Whispers by Robin Jones Gunn

not feeling too terrific.”
    “Is she all right?”
    “I think she will be. On the way home from church remind me to stop to pick up some 7-Up and crackers,” Dan said.
    They drove north toward the Halekuali’i Resort. “Have you been to our church before?”
    “No.”
    “It’s different than you might expect. We love it. Not everyone from the mainland feels like we do, though.”
    “You mean us
haoles
don’t fit into your church?”
    Dan looked surprised and a little pleased that she had remembered the Hawaiian word. “No, I mean it’s not what you’re used to. That’s all.”
    When they parked in the church’s lot, Teri thought the building looked enchanting. Its appearance welcomed them, with a tall steeple and thick, green foliage around the church’s sides. Painted bright white with deep green trim, the structure was one of the original churches built by the missionaries more than a hundred years ago. Dozens of parishioners gathered on the lush carpet of grass surrounding the building.
    She noticed several older women standing by the front door dressed in loose fitting, flower print mu’umu’us with fragrant plumeria leis strung over their arms. She guessed they were the official greeters. She also guessed that this church would be quite traditional. Perhaps even some of the service would be given in Hawaiian.
    Dan greeted a few of his friends as he and Teri wove their way across the lawn, through pockets of chatting adults and children running around. No one seemed to be in much of a hurry. When they reached the steps, the woman on the right crooned, “Welcome.
Aloha
.” She placed a lei around Teri’s neck and softly kissed her on the cheek.
    “Thank you,” Teri said.
    Dan stepped in behind her and gave each of the ladies a peck on the cheek.
    Teri entered the church, expecting soft music and pews full of snowy haired women bowed in prayer. Instead people were standing around visiting, while the clear voices of little childrensinging by the piano at the front greeted her. Then she heard it—the distinct, jovial laugh of the pizza delivery man.
    “Hey,” Dan said, “Gordon’s back! And I can’t believe it; he convinced Kai to come to church! Look, over there. Kai’s the poolside bartender at Halekuali’i.”
    Teri glanced at Gordon and then at the bartender. She thought she might have seen Kai at the luau. He had a lei on just like Teri’s, evidence that he, too, was a visitor.
    “You have to meet Gordon,” Dan said.
    “We’ve already met,” Teri said cautiously. She looked away before Gordon made eye contact with her and purposefully turned her back to him. It didn’t make her feel any better knowing that this crazy man was a friend of Danny’s.
    “Where did you meet Gordo?”
    “Gordo?”
Teri repeated. “You actually call him Gordo?” She hadn’t noticed him sneaking up behind her.
    “Yeah, they actually call me Gordo,” he said. “Do you know something I don’t know?” His eyes were crinkled shut as he smiled down at Teri. He looked a little different than he had the night he delivered the pizza. Sort of younger. Or cleaner. Or something.
    “It’s just that
gordo
is a Spanish word,” Teri said cautiously. She felt she had been painted into a corner.
    “I think I heard that before,” he said. “And now, what does
gordo
mean in Spanish?”
    Teri looked to Dan for support. He kept silent. “It means ‘fat,’ ” she said in a low voice.
    Gordon’s laughter bubbled out all over the place. “Well, it might suit me someday,” he said, “but at least not yet.” He patted his flat stomach and then extended a hearty handshake to Dan. “Good to see you, Dan. You know Kai, don’t you? And Kai, this is Teri.”
    “I remember you from the other day at the luau,” Kai said to Teri. He had a slight grin on his face as if he knew something she didn’t.
    “Where’s Annie?” Gordon asked.
    “She wasn’t feeling well.”
    A smile lit up Gordon’s face. “Ah,