Page 45 of Only Time Will Tell

“Keep going, something else is waking up first,” he teased, pushing that sexy ass back.

“There’s no time for that, baby. We need to grab a quick bite to eat at the coffee shop in the lobby, so we don’t miss our bus. Trust me, you’re going to love this.” I sucked his earlobe then hopped out of bed.

“Fucking tease,” he tried for angry but failed and got right up, which wasn’t typical Charlie. He was not a morning person. “What should I wear?”

“Shorts, hiking boots, hat. And bring sunscreen. Do you have a camera?” I asked, lacing up my hiking boots.

“No, I use my phone for that.” We brushed our teeth, put on our hats, grabbed the backpack, and were off.

Lattes and breakfast sandwiches in hand, we boarded the bus. I couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when the tour guide announced where we were going. Once the bus was full, the guide hopped on and began his spiel.

“Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest and Sanctuary Tour. My name is Martin, and I’ll be your guide for the day.”

Charlie squeezed my thigh, and the excitement on his face brought mine out. But at least, he didn’t scream this time.

“There are a few rules we need to cover before we leave. The first and most important one is, don’t feed the monkeys anything other than the bananas available for purchase at the counter inside the Monkey Forest. They are on a specific diet, and many human foods can be detrimental not only to their health and well-being, but to yours as well because they can sniff it out. This can also cause more than one monkey to approach you, which could spur not only a fight between them, but potentially risk injury to yourself as well as others around you. With that being said, we ask that you dispose of all food and beverages in the waste cans provided right as we get off the bus.

“Second, no plastics such as bags and water bottles are allowed inside the sanctuary. Please leave these items at the ticket counters where you can retrieve them when we leave the park today. If you do not need them, please properly dispose of them in the waste cans as well.

“Third and last, please do not remove any items from the sanctuary or temples. These items serve a purpose and must remain in place. If you wish to purchase memories from today’s excursion, please visit the gift shop before you get back on the bus.

“There are more than six-hundred Balinese long-tailed monkeys residing in the one-hundred and fifteen species of trees that embody the spirit of this sacred forest. The Temples here date back to the fourteenth century and have withstood Mother Nature and the test of time. Please treat them with respect.

“We’re here!” he announced as we pulled into the lot. “Welcome everyone and again, please dispose of your food and waste in the receptacles before entering. And most of all, enjoy your visit!”

As we entered the park, the sense of peace and tranquility in the forest surrounding the Hindu temples instantly transported us back in time, a time where there were no crowds, no vehicles polluting the air, no trash running rampant through the streets. The temples were an inspiration in themselves. The care taken to maintain these massive monuments spoke to the pride the community had for the ancestors. It was a moving experience, to say the least, and one that didn’t require a tainted pocket watch.

Traditional garb was worn by all who entered the sacred shrines, performing prayer-filled ceremonies to thank their God for providing for them and watching over their loved ones who’d passed on. Silently we stood, observing the sanctity of their rituals that left us with a sense of peace and harmony.

A mother monkey and her baby scurried past us, unsure of the humans who’d entered their home. They stopped, having reached their destination, but never took their eyes off us. I snapped a picture, not noticing at first that I’d caught Charlie in it as well. But when I did, the childlike innocence on his face took my breath away.

“What?” he asked at my surprised expression.

When I didn’t answer, he came around to look at what I was staring at on my phone.

“Ugh, I hate myself in hats. You’ll need to crop me out of that picture.”

“You’re stunning,” I mumbled, still staring at my phone, but knowing that picture would soon be framed and sitting on my desk.

“You’re biased,” he said as he turned away, clearly missing the beauty I saw reflected on my phone screen.

“Maybe, maybe not.”

We continued following the group. Charlie decided he wanted to feed the monkeys, so we bought some bananas from the stand. Before he had the first one peeled, a troop surrounded us. But he didn’t care. His smile was a mile wide, and when one of them landed on his shoulder, he was in heaven. The monkey turned, tickling Charlie’s neck and face with his beard, making him giggle. I was able to capture a video of the entire feeding while one of the forest workers stood nearby in case we required assistance. As soon as the bananas were gone, the monkeys moved on.

By the time the tour was over, we were wiped out. Charlie made sure to pick out gifts for everyone back home. Once we were back on the bus, Charlie weaved our fingers together. “Alex, that was beyond words. This is something I’ll never forget.”

“I’m glad you liked it. When we get back to the room, do you want to nap and then go out to dinner, or should we bond with the room service waiter again?”

He laughed. “Ugh, I’m not sure. Right now, my body says room service and a nap, but I think we should hit the little deli and grab a quick bite before we crash. Then when we get up, we’ll see how we feel about dinner. Sound like a plan?”

“Sounds like the perfect plan. I think tomorrow should be a lazy beach day.” A day of rest and relaxation between events was the best way to go. I couldn’t remember the last time I walked this much, and my feet have had enough for one day.

“I can’t wait. Blue waters and a gorgeous man on the lounge chair beside me, I’m in heaven,” he said.

When the bus came to a stop in front of our hotel, we thanked the tour guide and headed straight for the sandwich shop. We ate and chose a golf cart ride back to our cabana. After nearly falling asleep in the shower, we toweled off, laid down, and didn’t move until the next morning.

Charlie scratched at the stubble on my face, waking me. “I love the scruffy look on you.”