The Maui Effect (Man-Made Trilogy #1)

Surprises

‘Iwa

Life will always, always, always surprise you. You can count on that just as much as you can count on a beautiful Haleakalā sunrise , her mother used to say. ‘Iwa was ready for a surprise. Something happy and bright and good. Something to turn things around. And wouldn’t you know it, life delivered. But not in the way she was hoping for.

Surprisingly, Dane was up early the next morning. ‘Iwa helped him into the wheelchair and they went out onto the porch to watch the sunrise. Spears of yellow light filtered through the trees, spreading onto the dew-covered grass. They were both bundled up in blankets, sipping dark roast coffee and soaking up the stillness. Dane hadn’t asked for a pain pill yet, and ‘Iwa had her fingers crossed that today would be the day. Maybe seeing the waves up close had shifted something in him.

She closed her eyes. “Did you know that your eyes can absorb all that Vitamin D from the sun even when they’re closed?”

“Never heard that one, but I do know Vitamin D is as essential as oxygen. It’s sunshine in vitamin form.”

“Probably why you surfers are such a healthy bunch.”

“And you Hawaiians,” he added.

‘Iwa shrugged. “You know what they say. Lucky we live Hawai’i. ”

“Would you ever live anywhere else?”

His question caught her off guard. “Right now, it’s my home and I’m happy there. But who knows, down the road. I could feel differently.”

Doubtful.

The truth of the matter was, being on the mainland, as nice as Santa Cruz was, was sucking the life out of her. Maybe it would be different if Dane was his old self, but maybe not.

“You’re lucky to have roots like that,” he said.

“You have roots. They might not go as deep, but look at the life you’ve created here and all the beautiful souls you’ve surrounded yourself with. Your branches are broad, and that makes up for shallower roots.”

He smiled, and it sent shockwaves through her. He still had it in him.

That night, Yeti invited them over for tapas, along with a random assortment of other Santa Cruz friends. As with the group in Ensenada, they were all hip, all outdoorsy, all salt of the earth. One couple owned a local candle business, another ran a doggie day care, and yet another, an organic winery. Expensive wine flowed freely, as everyone sat around a big fire pit on the lānai . The glasses were double oversized, but what the hell, ‘Iwa felt like she could use a little too much wine about now.

Dane was drinking, too, even though they both knew he wasn’t supposed to. His chipper morning mood had gone south as soon as he’d taken his first pill at ten. Now every time she looked, someone was topping him off. Not her problem. He was a big boy, and she wasn’t his mother. ‘Iwa stuffed herself with cheese and crackers, olives and nuts, and crusty sourdough bread, and then did what she did best: sat back, warmed her toes by the fire and observed. Yeti busted out his guitar and plucked idly, adding a new layer of folksy ambience. It would have been perfect a month ago.

Then, a dark-haired man with a Kiwi accent arrived with a woman who from the side looked a lot like Sunny. ‘Iwa felt her face heat up, and tried to get a better look, but the woman shifted so it was impossible to tell for sure.

Kama went up and simultaneously shook his hand and gave him a half hug. “Luke, buddy, it’s good to see you. I had no idea you were in town,” ‘Iwa heard him say.

‘Iwa did not have the energy for this, and wished she was back home in the forest, or playing at Uncle’s with Winston, or hanging with Koa on the living room floor. It all seemed too much.

Hope suddenly appeared next to ‘Iwa and sat down. “Mind if I sit?”

“Of course not.”

“Luke is visiting from New Zealand, Muriwai is his home break. But why he’s here with Sunny is anybody’s guess.”

“So it is her.”

“Yeah but don’t give it a second thought. They were over long before you two were a thing.”

“Not that long.”

“You don’t have anything to worry about, ‘Iwa, trust me on that,” Hope said.

‘Iwa sighed. “I’m not worried, just tired, I guess? It feels like Dane is retreating into this dark place in his own mind, and I don’t have the power to stop him.”

“It worries me, too, but he’ll snap out of it. He’s the strongest guy I know.”

‘Iwa watched Luke move over to Dane and fall into conversation with him—the two obviously knew each other—Hope left to make her rounds, and ‘Iwa drank more wine. More platters of food appeared and everyone seemed loose and happy. Even Dane. Voices grew louder, one of the couples started slow dancing, and ‘Iwa somehow found herself sitting with Luke, enjoying the sound of his Kiwi accent as they compared Hawai’i and Aotearoa. Birds. Trees. Indigenous cultures.

“Aotearoa is like Hawai’i through the looking glass. Everything’s a little bigger and a little older on the evolutionary scale. You’d love all the flightless birds. And we have penguins on the South Island—Te Waipounamu,” he told her.

Aside from being a surfer, Luke made wire sculptures of animals and Maori atua , or gods. He was fascinating and well carved, but ‘Iwa didn’t care. She only had eyes for one man. When she finally pulled her attention away, she caught Dane watching her. She smiled, but he turned and wheeled himself inside the house. She poured herself more wine and didn’t go after him.

When he had disappeared inside, Luke said, “He’s having a rough go at it, I reckon?”

Tears pooled in her eyes. “Very.”

Feeling extra weepy and hanging on by a hair, ‘Iwa unloaded on him the whole story. Luke knew how to listen. When she finished, he looked her hard in the eye. “You can’t feel guilty for something that’s not your fault.”

It struck her then that this went deeper than Dane. This went back to her mother and that horrible, dreadful feeling of not being able to save her. The powerlessness had been crushing, and now she was trying to save Dane.

To save them .

“Sometimes we can’t save people, all we can do is love them. But even that isn’t always enough,” he said.

Sometime later, buzzed and in need of the bathroom, ‘Iwa went inside. No one was in the kitchen or living area, but she thought she heard Dane’s voice coming down the hallway. The lights were on low, and she heard the sound of a woman’s laughter. She moved in that direction, heat pricking the back of her neck. Yeti had a movie room in the back of the house, and ‘Iwa approached cautiously, remaining in the shadows for a few moments before entering. The scene before her took a moment to register, and then there was no air left in her lungs.

Dane and Sunny were the only two there. ‘Iwa scanned the room hoping to see someone with them. Another warm body, another woman who might have been laughing. But they were alone. The scene unfolded in slow motion from there. Sunny in Dane’s lap. Their heads close together. Were they kissing? No, that couldn’t be right. ‘Iwa steadied herself against the wall, unable to believe what she was seeing. Sunny stood up, but Dane yanked her back into his lap. She landed hard. Dane pulled her face down and kissed her deeply. Stop , ‘Iwa wanted to scream, but the words caught in her throat. Sunny kissed him back, then pushed away. She was looking right at ‘Iwa in the doorway. Their eyes met. ‘Iwa reversed out, then turned and ran.