Under a Maui Moon

by Robin Jones Gunn

  “Completely serious.”

  “Then my answer is the same now as it was the first time you asked me to marry you. Yes, please.”

  “I did not ask you to marry me. You asked me.” Carissa linked her arm in Richard’s and gave it a squeeze. Grinning up at him she said, “Or are you getting too old to remember such details?”

  He playfully squeezed her back, adding a rib tickle.

  Gordon had his Bible out and open and appeared ready to begin before they lost another moment of the sunset. “All right then, you, Richard, you stand right here. And you, Carissa, the beautiful bride, you stand right there. Yes, just like that, with the sunset behind you. What a couple you two make. Are you ready?”

  Carissa and Richard exchanged fond glances and both turned to face Gordon. Teri had picked up Carissa’s camera and motioned that she was going to take pictures.

  “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God and some of his children to ask his rich blessing on Richard and Carissa, as they reaffirm their sacred vows of marriage.”

  Gordon opened his Bible. Carissa thought he was going to read from 1 Corinthians 13, the familiar love chapter Irene had recited earlier and that had been read at their wedding twenty-four years ago. Instead, he started with a passage from 1 John: “‘In this is love; not that we love God, but that he loved us.’”

  He gave a brief, off-the-cuff talk about how God’s love is unending, unstoppable, and unfathomable. “We are given the privilege of entering into that love and sharing it with others. No place is the picture of God’s love demonstrated more clearly than between a man and wife.”

  Then Gordon chose a heady passage from the Song of Solomon for the close. “So ‘kiss me with the kisses of your mouth! For your love is better than wine.’”

  With a broad grin, he asked the important questions of each of them that signified the renewal of their vows.

  Looking into each other’s eyes and clasping hands, they each replied on cue with, “I do.”

  “Then to signify the recommitment of your union, I invite you as husband and wife to kiss again. And again. And again.”

  Carissa looked into her husband’s strong face as Richard took her face in his hands, tilted her chin up and kissed her deeply. They drew back and gazed into each other’s eyes, smiling.

  “All right,” Gordon said with his lighthearted voice returning. “That should do it. See if that doesn’t hold for another couple of decades. If it doesn’t stick, I’ll let you know where to find me, and we can give it another go.”

  Teri gave Carissa a wink and a grin as she handed back the camera. “God bless, you guys.”

  “Thanks,” Richard said. “I think he has.”

  Gordon and Teri said their good-byes and headed back to the birthday party. Richard wrapped his arm around Carissa’s middle, and the two of them strolled barefoot down the beach. They whispered flirty little tendernesses to each other, laughed, kissed, and lingered on the beach as the final fading hues of pink, orange, and plum faded from the sky. Together, they spotted the first evening star.

  “So where do we go from here?” Carissa asked.

  “I don’t know exactly. But we’re going to go there together. And I think we need to start by extending our time here. How do you feel about spending another week, but with me this time?”

  “I would love it!”

  “Good. Because it’s all arranged.”

  He kissed her. She kissed him. The trade winds began to undo her hair.

  “Come with me,” Carissa said with a beguiling smile.

  Hand in hand they returned to where they had left Richard’s beachcomber hat and Carissa’s towel.

  “Nice disguise, by the way.”

  “You like that? I bought it at a shop across the street along with this snazzy shirt.” Richard led her to where he had parked his rental car, and Carissa laughed. The two of them had shopped in the same store, only she was there an hour before him. They slipped into the car and headed up the hill.

  Twilight had come quickly. With quiet steps around the side of Dan and Irene’s home, Carissa led the way past the verdant garden and approached the cottage.

  “This is where you’ve been staying? Wow, this is amazing.”

  “I know.” Carissa smiled. Everything she had experienced and loved about the island she could now share with her husband and so much more.

  They were about to step up onto the porch when Richard let go of the handle of his suitcase and said, “Wait. Put your things down.”

  She complied, standing in front of him empty-handed.

  “Do you have the key?”

  “It’s in the mail basket, right there.”

  Richard unlocked the front door and propped it open. With a boyish grin, he came toward her. She knew what he was about to attempt and immediately protested. “If you try to pick me up and carry me over the threshold, you’re going to hurt your back.”

  “No, I won’t.”

  “I’m not the same girl I was twenty-four years ago.”

  “Yes, you are.” Richard paused and grinned. “There’s just a little more of you to love.”

  Carissa took no offense at his words. She tilted back her head, playfully laughing along with him. The sight that caught her eye made her reach for his arm. “Oh, Richard, look! Do you see it?”

  Peeking between the languid leaves of the banana trees was the fullest butterball of a moon Carissa had ever seen. The shadows of the craters across the face of the moon gave a strong impression of a pleasant grin.

  “It’s the face of Ke Akua,” Carissa said, looping her arm around Richard’s neck and resting her head on his shoulder. “I think he’s smiling on us.”

