29 Bat-Avi

  As the men made their way to their places, Abba-Avi saw a familiar face walking towards him, the voice of the women of the town, Bat-Avi, his daughter. Her home was farthest from the center of town, yet what information was shared made it through there more often than it did here in the town center.

  Abba-Avi paused. He had expected her to be here with the men, but his daughter, like her departed mother, tried to finish one thing before starting another. However, a dragon was enough of an event to have her finish whatever she was working on early and come see him.

  Bat-Avi had her mother's instinct. She knew. She always knew when anyone, even her father, was keeping a secret. If the dragon hadn't landed in the middle of town and made his announcement. Abba-Avi had already prepared to talk with his daughter about Sari. So, he waited. And within a couple of minutes, his oldest daughter, now a mature woman, stood in front of him.

  "Well, Abba?"

  "Yes, daughter?"

  "Are you going to explain?" Bat-Avi asked with raised eyebrows.

  "Explain what? My daughter,”

  Bat-Avi tilted her head and gave him a look like his wife gave him when he was a young man caught trying to dodge some work. It almost made Abba-Avi laugh, but it did bring a smile to his face. In a place where asking questions was dangerous, his family never seemed to learn, though Bat-Avi was better than most, but not when it came to him. If she suspected something was going on with her father, Bat-Avi always asked.

  "And what's that smile about?" Bat-Avi asked.

  "Abba-Avi shook his head and then replied, "Sometimes you are so like your mother it's scary."

  Bat-Avi laughed. "When I was younger, I hated that."

  "Yes," Abba-Avi said, “but that is because you were too much like her."

  Bat-Avi nodded, "Yes."

  "And I'm grateful. Yes. Though I wonder sometimes if Abba-Asher is."

  That's when Abba-Avi's oldest daughter reached up and pushed his shoulder, knocking him a little off balance. "We're not going to talk about my married life, and my husband Abba-Asher is the happiest man in this village."

  Abba-Avi made his eyes wide in mock fear and said, “He would be afraid not to be.”

  Bat-Avi laughed as this was a common joke. Both knew that Abba-Asher, though quiet, was the bravest man either of them had known.

  Without another word, both turned and started walking toward Abba-Avi’s home.

  "So, Abba?" Bat-Avi said. "Are you going to tell me?"

  Abba-Avi kept walking and then said, "Not yet, just come with me. I'll introduce you to our blessing."

  Bat-Avi's eyes went up, and her eyebrows nearly went into her hairline. "Our blessing? I thought that was what the dragon gave."

  Abba-Avi nodded, “Yes, yes, but it came after another one.

  "All right. I can't wait to see her. Let's go."

  Bat-Avi reached over, put her arm in his. And as he expected, she gave him a little lift. This helped him walk by making his step a little lighter. Yes, he was a lucky man. Luckier than he deserved, he figured. But the Creator had been good to him despite the troubles, despite the losses.

  Abba-Avi said nothing else as they traveled the steps to his door, where he would introduce Sari to his oldest daughter. And then, if all went right to the village, a few people at a time.

  When Abba-Avi entered the house, Sara looked up and was surprised to see that he had someone with him. She thought that Abba-Avi was going to let the village get used to the idea of her presence before introducing her. Sara knew that sometimes things change, but seeing the resemblance, Sara guessed this must be one of Abba-Avi’s daughters, if not Bat-Avi, his oldest.

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  Sara stood and took a step toward the door as she put down her mending.

  "So, you’re the blessing, my Abba spoke of?" Bat-Avi said, a smile growing on her face as she saw Sara was helping her father.

  Sara shrugged. "Well, I'm your newest acquisition?"

  Sara couldn't think of a better word. Abba-Avi laughed. "I don't know if I'd call you an acquisition, but I would say that perhaps you might be a new addition, at least a temporary addition to our family."

  Bat-Avi walked over and put her hands on Sara's shoulders. Sara didn't know how to respond. Normally, no one would touch her like this, but she stood there waiting to see. Bat-Avi turned her one way and then another, looking her over. Then she reached down and took her hands and looked at them. "Hmm, I see you know how to work hard."

  Sara nodded. "Bat-Avi," she responded.

  Bat-Avi looked up, and when they met each other's eyes, Sara knew that Bat-Avi had already figured out that she had grown up privileged. Sara didn't know how, but she knew that she did.

  Bat-Avi nodded, looked back at her dad, and said, "I'll accept this." Then she looked fully at Sara’s face and let out a small gasp, “She..." Bat-Avi looked back at her father and said, “You should have warned me?”

