41
Two weeks later 
Maryam's POV
"What happened to you?!" Kareem asked and to my surprise It wasn't his question that surprised me but the look on his eyes and the sound of his voice. It was as if...as if he really cared. No! That can't be
This morning I fell down and hurt my arm badly. 
"It's none of your business...it's not like you even care,please just leave me alone" I told him tiredly before I turn to leave. I don't know why I'm so rude today,may be because I missed my sister so much but she broke the news today to me that she won't be able to come back anytime soon,she and her husband were able to conquer the evil man who took her husband post and property, now they are taking a vacation and till the next six month before they come back. I don't even know why Dad and Mom has to approve to that...I really need to talk to someone and if Mufeedah is not here then definitely it would be Khalid or Kareemah....Khalid it's
He didn't seem to bother about my protest as he dragged me towards the chair and sit me down
"Just stay here" he told me weirdly before he went away
Why is he acting really strange
He came back with a first aid kid box in his hand
"Let me see" he told me after he took his seat as well as he poured some spirit into a piece of cotton wool
"I don't need your pity Kareem... I can very well take care of my self"
"Its not pity...I'm only trying to clear my name,I don't want people to think that your husband don't care about you"
"Well isn't it true?....you don't care"
"Ahhh! Easy!" I exclaimed as I felt him rub the cotton wool on my wound without my permission
He raised his eyes to meet mine while he blew it for me. At this moment, I noticed  something different about him. He stopped blowing and he turned his eyes away from mine. After he was  done,he put on a plaster for me. I stared at it as he rubbed on it. He pack everything up and stood up to leave 
"Thank you" I told him, he stopped for a second before he left
Rude much! 'You're welcome' won't hurt right? But I think he do care after all. My normal self is back again and I smiled 
I walked towards the dinning table and I  Kareem already seated and I took my seat beside him
"Wow! Kareem are the two us the only ones going to eat all this food?" I asked out of surprise as I saw many food on the dinning table
"It better for you to stop talking and eat your food" Kareem told me rudely as he was already eating. What is really wrong with him? He was so nice a while ago. I guess now he was back to the old him 
"But you know that is bad Kareem" I told him and he raise up his eyes and glare at me
"You know that I would be hungry and was suppose to eat and still you went ahead and start eating before me...it's not a very good manners" I told him hoping that he would accept his mistake but he just drank down some water and stood up from his seat 
"Where are you going?" I asked him as he was about to turn
"To a place where bad mannered people stay,you can have all the food to your self" he told me without turning to face me before he left
I can't believe he just did that because I corrected him. Was it so hard for him to say he was sorry? He once promised me that he will always treat me good,but....but why did he change again all of a sudden? All because I express my feelings to him? Was I wrong to do that? 
Sometimes Kareem just leave me confused at his character... One time he'd mean and the other time he'd be nice and caring and then he's back to his cold self. Now he has left without eating. Was he really going to sleep on empty stomach?
******
"Can I come in? " I asked him as I popped my head. He just take a look at me before looking away. Playing hard to get huh? I can't believe this man, he's really hard as a rock.
"OK fine...I'll let my self in" I told him before I walk in with a tray in my hands
"Kareem... Kareem " I called him as I stood in front of his table. He didn't look up but he choose to ignored me 
I walk up to him,stretched out my hand and shut the laptop . he just stayed still without saying anything. Wasn't he going to yell at me or say something mean?
I gently placed the tray of the food on the table in front of him as I pushed the laptop backward
"Here...I brought you something to eat... I know that you barely had anything when you left the table earlier so I brought you...some food " I told him 
"What's this? Are you trying to poison me this early in order to have your freedom?" He asked without raising his head up
"Poison...hmmmm...I really haven't thought of that method. I could have my freedom earlier than expected..." I told him as I pretend to be thinking about it 
"Come on Kareem I wasn't the one who even prepared the food in the first place and even if I was the one, this won't be your first time of tasting my food" that definitely makes him raise his head at me
"Seriously Kareem...... do I look like someone that could commit murdered?"
"Well they said you can't judge a book by it's cover"
"You see! Which means you trusted me... Fine I'm sorry...I shouldn't have said anything to you at the-"
"I'm not hungry " he said cutting me off. Just as he was about to stretch his hand and pick up his laptop,his stomach grumbled loudly. He froze for a moment
He was indeed hungry
"I hear you loud and clearly My Hero...you see I'm a good wife and that's why I'll leave this tray here...if you really don't want to eat then you can set it aside with your own hands...I'm going to bed" I told him before I finally stood straight and walk out 
Kareem's POV
I finally dropped my hand,I can't believe my stomach embarrassed me this way. I wasn't that hungry to eat anything that she would bring. I wasn't going to let her win over me..and she wasn't really a good wife,I don't need her...I just want the woman who used to bring smile to my face back,the one and only,the obedient one,my Safeenah...but Maryam was far from obedient
And what's with the new nickname? My Hero? Her Hero?
I couldn't help but stared at the tray but then drew my eyes away. My stomach grumbled. I wondered what's inside? I looked around for any sign of her but she wasn't there so I slowly reach out my hand and opened the cover plate and to my surprise nothing was in there
Maryam suddenly came in laughing so hard
"I...I knew it..I knew you were hungry...so I wanted to be sure and that's why...that's why My Hero, I did this prank just to see your reaction..... you....you really have to see your face when you find out the tray was empty with no food" she said in between laughter. I can't believe she did this
"See? See Kareem...you can not be the smart one all the time" she told me as she stood in front of me with wide smile. I didn't reply her but just look away
"Don't worry...I'm not that so wicked as to play with your hunger" she told me before she turn back and leave again
She came back with another tray and placed it on the table after removing the other one
"This...this is the original one "  she told me but I couldn't help glaring at her. She just made me look like a fool
"OK fine " she uncovered the plate and indeed food was in it. The aroma of the food was so good
"See....I'm telling the truth...I did all that because I don't want to embarrass my self"
"Leave and take everything you brought with you" I told her and slowly her smiled vanished but it came back again and this time a lot broader 
"OK...I'll leave and leave this food here with you...good night for real" she said in a weird manner before she carried the other tray and left
I can't believe she did this! I wanted to ignore the food but the aroma of the food suddenly smell nice and good. I took another look at the door and no any sign of her so I picked up the spoon and gently uncovered the food. I scooped some with the spoon into my mouth
"Got you!" Maryam voice said suddenly again. I immediately drop the spoon and pretend but it was too late
"Oh Kareem!... You are so funny" she said while laughing before she turned and leave closing the door 
What has gotten into her today? I smile as I remember her laughter few seconds ago,I shook my head and continue eating