The Tides of Change | Jonah J. Martinez
We’ve been on the road a while now.
Mom told us to pack some clothes the other day because we were going on a surprise road trip. For most of the trip, I had no idea where we were going. Then, I saw something super familiar. A huge roundabout… giant windmills… rolling green hills… I KNEW IT! We’re going to my favorite place in the whole wide world, Rockport, Massachusetts. I can barely contain my excitement!!!
The rushing air of an open car window brushes over my face. The smell of the salt and sand invigorates my young spirit. I feel the butterflies building within me. My second home is approaching. My mom has been trying to get my brother and I away for vacation for quite a bit now. She told us the hotel we’re staying in is not as nice as the usual one we stay at, but it’s still an opportunity for us to be in Rockport. My family has been going to Rockport longer than I’ve been alive, my parents would go together with our grandparents all the time. This tradition was passed down to us. I love Rockport! One of my best memories was a couple years back on my tenth birthday, Mom and Dad bought me a DSI with New Super Mario Bros. I play that thing every day. In fact, I brought it with me!
If we’re going to our favorite place, that means Mom must have booked our typical hotel. I like to call it our clubhouse, as it's sort of disconnected from other buildings. It’s really cool.
The car pulls into Gloucester, a town about 10 minutes away from Rockport. In just a few minutes, we’ll be at the- Gloucester motel…? As the car pulls in, I sit, confused. I ask my mother what’s on my mind.
“Mama, are we not going to the clubhouse?”
She looks back at me, with a sadness that molds into a smile.
“We can’t go to the clubhouse, I didn’t have enough time to book it. But it’s okay! We’re gonna stay here this time, we’re on an adventure.”
I look back at her, I notice she's doing her best to maintain a smile. It may not be the clubhouse, but we’re here in Rockport. I try to look at the bright side. I smile back at her.
“It’s okay Mama,” I say to her. “It’s still nice.”
My mom’s smile becomes even more apparent. Her eyes appear a little glassy. She turns to my brother and I.
“We’re gonna go to the beach and country store and do everything we usually do. We’re just gonna sleep here.”
We go into the office of the motel, and get the keys to our room. We then unpack the car and bring our bags over to the motel room door. Once the door opens, I notice there’s a bit of a funky smell in the air. But, nothing is horrible about it. Sure, the feeling of the beds are a little off, but it’s only where we’re staying.
As soon as we finish getting settled into the room, we all decide to get back into the car. I keep my eyes peeled for the “Now Entering” sign. Mom drives us into the quaint little town. The streets we’ve walked countless times, my Mom and her constant window shopping. We pass Tuck’s chocolatier, where saltwater taffy and chocolate covered snack foods are plentiful. The local coffee shop where I tried my first whoopie pie. The ice cream parlor we always would go to in the evenings. The hot dog stand where I spilled ketchup on my pants a little, years back. The country store where we buy our little metal robots every year. It’s a little different for my brother and I, Dad can’t come with us. But, Mom is making the best of it for us. She said she’s gonna take us to Roy Moore’s Fish Shack tonight! Some of the best fish in town, in my opinion.
I’ve noticed that mom has been awfully quiet as of recently. Almost like she has something on her mind. Sometimes I get worried about her, my brother is sorta too young to notice this. But I see it.
“Mama?” No response.
“Mamaaaaa….?” Once again, no response.
“MAMA!” I yell. This seems to catch her attention.
“Yes, Pops?” (That’s what she calls me, similar to Papi.)
“Are you excited for the beach?” I ask.
“Of course,” she responds. “I’ve been wanting to go all year.”
“Yeah, me too! I wanna take Aramis swimming!”
“Oh boy,” she says, worriedly.
We pull over to where we’ll spend most of the day: Front Beach. We park the car and go to the bathrooms to change. Mom grabbed a beach towel out of the car, a bag full of snacks, and a book for her to read. Once on the beach, mom relaxed and took in the scenery. My brother and I made sandcastles and dug canals. We swam out to a platform over in the middle of the water. Mom was nervous we’d get tired along the way, but I proved her wrong. The scene was tranquil. The first real peace we’ve had in a while. I look over to my mother. She’s leaning back, eyes half-closed, listening to the waves. For the first time in a while, she looks… okay. Maybe things really will be okay.
-END-
Jonah J. Martinez is a senior Political Science student minoring in Creative Writing, hailing from Middletown, NY. He spends days writing short fictional works when not studying to become a lawyer. This is his first set of works featured in ARCH magazine (Fall 2025). Jonah will be graduating in Spring of 2026.