  Richard kissed her on the temple and peered with her at the grinning moon. As they watched, a silver jet stream appeared just beneath the golden orb, etching a smudged line through the illuminated night sky. To Carissa, the airplane seemed to be swimming through the foreboding midnight blue, determined to reunite some other woman with the one she loved.

  Carissa drew closer to Richard. He was the one she loved. He always had been. He always would be. She knew they still had a lot of adjustments to make and problems to solve once they returned home. But now Carissa knew they would be working through everything together. And as he always had been, God was with them.

  He kissed her again, first on the cheek, and then warmly on her upturned lips. With both his arms flexed and ready for the task at hand, Richard scooped up his bride and held her tight. Carissa smiled. She leaned in as Richard carried her over the threshold and shut the front door with a backward kick of his heel.

  She had a pretty good idea the next chapter of their love story was about to begin right here, in this blessed hideaway, tucked in under a Maui moon.

  Benediction

  The Queen’s Prayer

  Nolaila e ka Haku

  Ma lalo kou ‘eheu

  Ko makou maluhia

  A mau loa aku no.

  Amene.

  And so, O Lord

  Protect us beneath your wings

  And let peace be our portion

  Now and forever more.

  Amen.

  Our family has camped a number of times here at Haleakala National Park campground. During our last trip, I peered from my tent our first morning and captured this sunrise. I knew one day I’d write a story about a woman who would come camping here and be stunned by the beauty.

  Kipahulu, near Hana, is the setting for where Irene and Carissa took their leisurely swim in the waterfall pools. This is a popular spot for tourists, but my favorite time to come here for a swim is always at first light before anyone else arrives. Ka’ahumanu was born in a cave not far from this area.

  The walk from the campground to the waterfalls provides lots of time and space for pondering. When we were there I could just “see” Carissa taking this stroll and thinking about how her life challenges would begin to untangle.

  The graveyard where Charles Lindber
gh is buried is a beautiful, sacred space. On one of our visits here with another family and their grown children, all nine of us entered the church and sang together, hymn after hymn. The sweet sound filled the small chapel and drew all of us closer together.

  Ahhh, the Pacific Ocean that surrounds the island of Maui! Throughout the story Carissa took leisurely swims in this vast, blue body of balmy bliss.

  The interior of the Bishop Memorial Chapel at the Kamehameha Schools on Oahu is crafted of native koa wood and is breathtaking. Just like Carissa and Irene, I had the privilege of speaking to the students here in 2008. What did I talk about? The life of Ka’ahumanu, of course.

  Interview with Robin Jones Gunn

  Is it true that you’ve always been a storyteller?

  Yes. And I have proof! A few years ago my mom gave me a box filled with childhood mementos including my grade-school report cards. The teacher’s note on my report card from first grade said, “Robin has not yet grasped her basic math skills but she does keep the entire class entertained with her stories at rug time.” How’s that for early evidence? And I’m still challenged when it comes to math.

  When it was clear that you were a storyteller, did you naturally decide you wanted to be a writer?

  No. I wanted to be a missionary. I thought there was no higher calling than going to an unreached people group in some remote corner of the world and telling them about God’s love. A long time ago a good friend told me that telling stories is simply what God created me to do and I shouldn’t fight it. I didn’t like their conclusion but I did like telling stories so that’s what I put my heart into doing. Now, almost three decades later, I’ve discovered that exactly what I longed for has happened—my books have found their way to remote corners of the world and through the stories many people are hearing about God’s love.

  What does the writing process look like for you?

  I start by dreaming up a main character. She becomes a compilation of real-life friends as well as some of my own faults and foibles. Once I can “see” her in my mind’s eye and feel as if we are truly “imaginary” friends, then I ask her quite candidly, “What is your biggest problem right now?” As soon as she tells me I start spinning all the possibilities of what could happen along the way as that problem gets resolved. I don’t usually know the ending of the story or the way her problem gets resolved. That seems to happen organically as the story unfolds.

  This process often feels as if I’ve started out standing on a riverbank observing the scenery and tossing a few pebbles of possibility into the story to see what happens. Then I put my toes in and start writing. At some point I find I’ve waded in deeper and deeper until I’m immersed and can easily swim around inside the story. At that point the story seems to move me along on its current and I just keep my head up and type as fast as I can.

  Aside from your strong love for Hawaii, what other parts in Under a Maui Moon were inspired from your own life?

  Well, to be quite transparent, I’ll tell you that my husband is a counselor. He specializes in counseling men who struggle with sexual addiction. Like Carissa, I experienced a frightening situation one night when I was home alone and because of my husband’s line of work I did not feel safe in my own home. My similarities to Carissa’s experience end there but that one event planted seeds in my imagination for this story. I wanted to see what would happen when a woman like Carissa started to believe that “everything is redeemable” and that men who struggle with this prevalent problem are worth going after and helping through to the other side of the addiction. For helpful information on understanding sexual addiction, please visit www.skyviewcounseling.com.

  Do you receive a lot of responses from your readers?

  Yes, I do. It’s always a happy day when I hear back from a reader.

