Maryam was seated in her room, in her bed. Her legs folded underneath her chin and her hands wrapped around them. She couldn't shake off the words Saeed had said to her. The words kept on repeating itself in her head like a mantra. She couldn't believe Saeed of all people would say that to her. What puzzled her most was the reason he married her, knowing fully well she was career oriented. "Why can't he just accept what I want wholeheartedly? Is this what he meant by 'I will always support you in every way I can'?" The question which she had no answer to was directed to herself. Only when she felt something salty between her lips did she realize she had been shedding tears all along. "I'm really tires of living this way. What must I do?" She asked herself. Even in the slightest, she couldn't bear her husband's anger towards her. It felt as if someone was stabbing her in the heart repeatedly.

She was broken out of her trance when the door pushed open.

"Sa-" she raised her head and her gaze darted to Zainab. She had not expected her to be in the room and her presence ignited some kind of anger in her. Without thinking, she said the first thing that came to her mind - she acted on impulse. "And who gave you the permission to barge into our room like that?!" She yelled.

"I did-"

"Please just leave me alone." She cut her off.

"Wha-"

"Didn't you hear what I said or do I have to repeat myself?" She asked, totally psyched up.

"I heard, but will you just li-"

"Zainab!" She called warningly, but that didn't stop her from carrying on.

"Listen to what I have to say. I didn't barge into the room, okay? I knocked on the door severally, but you weren't answering. I thought something bad must have happened to you." She heaved a sigh. "I was worried about you."

Maryam rolled her eyes - Saeed must have told her all about their problems and she was there to query her."You don't have to be. I'm alright."

"You aren't." Zainab said, matter-of-factly. "Sadness is written all over your face."

Knowing she had already be caught and there was no excuse she could give to Zainab to leave her alone, she sighed. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I didn't mean to. There was just so many things on my mind."

Zainab smiled knowingly. "It's expected. You're pregnant." She grinned. "I'm not a tad bit angry at you for the way you spoke to me, because I know the reason why you are so so moody."

With a closed lip smile, Maryam nodded her head. "Thank you."

"It's okay." She replied and sat on the end of the bed, facing her. "So... Will you tell me what is wrong, or should I find out myself?"

"Please just let it go. It's between your brother and I. We will sort things out as soon as we can, okay?"

"Don't you trust me?" She probed.

"I do. I trust you, but-"

"I promise to be on your side." She raised a hand.

"I'm sorry, Zainab, but I still can't tell you anything. It's a matter between married couple."

Laying her heart bare, she spoke; "alright then if you insist."

Maryam's fingers twitched nervously. She had lots on her mind. Something was bothering her and she wouldn't rest until her questions were answered. "Where is Sa'eed?"

Popping a chewing gum in her mouth, she replied. "I think he's in the study. I saw him going towards that direction."

"Uhmm..." She trailed off. "Did he tell you anything?"

Absentmindedly, she replied. "He didn't. Why?"

"Nothing." She smiled, waving her hand dismissively. "I know I have apologized, but I feel the need to do it again. My attitude towards you was rude. Don't blame it on me, but my hormones." She added jocularly.

"I know right!" She laughed along.

"You haven't eaten, have you?" Maryam asked.

"Yup. I was in a hurry to come see all of you and I skipped breakfast." She explained.

Maryam lips curled into a duchenne smile and her eyes lit up. She was grateful to Allah for blessing her with in-laws that loved her so much. No one in Saeed's family disliked her and that was a huge relief to her. His siblings treated her like she was one of them and his mother treated her like a daughter. What more could she ask for? Oftentimes, she had heard of how mother's in law maltreats their daughter in law, but her case was entirely different. She could recall a moment when she had a little misunderstanding with Sa'eed before Manal was born and how his mother took her side and made him apologized to her - she smiled at the memory. Everyone should have a mother in law like her.

"Are you alright?" Zainab waved a hand in front of her face, pulling her out of her reverie in the process.

She smiled. "Yeah. I just remembered something. What would you like to eat?" She enquired.

"You aren't planning to cook for me right now, are you?" Zainab asked, cocking a brow.

"Yes I am." Maryam replied, standing on her feet.

"No you're not!" Zainab dissented. "Please don't worry about me. I can fix myself something to eat later."

"I insist. Besides I really want to do this, Zainab." She assured. "I want to make up for how I behaved towards you earlier. You didn't deserve that."

"But you're pregnant." She reminded and Maryam burst into laughter.

"What is so funny?" She asked with a scrunched up face.

"Being pregnant does not mean I have to be in bed 24/7" she said. "I can do this. It's not like I have to do a heavy task."

"Still." She huffed. "If I were in your shoes, I will take my pregnancy as an excuse not to do any work. I will just stay in bed all day long."

"Believe me, you will eventually get bored of it." Maryam laughed.

"Why would I get bored of relaxing? It seems you don't know me that much. I love my beauty sleep."

Maryam rolled her eyes. "Once you get married, things are likely to change. You will have responsibilities. More things will be on your shoulder."

"I-"

"Let's not start the argument now." She cut her off. "I'm going to the kitchen. Do you mind giving me a hand?"

Reluctantly, she replied. "No."

"Then let's get moving." She motioned.

"Why don't we just eat out?" She begged with puppy dog eyes.

Maryam rolled her eyes. "Because your brother doesn't like eating outside home."

"Just ignore him."

