkably — Lester!

Finally, when the introductions were complete Andy turned to Gabel and asked, "Could Ken and I go into the cage? They so much want us to and we would like it very much."

Turning to Ali and Bill, Gabel shook his head and said, "I really don't know what to say. I am seeing something I have never seen before in my life! You see the way the cats are sitting? I have never seen them do that. Never! You, perhaps, overheard Andy introducing the cats by name? Prince, King, and Sasha are names I use. The others? I have never heard them before. It seems that those children are actually communicating with tigers!"

Shaking his head again he continued, "Twenty minutes ago the idea of small children going into a tiger cage — and coming out alive! — would have seemed utterly ridiculous. Now? I'm confident the cats will not hurt them. Will you permit it?"

After talking to the children and getting their immediate agreement that they would do absolutely everything Gunther told them to do instantly, Ali and Bill reluctantly approved. As the door was opened, Ali moved backward against Bill's body and whispered, "Darling, please hold me tight! I'm so scared!" Bill put his arms around her waist and held her tightly against his body.

Gabel was going to lead the way but Andy told him that it would probably be better if he remained outside. He could remain by the door and give them instructions through the bars. Remarkably, when the cats heard what Andy said, they seemed to visibly relax so Gabel-Williams did what she asked. The two children entered the cage and the door was closed behind them.

"Okay, guys," Ken said, "let's shake hands. Okay?" One after the other, in the same sequence beginning with Prince, the tigers came up to the children, sat down on their haunches and then extended a giant paw. Because of their great size, the children needed both hands to shake it, but they did.

When they got to the last cat, Lester, and had shaken hands, Andy cocked her head, looked skeptical and said, "Lester, are you sure?" The cat nodded its great head and seemed to smile. "Honest?" she repeated. Again the great head nodded. "Well ... okay, I guess."

With that Andy went close to the giant animal, wrapped her arms as far around his great neck as she could reach, hugged and then kissed him. When she released him, but before Ken could do anything, Lester dropped flat on the ground and actually covered his head with his forepaws!

"Oh, it's not so bad, Lester. You don't have to be so embarrassed. Hasn't a girl ever kissed you before?" The huge animal removed one of its paws which had been covering an eye. After looking at Andy for a moment, he quickly shook his head.

Ali and Bill were standing well back from the cage beside Gabel and watching. Gabel was awestruck. "That is absolutely unbelievable!" he whispered. "Can you imagine? That cat actually asked your daughter for a kiss and then covered his head in embarrassment when she gave him one!"

Turning to the Cliffords he added, "I can now give you my personal guarantee that no harm will come to those children. In fact, you could consider them to be safer than in church. Those tigers love those children and would guard them with their lives."

Andy and Ken were having a wonderful time. Dropping to her knees, Andy dove at Lester and kissed him again saying, "You big sissy! It's not so bad, is it?"

This time the cat rolled on its back and just extended its paws in the air. Again looking at him skeptically, Andy said, "I don't know..." Then she shook her head and said, "Mommy wouldn't like it, I'm sure." Then she smiled warmly and said, "Oh, Lester, please don't cry! Okay, we'll do it."

While the cat continued to lie on its back they went to the door and quickly stripped off all of their clothes except for their shorts. Andy explained, "Grandmom, he wants us bare but I told him he would have to settle for this. Okay?"

Ali, who was completely stunned by the events, could only shake her head. Now stripped down to just their shorts, the two children went back to the tiger, climbed on its stomach side by side and embraced each other. Then, with the most incredible tenderness, the huge animal wrapped its forelegs around them and just purred.

"My God!" Gabel-Williams exclaimed in a whisper, "I didn't know the half of it. First, a tiger will never get into the position that one is in. Never! He has intentionally made himself completely vulnerable and totally defenseless. Now look: he is holding those children to his breast — and utterly loving it! As far as I know, this has never happened. Ever!" By this time all of the circus people who could were crowding around the cage and watching in stunned silence.

