Bativa’s Big Move
Bativa looked out the taxi cab window as they passed more fields of farming. How could this be happening? I’m leaving New York for- this?? Dismally, she looked towards the cabbie.
“So, yeah, that’s when my wife said if I didn’t quit my job, I’d be alone on the road for the rest of my life. And ya know what, she’s wrong- I always have a fare!”
Bativa smiled slightly and nodded. Listening to her cabbie’s problems wasn’t really what she had in mind.
The cabbie looked at her in his rearview mirror. “Lots of baggae there, little lady. Leaving the Big Apple for this?” He gestured through the windshield at the farms. “Minas Tirith is a nice little town, but it ain’t no big city.”
Bativa nodded in agreement, turning to her window again. The cabbie had fallen silent after a few minutes and Bativa was left to think of her own troubles. Her grandfather had died, leaving a huge property for her in upstate New York. The land was worth a lot of money, and leaving it all to Bativa, his favorite granddaughter was extremely nice. Yet, he left her nothing else and all she had was a bit from her savings account. How would she live, with acres of land and no home? Plus… Bativa shuddered… the land would only stay in the family if she had a child. Bativa wasn’t sure she was ready to grow up, be married, have children.
The cabbie hit the brakes. “Here we are, miss.” Bativa stared out the window. She quietly handed the cabbie his money, grabbed her bags, and got on the curb.
This was it. A small kitchen, nothing but the basics, a bathroom (that was thankfully walled in!), a table and chair, and a double bed.
Well, guess I better find me a job then. If I would like to live somewhat-luxuriously. Bativa thought a bit angrily to herself. A newspaper, just delivered by the postal boy, was sitting on her lawn. She grabbed it and actually found a job right away, to her surprise. A lovely job through the atheltics field. It wasn’t much, but there seemed to be ample opportunity to move up in the world. She wouldn’t start for a few days, though, so she had some time to settle in and meet the neighbors.
It didn’t take long for the neighbors to stop by. Apparently, a new person in town was pretty rare- especially one from the big city.
“Hey, I’m Arwen.”
“Bativa Barossa.”
Surprisingly, even though Arwen had grown up in Minas Tirith her entire life and Bativa had traveled the world and enjoyed NY city thoroughly, the two got along pretty well.
Peals of laughter rang from Bativa’s huge new estate. “And then there was this ghost that haunted my brother for ages!” Laughter again. No one walking by could have understood the amusement of ghosts for these women, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves.
After Arwen left and Bativa had some time to sit and enjoy a nice meal, she started to wonder about her love life. She needed to settle down in her home to enjoy it and keep the property. Bativa decided to start scouting out men immediately, regardless of their occupation of even looks.
As luck would have it, an exterminator pulled up. He tipped his hat to Bativa. “Hello there, ma’am. Your property, I assume?”
Bativa nodded.
“Well, I’m here to spray for roaches, make sure everything is up to Minas Tirith code, etc. You don’t mind?”
Bativa nodded again, but interrupted his work to have a chat or two.
After talking to Jess the Bugman, Batia frowned. He was a great guy, but honestly- that nose! And could she really live with the stinking fumes of bug poison for the rest of her life?
It was a whole-hearted no. Depressed, she waved goodbye to her new friend Jess and sat down to gaze at the neighborhood.
“Sorry to interrupt, but aren’t you Sampson Barossa’s granddaughter?”
Bativa jerked out of her thoughts. “Uh- what? Uh, yeah. Bativa. Just moved in yesterday.”
The man walked over, coming out of the glare of the sun. Bativa looked at him once, then stopped, and looked at him again.
Well, not the most attractive choice of clothing- but heck, that could be changed! Otherwise, a pretty decent looking man. And- to top it all off- they got along. Benjamin Long was a pretty amusing, smart, attractive man! Bativa thought to herself, this will do just fine.
Before she really knew what was happening…
Right there in the middle of the street! Bativa blushed. She knew the neighbors would probably be talking about it tomorrow morning.
But, she really couldn’t help herself. She never ever had believed in love at first sight before (and honestly neither does this author, but you kind of have to speed things up to get this legacy started! 
)
Before the two knew it, the sun had fallen from the sky and darkness surrounded them. Between kisses, Benjamin sighed and whispered, “I think it’s time for me to go home now.”
Bativa shook her head no. “Stay the night, Ben.”
The two got a little closer…
The next morning, Ben made cereal.
He laughed as he set the table. “It’s like that Sims game, if I had higher cooking skill, maybe I could make something a bit more fancier.”
She grinned as she cleaned up. “I *love* that game! Man, first thing I can, I’m getting a computer! And a nice one, with a great processor and video card so I can see everything!”
They laughed and Bativa headed towards the garbage can to throw away old packages.
As she turned, she saw Ben gazing at her.
Her heart jumped. Ben loves me, she knew all of the sudden. Leaping for joy, she knew what she had to do.
After spending another blissful night together, Bativa got on one knee.
“Ben, will you marry me? I know it’s soon- but I have never met anyone like-”
Ben interrupted- “Are you serious?? Of course! I mean, I just love you so-”
It was Bativa’s turn. “You will? I mean, you will! And oh, my, Ben, I just-”
Stopping Bativa, Ben kissed her. “I’m just so happy,” He whispered.
The marriage ceremony was held the next day.
It was simple- neither Benjamin nor Bativa had much money to spend on a lavish ceremony, and it was just easier for the two.
Besides, that’s what marriage is all about, Bativa thought. Two people, trusting and loving one another.
She never really expected this, sitting in that long cab drive to Minas Tirith. But she knew, looking into Ben’s eyes as he slipped the ring on her finger, this would be ever-lasting.
It was a life for two, and it would be enough.
But, as they kissed their first kiss as a married couple, Bativa felt strange stirrings in her abdomen. Maybe this life would include more than Ben and herself, she thought happily. As the two kissed throughtout the day, Bativa knew moving to her dear grandfather’s estate was more than the right decision, it was the only way to her true happiness. And maybe, she thought as she rubbed her stomach, just maybe true happiness for their children as well.
