Page 18 of Kissing the Beach Town Fire Chief
“Is it from Gregory Matthew again?”
"No, it's addressed to someone named "Mitchell Johnson," he replies.
"'Johnson,' you say?" I look at him.
"Yeah, it's on the envelope; why?"
“That is Aunt Maggie’s maternal family name,” I explain. “So this could be her ancestor. Let’s see what it has to say.”
"Mitchell. I am leaving town for four months; I have business elsewhere. I must leave things in your hands. I hear that a secret society has been formed, and they are still operating underground. You must put an end to this madness. We cannot let these people tarnish the name of our good town. The reputation is at stake. I have done my part, and now I have to leave things in your hands for the time being. I am sending you this package that contains all the information about this secret cult; take care of things while I am away. Make sure you leaveno trace of what Seabrook used to be. I know I am asking a lot, but you must do it for Seabrook's sake.
Agnes.”
I don’t know what to say after reading this letter.
“This… what is this?” I look over at Ethan in shock and he is looking at me.
“Agnes. Whoever she was. She was working with this guy named Mitchell Johnson to change this town and erase the founding fathers’ society,” he mumbles.
“Yeah, but what for?” I’m more than intrigued. From the looks of it, I think they didn't want the town to have the art enclave reputation that it had. I look at Ethan and ask:
"But the town was full of creative people, and they came to erase them. Why exactly? I don't understand." I really don't get it. I’m sure Ethan can’t tell me either, but I have to let my frustration all out. His response reflects what I think as well. “It’s only a guess, Ami. I presume many people in those days didn’t accept creative people, and they used to think very lowly of such people. Maybe that’s why they erased the history, made it a typical town, and tried to harden the real history of this place."
"That is so messed up, though Ethan. I mean, Seabrook clearly wasn't any typical town. It was a special, lively town full of music, art, fun traditions, and an amazing, unique culture. Look at all those documents that show the real history. I can't believe all of that was erased like that," I shake my head in disbelief.
I can’t even process that Seabrook was once a vibrant haven for artists and musicians who flocked here. I can’t believe that this typical town once had a rhythm of guitar strums, paintbrush strokes, and the hum of poetry readings at quaint little cafes. Streets were lined with galleries displaying local art, and now all we can see is just plain storefronts. Festivals celebrated music, dance, and visual arts, turning the town into a living, breathing masterpiece. I contemplate quirky galleries, impromptu streetperformances, and cafés where poets and painters debated late into the night. But that was years ago.
Today, it is a picturesque, albeit quieter, seaside town with cottages. The once eclectic galleries have been replaced by souvenir shops selling seashell trinkets and mass-produced art. The cafés that once hosted spirited debates and live music are now cozy bistros catering to tourists craving clam chowder and lobster rolls.
Among those who benefited from the changes were families like mine. My great-great-grandfather’s investments in local real estate paid off handsomely as Seabrook transitioned from an artsy enclave to a tourist hotspot. And it was the same with Aunt Maggie’s father and uncles at that time.
The economic boom must have brought new infrastructure and amenities, but it also washed away the bohemian spirit that once defined the town. The "ruin" of Seabrook isn't about decay or neglect; it’s about the loss of its unique cultural identity. The vibrant, chaotic energy that once made the town special has been replaced by a more polished, but less soulful, version of itself. The pastel cottages and tourist shops are lovely, but I bet they don’t sing with the same vibrant life that Seabrook once did.
"I know. It is really upsetting to see that Seabrook was really such a culturally diverse town once, and all of that was erased because people were not more accepting of change." Ethan speaks my mind.
“Yeah. We need to tell people the truth about Seabrook.”
“You sure about that?” Ethan turns to me.
But I’m convinced. "Yeah, absolutely. I mean, no one knew about this, but now that we know, we should tell people the truth. That is the only way. We cannot keep something like this hidden anymore."
" I agree, but this clearly shows that your aunt's maternal family was involved. Don't you think if people find out that thehistory of Seabrook was erased by Aunt Maggie's ancestors, it could affect her election campaign?" He isn’t wrong. If I tell people the truth, it could ruin her chances of winning this race. But the people deserve to know. ON the other hand, the current voters could agree with those changes years ago, and that could help, not hurt, her election. Who knows?
I don't even think the elections are going to matter if we tell people the truth. They are going to question everything about this town once they find how much of its history has been erased and how different a town this used to be.
Ethan explains that it's not just that I want to have elections because your aunt and I are participating, but it's about this town. The people need this election to make a choice for Seabrook’s future.
But I counter: "The people also need to know the truth, and the town also needs its story to be told. We cannot keep it hidden."
Ethan’s sense of maintaining harmony comes through with his response. “I agree with you. But we must be careful about how we are going to tell all of this to the people. I mean, I’m sure there are other people who live here whose ancestors were involved in erasing the original history of this place. And other people might have roots related to the vision of the founding fathers. I mean, if we reveal things out of nowhere, it can start war and conflicts here, too."
I agree with him … all of this is crucial information. I think we should keep it to ourselves until we know what we are going to do with it. Ethan suggests keeping it at his place. His sense is that it will be safer there out of Aunt Maggie’s view. If she should come across this, things could get messy. He’s right once again. I guess I just need to blindly trust him on this.
"Okay, but if you're going to tell someone about this, you have to discuss it with me first. Both of us are in possession of thisinformation, and it should be our decision if and when we want to talk about it," I make it clear to him. I hope he understands me.
He agrees to not telling anyone about it before discussing it with each other, but
I’m in a quandary on one point. I mean, I have to tell Aunt Maggie. Whenever the truth comes out, she is going to be shocked to find out her family was related to something so big. I have to prepare her for it, so I must tell her.Not to mention what she would think of me, hiding the information from her.