When they got off Lester, all of the other cats insisted on doing the same thing. Finally, when they were finished, Andy put her hands on her hips and in her most imperious six-year-old manner declared, "Well, this is a fine thing! We come to the circus to be entertained. Instead, you guys have us entertaining you! Now why don't you get off your dead rear ends and do something amusing."

It was as if she had cracked a loud whip. First Prince, using a huge ball that is used as a part of the elephant act, jumped on top of it and carefully rolled it in circles around the perimeter of the round cage. When he got off, the children were laughing with glee and Andy gave him a warm kiss.

Then four of the cats got to their feet and stood close together side by side. Three more carefully and gracefully got up on their backs followed by two others. Now there was a 4-3-2 pyramid, missing its apex. Prince was the last tiger left and he looked at Andy wistfully.

"You're sure you can do it?" she asked. The animal nodded its head rapidly up and down. With a lovely little grin Andy said, "Well, okay, but you better not drop me!"

With Prince lying down on the ground, Andy climbed up on his back and straddled his shoulders. The big cat then climbed up the first, then second, and finally the third layer of tigers. Because the animals are very large — nearly four feet high at the shoulders — with them standing four high, Prince's great head was well over sixteen feet above the ground; he was far above the top of the cage which only extended up ten feet. When he stood still at the top of the pyramid, Andy stood up on his back and extended her arms proudly.

Instantly there was thunderous applause from all of the circus people surrounding the cage. As experienced as they all were, they were seeing something that had never been done before, beginning with the creation of the pyramid itself.

But it wasn't over yet. At the top, Prince slowly backed up as far as he could and then extended his forepaws in a bow leaving his haunches up in the air. Then the two below did the same thing, followed by the three below them and finally the four at the base. Because of the angles downward, by the time the last tigers were in their bow Prince's back was nearly vertical and Andy was sitting on the back of his head with her legs around his neck.

"Unbelievable!" Gabel-Williams murmured, "Simply unbelievable." Then turning to the Cliffords he asked, "An idea has come to me that seems almost ridiculous, but I must ask you anyway. Would you allow your children to perform tonight in the ring? You see, what we have been seeing is a first in history. No person — ever — has seen what we have just seen. It has never happened."

Then with a warm smile he added, "I guess I've been in the circus too long. We always think of our customers. If we could let the customers see your children and the great cats ... It would utterly blow their minds! Would you? Please?"

"Oh, shit!" Ali muttered and then with a broad grin replied, "Mr. Gabel, I have a confession to make. You see, I was a motion picture actress, so there's more than a little ham in me. And since Kenny's my son, he could have caught it, too. The answer is yes if the kids are willing."

Turning to Bill she asked, "Do you agree, darling? Or am I being completely crazy and stupid?"

Bill took her into his arms and whispered in her ear, "My darling, we've known for a long time that those two are not ordinary children. They have extraordinary powers — I guess we're seeing more of them tonight. I agree, darling. We'll let them."

By this time the tigers, after first straightening up in the reverse of the way they had bowed, had slowly and gracefully dismantled their pyramid. When Gabel-Williams asked the children, they were utterly overjoyed. When Andy told the cats, it was apparent that they were delighted, too.

After cocking her head and listening, she just shook it, muttered, "Big babies!" and asked Gabel for grooming brushes. "They feel they have to look their best so Ken and I agreed we would brush their coats. May we?"

After some scurrying around, large wire-bristle brushes were found and the two children carefully groomed the giant cats who just lay flat on the ground and purred while the children worked.

By this time the huge Forum was filling for the evening performance. After the opening music, the ringmaster introduced Gabel-Williams. The trainer, now dressed in a glittering outfit of spangled white, stood in the spotlight and announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the circus! Tonight, we are not going to do our regular show. Instead, you are going to see something never seen by anyone, ever!

