“We’re in the middle of the bush,” Jake called back. “What do you expect?”
“Okay, Tarzan. You don’t have to be a jackass!”
Much to my disbelief, two elephant trunks popped up and started slurping my pool water.
My heart raced. “Jake!” I called frantically. “Get out here!”
He rushed out. “What’s the matter?”
“Look!”
He smiled. “Looks like you’ve got company. How rude of you not to offer them a drink. They had to get their own.”
“Ha-ha,” I said, rolling my eyes at him yet again.
“Don’t worry. We’re high enough that they can’t trample us.”
Jake went inside and grabbed his camera to snap a few shots of our priceless encounter with Dumbo and Jumbo. I couldn’t wait to send the photos to Nadia. I stayed still, so as not to spook them as they drank away, trying to quench their thirst. Although my heart was pounding, it was one of the neatest things I’d ever seen. Jake and I looked at each other and chuckled.
Jake suddenly pointed down. “Your phone!”
I followed his gaze and saw an adorable but ornery-looking monkey on the deck, playing with my most prized possession. “My cell!” I rushed out of the pool and grabbed Jake’s arm. “Jake, you have to get it. I’ll be lost without my phone. It has everything on it. It’s my life!”
He rushed inside and came out with an apple, which he knelt down and offered to the monkey. “Hungry, fella?”
The animal started making hooting sounds that varied in pitch and volume. Then it let out a long screech and threw the phone.
Jake picked up the phone as the monkey snatched the apple, then darted into the trees. “You might wanna put your phone away. They love shiny objects,” Jake said. “Wouldn’t want our newfound friends playing volleyball, soccer, and basketball with this thing, now would we?”
I wrapped myself in a towel. “Thanks, Jake. I can’t believe my cell almost got hijacked by a monkey.”
“First elephants and now monkeys. What’s next?” he asked.
We both looked at each other and burst out in laughter.
* * *
I wore a long, blue dress with a sweetheart neckline and pinned my hair in an elegant up-do. I wanted something chic and elegant, yet simple and glittery to complement my outfit. So I opted to go with my cubic zirconia collection, a diamond necklace, studs, and a tennis bracelet. Jake wore a white dress shirt with brown slacks. I could see the outline of his muscles stretching across his bulging arms and chest. I couldn’t help but breathe a little harder. It may be cliché, but he was tall, dark, and handsome.
I could feel his heated gaze on me and looked away.
“You look beautiful,” he said.
“Thank you,” I said, smiling. “You look really nice too.”
“Are you ready?”
“Sure.”
We headed to a lavish feast in the middle of the bush with a few other couples. Jake looped his arm in mine and we strolled down a lantern-lit pathway where intimate tables clustered around a fancy buffet under the African night sky. Everyone was happy and smiling, the mood relaxed. A woman smiled and handed us each a flute of French champagne. The place was lit up with dozens of Moroccan lanterns, hanging from the tree branches. Candles lit all the tables dressed in fancy white linens, and everything looked so romantic, elegant, and magical. I felt like I was in a fairytale romance. The tables were beautifully decorated with arrangements of flowers, fine china, and crystal glasses. The moon sliced through the darkness and illuminated the sky, bouncing its light off the stars that pierced the black velvet. We talked to the hosts and some of the other travelers. Everyone was so nice, and we all shared our stories and adventures.
I loved listening to the harmony of nocturnal animals and insects, singing like a choir all around me. We stargazed over our flutes of champagne and made lots of small talk.
“This is one vacation I’ll never forget,” Jake said.
“It’s breathtaking,” I said. “I can’t wait to get back and put a scrapbook together. I’ve gotten so many wonderful and fantastic shots of the animals and landscape.”
“I’m having the best time.”