Page 44 of Winging It with You

Theo

Bali Elephant Sanctuary

Bali, Indonesia

I don’t know what’s more terrifying: driving through the chaotic, narrow streets of Bali or the fact that Jo thought it was smart to lend Asher the van.

He’s sporadically weaving in and out of morning traffic, and on more than one occasion, I’ve braced for impact in fear of colliding with another speeding vehicle.

Or worse, a slew of unsuspecting locals.

Thankfully, we arrive at whatever secret location Asher was navigating us to unscathed.

I’m not going to officially label him as a bad driver, considering we’re in a different country.

And even though I’m a big fan of the old ten-and-two driving technique, he gets bonus points for holding my hand the entire time.

But I’m also not going to pretend like I wasn’t eternally grateful when the car was safely put in park.

Looking over at Asher, I see genuine excitement written all over his gorgeous face. I’ve seen him snarky and bothered. Unamused, annoyed, and vulnerable, even. But excited? This feels like a first.

We both exit the car only to reach for each other’s hands again and walk in lockstep toward the thick greenery before us.

I hear them before I see them.

“Shut. Up,” I say, stopping in my tracks. “Elephants? Are you kidding me?”

Asher’s face erupts into the most infectious grin.

“Elephants,” he says, yanking my arm and taking off in a run through the rows of palm trees and native plants.

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“Hey, um…Theo? A little help here.” Asher laughs even though there’s a slight panic filling his voice.

We are both sitting in a shallow, tiled kiddie pool with a pair of rambunctious baby elephants who are unintentionally smothering us with excited affection.

Their skin is thick and rough but somehow still soft to the touch.

Their not-so-little trunks effectively challenge us to back-to-back arm-wrestling contests in search of the pieces of bamboo we were provided by the sanctuary staff, which we quickly ran out of.

My jaw has been on the floor since the very moment we stepped foot in the sprawling elephant sanctuary; never in a million years did I think this was something I’d get to experience in my lifetime.

Let alone with him.

“If the two of you have had enough fun with Alba and Aster over here, we’re all set for you at the bathing lake,” says Yanie, our smiling guide. She kneels at the edge of the pool, fresh bamboo in hand. Alba and Aster quickly forget that we exist and clumsily charge toward the snack Yanie offers.

Yanie leads the way through the winding paths of the sanctuary as people hurry through the expansive reserve.

“The grounds are larger than I was expecting,” I say to Yanie, venturing alongside her through the thick vegetation.

“Our park is set on almost ten acres of land that’s been intentionally landscaped to mimic the native home, Sumatra, of our elephants.

” She points to the greenery all around us.

“As Bali’s only dedicated rescue facility, everything we do is to ensure comfort and care for these critically endangered animals. ”

“Critically endangered?” Asher asks, his face full of concern.

“Unfortunately, in 2012, these elephants’ status changed from endangered to critically endangered because in a single generation, half their population was lost due to rapid habitat loss and human conflict.”

It’s heartbreaking. These gentle giants hold such innocence behind their big eyes, and during our introductory tour earlier, we learned just how intelligent they are.

“But as you can see,” Yanie says, leading us through a break in the greenery to reveal the most picturesque man-made lake, “we’ve done everything we can to create a loving and healthy environment for them where they can live out their days free of harm.”

At least a dozen elephants of various sizes are escaping the heat, enjoying their time in the water. The playful trumpeting of their trunks fills the air as they splash around like happy children. It’s awe-inspiring and a privilege to witness.

“Theo? Asher? Are you ready to meet your new best pals?”

Yanie steps aside and one of her coworkers leads two larger- than-life elephants through the shallows of the water. We step toward the lake’s edge and Asher squeezes my hand.

“Asher, I’d like to introduce you to Bernie,” Yanie says, patting the elephant to her right. Asher drops my hand to reach out and greet his new companion. He cranes his neck while petting the side of Bernie’s big head, the most radiant smile on his face. My heart swells.

“And Theo, this big guy right here is Juno.”

I step forward and give Juno a courteous bow, which causes everyone to laugh. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, kind sir!” Juno appears to appreciate the formality of my greeting and wraps his heavy trunk around my torso, which I’m choosing to believe is his version of a hug.

“Feel free to give them a scrub with those,” Yanie says, pointing to the oversize brushes on our right. “We’ll let you all get acquainted.”

Juno and Bernie stand side by side while Asher and I grab a brush and uncoil the hose to get to work.

I’m honestly shocked he hasn’t muttered a single word about the heat or the mud or even the flies I’m just now noticing, but I take that as a sign he might actually be enjoying himself.

We work in tandem, Asher spraying the elephants’ rough and muddy skin and me following behind with a brush, scrubbing them down.

“Isn’t this incredible?” Asher shouts over his shoulder, excitedly pointing out the elephants lounging in the water to our left, showering one another with their long trunks.

“It’s…surreal.” It’s like a scene from a movie or straight out of a nature documentary.

I watch as both Bernie and Juno dip their impressive trunks into the water pooling at their feet and point them in our direction, showering Asher and me with a watery sneak attack.

“Go ahead and take a dip!” Yanie shouts from where she sits farther down the shoreline.

“What do you say, Ash? Down for a swi…” But before I can even finish my sentence, Asher drops the hose and takes off toward the water. I don’t know who this adventurous person is that’s seemingly body-swapped with my little indoor cat, but I love it.

Reaching forward, I give Juno an ear scratch of appreciation before running off to join Asher. But Bernie and Juno appear to lose interest in us and mosey on their way to join their real friends, leaving Asher and me alone to bob up and down in the lake.

“Can you even beli—” he starts when I meet him where he’s treading water.

Now’s not the time to talk. I crush my lips to his, cutting him off, and wrap my arms around him as we both struggle to tread water.

I pour every ounce of appreciation and feeling I have into him.

His lips turn upward into an uncontrollable smile against mine as he weaves his fingers through my wet hair.

“Thank you for this,” I say, loosening my grip on him slightly so we don’t accidentally drown and cause a scene. I know in my heart that a simple thank-you doesn’t even begin to cut it, but it’s all I’ve got right now. “This just might be the best day of my life.”

“Honestly? Mine too.” Asher kisses me on the cheek, his smirk widening as he starts swimming after Bernie and Juno. “Come on!”

I laugh and follow him, still taken off guard by his spontaneity. If there’s one thing I’ve learned after getting to know Asher, it’s not to underestimate him.

We lounge in the shallow waters, feeding the elephants bamboo and random chunks of fruit and vegetables to their hearts’ content and laughing when they spray us from their trunks.

We kiss behind a small waterfall and hold hands like real boyfriends do, and not once do I question whether any of this is real.

“So, you and me,” I finally ask, my arms tight around Asher. His hair is wild and he’s got flecks of mud on both cheeks, but he’s never looked more stunning. “We’re really doing this, huh?”

“Only if you promise to bring me some mozzarella sticks,” he teases, but then gently cups my cheeks and claims my lips.

This day came completely out of left field. But it was everything I didn’t know I wanted. And after today and last night, it’s getting harder to imagine a future where I don’t find comfort when his hand is in mine.

Where his smile isn’t the first and last thing I hope to see each day.

A future where Asher Bennett isn’t my person.