"You are going to see two small children, Andrea Cartwright and Kenneth Clifford, work with ten Bengal tigers right here before you using the full scope of this circus floor. Frankly, I don't even know what they will be doing. I do know that earlier this evening those two children had the cats doing things I have never seen them do before in my life!

"There is one thing I can guarantee: you will be entertained! However, for your safety, because the tigers will be running free, there will be riflemen spotted around the entire ring with orders to protect the spectators at any cost.

"Finally, a few words about the cats: First, the Bengal tiger is, with the exception of the very rare Siberian tiger, the largest cat in the world. The tigers you will see are all males and weigh, on average, 600 pounds apiece. Since I doubt if either of the children weigh even forty pounds, you will see about three tons of ferocious cat being handled by about 75 pounds of human. Since we do not know what the children will do, we cannot use an announcer. Accordingly, I will also be your announcer this evening. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Andy, Ken, and their big cats!"

Gabel-Williams was sitting at ringside with the Cliffords. Ali clutched Bill's hand as the band struck up a quick march and the spotlight moved to the corner of the ring. There were Andy and Ken with their golden bodies nearly bare but with their arms out-thrust in greeting. The two kids sprinted across the floor and then did a series of incredibly rapid somersaults as if they were trained gymnasts. After making a complete circuit of the circus floor to the wild applause of the crowd they ended up back at the entrance.

Andy took a tiny microphone and said, "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! I am Andy and this is my lover, Ken." In spite of their youth and small size, there was something about the two together that prevented any snickering at her comment about Ken being her lover.

"Now I would like to introduce the real stars of this show: the tigers. First, here is Prince." The huge animal came out, made a bow and began to trot slowly around the huge ring. She continued the introductions with Rudy, Will, Fred, King, Charles, James, Ferdie, Sasha, and Lester.

By this time the cats were all trotting in a circle and Andy and Ken moved to the center of the ring. When Andy called them, Prince led them over to the center where they formed a huge circle around the children and then simultaneously on her order, sat back on their haunches like house-cats. Again, they neatly wrapped their tails around their forepaws and just looked attentively at the children.

Gabel announced quietly, "I have never seen what you are now seeing before tonight. They look exactly like house-cats, don't they? But they are anything but! They are, in fact, perhaps the most powerful and dangerous animals on the face of this earth.

"Now listen!" he exclaimed softly. "I am going to ask that all music and noise cease at once. I want you to hear something no one alive has ever heard: the sound of ten full-grown Bengal tigers purring! Listen!"

There were gasps from the crowd as they realized what the incredibly deep sound they were hearing was.

Meanwhile, in the ring Andy grinned at the cats and said, "Okay, guys! Now it's time to entertain the paying customers. What are we going to do?" She cocked her head and said, "Okay, that sounds good."

Ken grinned at her and dashed off. A few moments later he was back followed by roustabouts rolling ten of the huge red balls. Fearfully, they positioned the balls evenly in a circle around the ring. Ken ran back, snapped his fingers and the ten great animals rose as one and fell into line. He then ran around the ring. Each time he reached a ball, the first cat in line moved aside and sat looking at the ball. When all the cats were positioned, he returned to Andy's side at the center of the ring.

She signaled to the bandleader who struck up a merry clown tune. Instantly the cats jumped up on top of the balls and began to roll them at increasing speed around the ring. Andy and Ken then ran around the inside of the perimeter of tigers encouraging each one by name. The animals seemed very excited and pleased.

Again Gabel-Williams announced, "Cats can't do what you're seeing. At least, I have never seen or heard of it ever being done. Could we have some applause? They are really doing a wonderful job!" The applause burst like thunder as the tigers were now racing around the ring with their paws going backward on the balls so fast they were now only yellow blurs.

"Okay, guys, that's enough," Andy called quietly. The animals slowed the balls, stopped them and very gracefully dismounted, returning to their circle at the center of the ring. When they were again seated, Andy went from one to the next, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, thanking him for the performance. Now the purring was so loud it drowned out all other noises.