  Sara could see a look of pain in Abba-Avi's eye, at whatever Bat-Avi was prepared to say. Whatever was going on, Sara could see this was between father and daughter as Bat-Avi stared at her father, waiting for a response.

  "Yes, but I thought it was an old man’s delusion."

  Bat-Avi looked again at Sara, turning her head back and forth. “No, it’s not, Abba. I can see the differences, but.”

  Sara was confused. She must look more like this Zissel than she knew.

  Bat-Avi let go of Sara and stepped back, "I believe she will be a blessing, but I must get back to my work.” Waving her hands at the mending, she continued, “And I see you're taking care of my father. Thank you very much, and I hope that perhaps this week I'll be able to get you," she looked back at her father, "one of my loaves of bread. If the soldiers don't take them all."

  Abba-Avi nodded, and without another word, Bat-Avi turned and walked out.

  Sara was surprised. She expected there to be more discussion, more talking, but looking back at Abba-Avi, Sara could see he understood her confusion. He waved for her to sit down, and they both sat at the table.

  "My child, we're awfully busy around here, and my daughter most of all. She has things she must tend to.” Abba-Avi looked over to where his daughter walked out, “She saw what she needed to.” Then, looking back at the mending that Sara was doing, “and saw you were busy, so since this isn't Creator's Day or other holiday, she went back to her work. The lord may appreciate His bread, but only if he gets it, and there is a lot more preparation to make it than most realize.”

  “She thinks I look like her sister, too?” Sara asked.

  “Yes, my daughter. It is a mystery, but that is a story for another day, I think.” The old man pointed towards the center of town. “After talking with the elders, I believe everyone in town will be accepting and none of them will tell the lord.” Abba-Avi’s face puckered a little like he had the taste of something bad in his mouth as he said the last words.

  Sara wasn’t surprised. She hadn’t been in the town for a day yet, and the thought of this lord caused her to feel unsettled. She knew that many serfs felt animosity towards their lords. Lady Lord Mashal had spoken of serf discontent often as did a number of the lords, but seeing and hearing about this man had her convinced he might deserve it.

  Sara started to think about Rishona and a civilized monarchy when Abba-Avi said something that brought her back to the moment.

  “Maybe the lord’s spy won’t tell what has happened here,” Abba-Avi said slowly as if he wanted it to be true. “If he takes the dragon’s command to take care of you seriously.”

  The look of concern on Abba-Avi’s face broke Sara’s heart, and so she decided to change the subject. “At least, Bat-Avi approves.”

  A smile crossed the man’s face, and he said, “Yes, she does, and that means a lot to me. Speaking of Bat-Avi, I’m sure she is already back to work, so I should get to it myself. My garden isn’t going to weed itself.”

  Abba-Avi started to stand, and Sara realized she had a question. “Abba-Avi, I’m new here and I want to understand something.”

  “Ask away, Sari.”

  “Why are you called Abba-Avi and your daughter Bat-Avi?”

  “I have heard that our method of inheritance is different than other places.”

  Sara was confused. She didn’t know what names had to do with inheritance, but she listened intently.

  “When our children are born, they are given names, like they do everywhere in the world, I suppose. My name was Avi, but when I got married, I became Abba-Avi, as I was to be the father of my own family. Bat-Avi was named Efrat, but when she turned fifteen, she became my heir and took on the name Bat-Avi. When I am gone, she and her husband, since she is married now, will get all of my possessions. She would then be responsible for taking care of her mother if she were still alive and any underage children. This might include you now, depending on your age?”

  “I’m sixteen,” Sara admitted.

  Abba-Avi nodded. “Then she would be there for you, but only if you wanted her to, since at the age of fifteen, we consider a girl mature, though most want to wait a couple more years to marry or move out on their own.”

  Sara nodded, remembering that at seventeen, she would have been given joint rulership with her regent until her twentieth birthday, when she would become the ruling princess. Rishona rulers weren’t coronated Queen or King until they married, even though they ruled.

  “You’re thinking about something else now?” Abba-Avi asked.

  “Yes, I have responsibilities of my own I will need to get back to, sooner than later,” Sara waved her hand over the mending, “but I have things I need to do now that won’t get done if I don’t start working. Thank you for explaining.”

  Abba-Avi stood, “I forget sometimes that the world of Adamah is bigger than this village and we don’t all do things the same.” He moved towards the back of the house and added as reached for the back door, “But I’m sure work needs to be done wherever you're from.” And with that, he headed out the door, and Sara began her mending in earnest.