"You know I can't do that."

She sighed. "I know. I was only kidding."

"Better." Maryam laughed. "I wonder how you manage to cope in school. Who does your chores?" She asked with her hands at akimbo.

"Me of course." She replied gleefully.

"Yeah, right." Maryam remarked, Sarcasm dripping from her tone.

Zainab carried on "I do all my chores, but cooking? Phew! I hate cooking, but my roommate likes it, so we're good."

"I have heard. Let's move to the kitchen please."

Sluggishly, Zainab got up and they sauntered out of the door.

On their way to the kitchen, Manal was sighted jumping up and down in the hallway. She wasn't being careful at all. She was about to fall, but Zainab was quick to catch her.

Maryam glared at her. "Why are you playing so recklessly? Haven't I warned you against it? You're still not very healthy and you go around doing this? What if you had fallen? What if aunt Zainab hadn't caught you? What would have happened and to top it up-"

"It was an accident." Zainab stated cutting her off. "Please don't unnecessarily scold her. Just look at how scared she is." She said and picked her up, rubbing her back soothingly. "You aren't hurt, are you?"

Manal shook her head.

Maryam sighed. Why couldn't anyone understand her? She didn't scold her because she wanted to, she did it for her own sake. She didn't want her to be hurt and that was the only reason she reacted that way. But now, she was the bad person. She couldn't understand why most people think scolding a child is wrong. Indisputably, Sa'eed and Zainab were siblings. Even their thinking was alike. She shook her head in disbelief - perhaps they weren't scolded by anyone while they were kids. Or not as much as she was...

She spurned the thought from her mind and averted her gaze to Zainab. "Put her down." She said, no traces of playfulness in her demeanor.

Without reluctance, Zainab did as she was told.

Manal's gaze was fixed on the floor.

"Go to your room. Now! And I don't want to see you running about-"

Before she could finish her statement, Manal had already ran away.

With a scrunched up face, Zainab's gaze averted from Manal to Maryam. "What did she do wrong now?"

"I will be in the kitchen." She said and walked away, ignoring Zainab's question. It wasn't her intention to do that, but she wasn't in the mood to start explaining parenting - she wouldn't understand. Maryam couldn't blame anyone else, but Sa'eed for all of her misbehaviors. He never allowed her scold their daughter even when she was wrong. He believed talking to the child and making him/her realise their mistake and apologize for it was better. Maryam's thinking was different. She believed a child should be reprimanded whenever he/she misbehaves or to be beaten - this way, the child would grow up to be obedient.

Maryam turned on the gas cooker and was about to start cooking, when Sa'eed ambled into the kitchen and turned it off. She looked at him, flummoxed. "I was about to cook."

"I know." He replied earnestly.

"Then why did you turn off the gas cooker?" She inquired, averting her gaze from him. She had to remind herself he was mad at her and she still hadn't forgiven him for the awful words he said to her.

"We are going to eat out. Zainab and Manal are already getting ready. You should as well." He replied and turned to leave.

"Wait..." She trailed off. "Why all of a sudden? You don't fancy eating out. What changed overnight?"

"I still don't, but Zainab insisted on us going out together as a family and use the opportunity to eat in a restaurant. You know I can't say no to her." He shrugged. "And I think she has a point. It's been a while we went out as a family."

"You didn't even bother asking me if I'm interested in going or not. I may have other plans." She said, sullenly.

"You can decide if you want to join us or not." He said and in a split second, he was gone.

Tears welled up in Maryam's eyes as her gaze trailed behind him. What was happening to them? Sa'eed wasn't the sweet husband she knew anymore. He was slowing transforming into a different person. "He's willing to sacrifice what he wants for Zainab's happiness by eating out, but not for me. Up until now, he still hadn't granted me the permission to continue wholeheartedly and I'm suppose to resume work tomorrow. What should I do?" She asked herself for the umpteenth time. "Should I talk to him about it again?" She sighed. "I think I should." She concluded. She would talk to him what the last time and whatever his decision turned out to be, she would accept. His mere silence towards her was heart wrecking.

She returned the ingredients of the she was about to prepare to the pantry and sauntered out of the kitchen to get ready as well.

~~~~

Emerging from the front door, Sa'eed's Lamborghini was already parked in front of the house. He, Zainab and Manal were already seated inside. She ambled to the other side of the car and got in the front seat and he drove out of the compound.

"Where exactly are we going to?" Maryam asked Sa'eed

"Sight seeing. After that, we will go to the mall-"

"Yay!" Manal cheered.

"Aren't you even a little bit tired already?" Maryam asked Zainab in disbelief.

"No I'm not. I even..." Zainab was still talking when Manal decided to look out of the window. Her eyes widened as if they were about to bulge out of their sockets. Her hand flew over her slightly agape mouth and she began to hyperventilate. "Na... Fi... Sa." She stuttered with quivering lips.

Zainab turned to her obliviously. "Who's Nafisa?"

"Nafisa?" Sa'eed asked and in a split second, the vehicle screeched to an abrupt halt.

~~~~~

I deserve some accolades for this long chapter, don't I? 🙌🙌🙌🙌

How are you all doing today?

Did you enjoy this chapter?

Whose view do you agree with on parenting? Sa'eed's or Maryam's? (All of you should at least comment on this o 😂😂 I want to get something clear, so help me 🙏🙏)

Did Manal really see Nafisa or it was her illusion?

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