Page 38 of All The Happily Ever Afters

“You’ll find the Kulls have been influential since as far back as we can date. The history of the island starts with my family, and we’ve maintained our position throughout generations.”

“What position is that? You don’t hold offices.”

“There’s a small sheriff here and elected officials, but they hold positions to fill in seats and make sure things run smoothly. The Kulls maintain wealth, not only monetary, but also land and the decisions to invest in certain industries have been critical to our island’s economy.”

“So, you provide the jobs?”

Alec shakes his head. “Not exactly. More like we make sure there are jobs available, because we make sure the resources are already here before they’re needed. As a result, the money on the island doesn’t have to go overseas. The estate holds a huge stake in the natural resources here. If anything runs low, we acquire and disperse it as needed.”

I can feel my eyes narrowing, but before I can ask anything further, he adds, “In the last two decades, we’ve ensured that theisland can sustain the three-hundred-person population on its own. With modern technology, access to anything a person can desire is available through the shipping ports. This town likes to keep its traditions, to stay independent and maintain a relatively hidden and quiet lifestyle. We make certain it’s possible.”

I take a moment to write the information down, but it’s not what I wanted to discuss. This is simply business jargon. It’d make for an interesting piece maybe, but one question pops out at me. “What’s in it for you?”

“This is simply what the Kulls do, and of course the income and notoriety are a bonus,” he says as he taps his pointer finger to his lip. “That’s not quite what you were after, is it?” he asks me after a moment.

“It’s not,” I tell him honestly.

“What then?” he asks, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

“Whattraditionswere left behind?” I ask Alec, and he shakes his head as he sits back in his chair.

His eyes search my face for something, but I’m not sure what though. Finally, he answers, “The island descends from ancient clans who took pride in nature and made every decision based on customs and folklore.” He licks his lips, and my eyes are drawn to them. “Even marriages were determined by old traditions, up until my grandfather’s generation.” I nod, and he continues.

“Although the island fell out of the old ways with the industrial revolution, some beliefs still carry on to this day.”

“Which ones?”

A huff of a laugh leaves him as he says, “Ones my father refused to teach us, I’m afraid.”

“Why’s that?”

He noticeably swallows and for the first time he seems uncomfortable, but before I can take it back, he speaks. He lookspast me at the books behind me as he talks. “He married my mother according to what he was supposed to do, and she passed away giving birth to my youngest brother, Elliot. They were only together for twelve short years.”

“I’m so sorry,” I say and he waves off my apology, continuing.

“He wasn’t supposed to remarry. The elders wouldn’t bless a second marriage. They’re all gone now with no one left to replace them, because my father made sure of that. Back then, everyone took their word as law. They said my mother was the only one meant for him, and that if he remarried it would be an atrocity and place shame on our family.”

Alec gives me a sad smile as he continues. “He demanded the ritual regardless. It involves a tincture for those who haven’t found their partner. The tales say that once you’ve had a taste of it, within a day’s end you’ll have found the one you’re meant to be with.”

“A tincture?” I ask, cocking a brow and shifting my legs to get more comfortable. The tea cup rattles in my lap as Alec nods his head and continues. It’s almost a fairytale-like story. Or maybe something darker, but this is what I want to hear. Even if the article ends up being paragraphs about business, shipping docks and sustainability, I’d rather spend hours listening to tales like this.

“My father said the elders lied, and that he’d found his new wife the very next day after drinking the concoction. When she died only a few months into their marriage, it hit my father hard.”

“How old were you?” I ask him cautiously.

“I was only seven. Elliot was six, and my brother Marcus was twelve.”

“And then the three of you took over the company years later. Because he’d passed away?”

Alec nods. “For ten years, things took a turn for the worse, for both our family and the island, but we recovered. A decade and a half later, and all has been salvaged.”

“Do you believe your father?” I ask him.

He grins at me, a devilish look that makes me question my naivety. “My brothers and I didn’t get this company back on top with tradition and folklore.”

My eyes fall and I feel foolish until he adds, “Three months ago, I went with my brother Marcus, and we bought the mix from the old women on the far side of the mountain. They live by the land there and still carry on the old traditions.”

“Why did you go there?”

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