  One of the most curious things to me is hearing what readers take away from a story. Many times readers will say that a certain part of a book was just what they needed to hear. However, what they got out of the book wasn’t at all what I was thinking when I wrote that part. Sometimes my favorite parts never receive comments while other parts carry deep meaning for the reader. It’s such a lovely mystery the way that happens. I’ve come to believe even more humbly in the power of fiction. A story that comes from the heart will most certainly touch another heart. If that is how you felt as you read this story, I would love to hear from you. You can contact me at Robinsnest@robingunn.com or go to my website, www.robingunn.com, to sign up for my Robin’s Nest Newsletter.

  ROBIN JONES GUNN is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than seventy books, with combined sales of more than 4 million copies worldwide. She is a sought-after international speaker and serves on the Board of Directors for Media Associates International and the Board of Advisors for Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild. She and her husband have two grown children and live near Portland, Oregon.

  Other novels by Robin Jones Gunn

  The Christy Miller Series

  The Sierra Jensen Series

  Christy and Todd the College Years

  The Katie Weldon Series

  The Glenbrooke Series

  The Sisterchicks® Series

  Discussion Questions for

  Under a Maui Moon

  1. Carissa is bitter and disheartened early in the story. What “external influencers” feed her emotional reaction? What “internal influencers” feed her emotions?

  2. When you, like Carissa, are overwhelmed by life, where (or what) is your “Island Hideaway”?

  3. How do these verses apply to Carissa’s story and to our lives? Psalm 32:7, Psalm 61:1—8, 1 Peter 5: 7—10.

  4. Carissa’s emotional baggage from her father’s departure affects her marriage. Jot down emotional baggage you might be carrying that is affecting relationships in your life. Share this with the group or with someone you trust if you think it might help you to have accountability in giving the past, present, and future to God. How does 1 Peter 5:7 apply to our baggage?

  5. A number of marriages are depicted in this story. List and describe each. What can be learned from each one about successful or less than successful ways of relating to a loved one?

  6. What changes took place in Richard and Carissa that caused them to renew their love for each other?

  7. Kai represents a temptation in Carissa’s life. What temptations or fantasies do you hold on to rather than appreciating what you have?

  8. How does the moon and its various phases as Carissa sees them represent her relationship with God?

  9. What insights to relationships does Carissa gain from Irene?

  10. Which of the hymns at the opening of the chapters meant the most to you? Why?

  11. Kai, Carissa, Joel, and Maile discuss addictions in Chapter 21. What did you learn about addictions in this chapter that you hadn’t realized before?

  12. During Carissa’s lecture in front of the students, Ka’ahumanu’s life becomes linked to Carissa’s life. What insights does Carissa gain about her relationships with God and her husband during her talk? What leads her to recommit herself to God?

  About the Author

  AT MY FIRST WRITERS’ conference more than twenty-five years ago I was given this advice:

  Write about what you know.

  Since my husband and I were involved in youth ministry at the time I knew a bit about teens and began writing the still-popular Christy Miller series. Over the years I’ve come to know what a gift it is to have close friendships and so I wrote about love and friendships in the Glenbrooke series and the Sisterchicks® series.

  Then three summers ago my husband and I were on the island of Maui celebrating our thirtieth wedding anniversary and I asked God, “What should I write about for the next twenty-five years?” The answer floated to me on the gentle trade wind.

  Write about what you love.

  Ahhh. Yes. Write about what I love. At the top of my “What I Love” list are the Hawaiian Islands. Our honeymoon was on Oahu and our family live
d on Maui for a year in the 1990s. Even though we’ve called Portland, Oregon, our home for many years, and love it here, our family returns to the islands every chance we get. Our aloha ‘aina (love of the land) grows with each visit.

  While we were living on Maui I picked up a Hawaiian history book in the reference section of the Lahaina library. Never would I have guessed how that book would ignite a passion in me for the people and places of Old Hawaii. I joined the Calabash Cousins of the Daughters of Hawai’i and began making trips to the Mission Houses Museum in Honolulu to research original documents held in the archives.

  What fascinates me the most is that everything the women on the islands felt and struggled with one hundred fifty years ago are still common issues for women today. In my research of Ka’ahumanu, I found her to be a woman of great strength who used her influence and power to change the course of a nation. I love seeing women who get their strength back after a rough season. I call it “getting their heart back.” I can relate. I’ve been through such seasons. I’m guessing you have, too.

  As I was writing Under a Maui Moon I felt so sympathetic toward Carissa. Everything came at her at once and she could have made some decisions that would have changed the course of her life. But, as in real life, God had His hand on her. He was relentless in His pursuit of her and I think once she caught a glimpse of how Ka’ahumanu “made herself strong,” Carissa began to get her heart back.

  If this story could come wrapped in a pule (prayer) for each of you readers, my prayer would be that you would make yourself strong and that you would get your heart back.

  I’d love to keep in touch. Would you like to receive my Robin’s Nest Newsletter? You can sign up at www.robingunn.com. You can also connect with me through Facebook on the Robin Jones Gunn fan page or on Twitter via RobinGunn.