Hey, not me!

Chapter Thirty-three: Lovesick.

"You have reached Titus' phone, please leave a message after the tone." The annoying voice said for what felt like the thousandth time. I had been trying to contact Titus all Monday morning but each time his phone went straight to voicemail. Sheila would probably murder me if she found out I was trying to play mediator. I wouldn't have meddled if I hadn't spent the previous day watching her cry herself hoarse only to start all over again. Nobody deserved that kind of pain and I just needed to make it stop.

After several more failed attempts I decide to reach out to the next best person. Gina was Sheila's friend despite being Titus' sister and so she was bound to care. She was always kind and thoughtful and she could easily talk Titus into anything. I just hoped she would be willing to help me. I did not like feeling this helpless as I watched my friend grieve the loss of something I would never understand.

"Hello," I greeted as soon as Gina picked the phone.

"Hello. I was hoping you would call me," she replied in a grave voice. I knew instantly that she had found out the wedding was off.

"How did you know? Did Titus tell you?" I asked.

"Yes, he told me as soon as it happened. I have tried talking him out of this madness but he won't listen. You should see the state he is in. Somehow he convinced himself that Sheila doesn't want to get married and is only doing this to make him happy. He says that he is doing this for her. To free her from any sense of obligation she might be feeling towards him. I had to listen to him list a thousand ways in which this is for the best. The stupid selfless idiot. I can't believe someone so clueless could be my brother." Gina filled me in rapidly.

"What is wrong with him? How on earth could he miss the fact that Sheila is head over heels in love with him? Have you heard the way she sighs his name? Or the way she always finds a way to bring him up in every conversation? Only a fool would mistake that for anything other than love," I replied.

"Yeah, my brother is a big fool. How is that news?" Gina agreed and I couldn't help laughing. "How is Sheila?"

"Miserable. I don't know how she does it but she's been crying rivers all night and is still at it. I hate seeing her like this. I can feel her pain every time I look at her. She looks so broken and I just feel so helpless. And she won't talk to Titus because she is convinced that he won't take her back. This is such a freak show." I explained.

"I wish I could just whack my brother on the head and make him apologize. However, seeing as he is convinced that this is what Sheila really wants, nothing I say will change his mind." She offered.

"What if I talked to him? Do you think he'd listen to me?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yes! Of course, yes! Why didn't I think of that myself? Titus absolutely respects you. He would listen to you," Gina remarked excitedly. "You should come over right now. We are at his place."

"Okay, let me inform Sheila that I will be going out for a while." I responded.

It was an absolute nightmare convincing Sheila that I had to leave. She couldn't stand the thought of being left alone even though I promised I would be back soon. After negotiating for a good part of an hour, she agreed to let me leave. I hurried my taxi over to Titus' home and hoped this plan would work out. I had never thought I would ever be the best friend trying to save her friend's wedding yet here we were. I kept my fingers crossed as I rang the doorbell.

The sight that greeted me once a servant let me in was a very unusual one. A tall disheveled man lay on the couch dressed in a grey t-shirt and sweatpants that looked slept in. His eyes were bloodshot and his nose looked red from blowing too much. I swear if Gina hadn't been sitting right next to him trying to coax him into eating I would have never recognised him. He looked like a homeless high-on-drugs version of the Titus I knew. I swear I almost laughed at how comically heartbroken he looked.

"Dude, you look like death." I blurted out before I could hold myself.

"Thanks," he replied gruffly and sent me a colourful glare.

"I am so glad you are here," Gina chipped in. "Please talk sense to my brother," she pleaded.

"What is going on?" I asked the culprit.

"Nothing. I am fine," he shot at me.

"No, you are not. You look awful and honest I don't even care about that. You hurt my friend and I just left her crying herself half to death. The only reason I am even here is because I am hoping to convince you to stop this nonsense. Why can't you just accept the fact that you love each other and work things through? Is that so hard?" I rebutted. He had the good sense to look guilty for a moment.

"You have no idea how unhappy Sheila was with all the wedding plans. She kept complaining about my parents being domineering. I am just trying to give her what she wants," he pointed out.

"Aren't your parents domineering? You didn't even invite them to the engagement party because you knew they wouldn't approve of Sheila. And now you went and let them come in between the two of you. Sheila doesn't have to like your family anymore than you have to like hers. You are supposed to support each other, regardless of what anyone else has to say. Isn't that what love is about?" I challenged.

"Yes, that is what love is about. But I can't force Sheila to marry me if she doesn't want to." He insisted.

"Is that why she is back at her place beating herself up over this? Because she doesn't want to marry you? I swear if you don't get your sorry ass to her right now and beg her to take you back I will have you hanged and quartered." I threatened.

"Aisha, I respect you but how sure are you that she wants to marry me? Maybe she will move on soon," he said unbothered by my threat.

"I know because she said she would die if you didn't take her back," I stated plainly. He quickly shot to his feet.

"She said that?" His voice rose slightly in alarm.

"In those exact words. And then I sat there and tried to convince her that she would live even if you no longer wanted her. I don't think she believed me. So I am here to ask you that if you love her at all, please go to her." I said seriously.

"Okay. Where is she?" He finally caved in. He picked his car keys and walked hurriedly out of the house.

"At home," I answered as I followed him, Gina closely behind me.