The reality of him

She is mad right now.

She have the right to be.

But she needs to know few things.

Dominic went for getting Cole.

He is very short tempered and he is very sensitive towards his family and parents.

And Ashley used the words he never ever want to listen.

If Dominic failed to catch him before he left the hospital premises, I don't know what is he gonna do !

We need to tell her the truth.

" Listen Ash, it's not that we aren't on your side because he is our friend and WE are under process of being friends !

We didn't stopped you and asked you to not use such things because he is our friend; we said it because, you don't know anything about him yet. Let me tell you that and after that, you are free to say anything to us, blame us. "

I said to her.

" Lauren, don't ! "

Derek refused.

" No Derek, she should know.

If I won't tell her, she'll make wrong opinions about all of us and that's the last thing I want. "

I said.

" But telling it won't yield anything.

I know if we tell her, she'll get it.

But whatever Cole said to her; we can't justify that with the truth.

It's wrong !

We can't mislead her. "

Jules said feeling bad for her.

" Will anybody tell me, what's going on here ? "

Ashley asked confused.

" Yes, I will.

Ashley, we all are orphans ! "

I said grabbing her hands in mine.

" What ?

I am so sorry, I didn't know that.

I am really very sorry.

Oh my god, I have said what not to him !

Why didn't you stopped me in the beginning guys ?

I should never have said anything of that ! "

Ashley said hiding her face in her hands.

" Don't apologise, Ashley.

You said that, because you didn't know.

If you were aware of it, I am sure you wouldn't have said any of that. "

Jules said trying to make her feel less miserable.

" Derek, you can talk about everything happening in the world, but you couldn't ask me to stop ?

Why didn't you guys stop me !

God, I am feeling really pathetic now ! "

Ashley said helplessly.

" Don't take me otherwise but, you were very angry.

You wouldn't have get why I was asking you to stop.

I am sorry. "

Derek said caressing her head.

" I know, anyone would get angry if, someone would say such mean things.

But didn't he reacted a bit more ?

I mean, yes I hurt his feelings by saying that, but I was mad too !

Couldn't he... "

Ashley said.

" Exactly !

That's why I want to tell you the reason, why he reacted like that.

We all are orphans, but we grew up together.

We are together from our childhood.

He is the eldest among us.

He was left at the door of the orphanage, when he was 10.

And all of us were left there, when we were 4 or 5.

So, we don't have many memories with our parents and whole family.

And even if we had, we were too young to keep them in mind for lifetime.

He was 10 !

He literally remembers each and every memory and everything from his childhood.

He hates his parents for leaving him like, he was nothing for them !

We don't even remember if, we had Mom or Dad or either of them or neither of them.

So it was very easy for us to forget our past and be hopefull about our future.

But in his case, it's very hard for him to forget that.

And it's the major reason, he is like this now.

He never shows anyone any care or respect, he is afraid that he shouldn't do the same with anyone what his parents did with him !

That's why, he is always talking rudely with everyone.

He don't let anyone in his heart nor he get close with anyone's heart.

He is afraid that, if he started liking someone and if that person too left him like his parents, he won't survive that !

So, he thinks being rude would repell everyone and he won't have to face anything.

And also he is afraid that, if he let someone close, his rude behaviour would break someone innocent's heart.

He doesn't want to become like his parents.

That's the only reason, he is always in such a bad mood like he started the day with bitter gourd ! "

I said.

She was listening to me with pity for him.

I don't want her to be pitiful on him.

" But the real Cole isn't like this, what he pretends to be.

He isn't really like that.

He is so lovely and lovable.

One just have to know his heart; which WE do !

We are together for more about 20 years now.

We know him very well.

He insults us, he yells at us, he thinks we don't have any brains, he thinks he is very heartless ! And he thinks, we don't know what is beneath that mask ! "

I said chuckling at his innocence.

" Yes, he thinks he have fooled us a long time ago. And we don't know what he actually feels about us !

He thinks, we are afraid of his rude behaviour, he thinks we hate him for how he behaves with us.

He thinks we hate him for he insults us every now and then.

He thinks, he knows everything.

What he doesn't know is, we know his reality ! "

Jules said chuckling with me.

" Yes, I am not some kind of emotionless person who, won't feel insulted on daily basis !

But, I know whatever he says is for my betterment, that's why I don't feel insulted at all; just if it's Cole !

Otherwise I don't tolerate anyone's insult. "

Derek said smiling at her.

" He thinks we don't know or consider what have he done for us.

He thinks we don't know he loves all of us like a father.

Every child in the orphanage got adopted, except for us.

We were reaching our adulthood and the policy of the orphanage was if, some kid doesn't get adopted, the authority would be responsible for the kid.

But once the kid turns 18, they throw that kid out on his own.

After that, they won't recognise any kid.

The authority threw out Cole.

He knew about that policy as, the authority won't stop hammering that in few days he would be thrown out !

He started going out in search of any kind of job. He found one at the godown of fruits.

And his job was to put the fruits in the box and pack them.

He started earning a bit more than he needs for the food.

He had few days remaining in the orphanage and he spent them there, to collect the money he was getting for the future.

Once he turned 18, the authority threw him out and he asked the owner of the godown, to let him sleep in the godown as he didn't had any place to sleep.

The owner had pity for him and let him sleep there.

He even gave him money for being the guard there.

He is a very good man, we still visit him !

Cole started buying the food for lunch only and saved the money of dinner for next day.

Many people had pity for him and they started saving a little bit of food from their box for him.

He started earning the money and even continued his studies.

The owner had him admitted in school and Cole completed his studies with the help of the scholarship he got for his talent ! "

I told her with proud for him.

" After that, we all turned 18 in few years and were thrown out by the authority one by one.

And we didn't had any other places to go.

We didn't even knew where Cole was.

But he found us himself and let us all stay with him.

He couldn't have asked the owner for our jobs, so he started working hard and earning the money. He didn't even let his studies let down.

And in that rush, he didn't got to sleep for even a bit.

Then, I thought we all were able to live life and get food because of him, I must help him out in some way.

I asked him to work in the morning, school in the afternoon, homework and studies in the evening and I would be the guard at night.

He used to sleep besides me if someone came, they won't say that he is taking money for free without doing his duty.

That way, he got some sleep and I got the satisfaction of not eating food for free.

But, one day the owner came to the godown and saw me there.

He asked what was I doing there and where was Cole.

I told him everything and he was like, I won't let you work secretly !

He gave me the guard's job and let Cole do the morning work only.

We needed the money for all of us, it didn't mattered then who was earning it !

Dominic and Lauren were, yes only 2 years, but they were younger to me.

I felt responsible for them.

And Derek was the youngest one, so neither of us wanted him to sleep without food.

We started earning, buying food, saving it.

Cole then suggested me to join the school and continue my studies.

And I did.

I started delivering the milk packets to people who wanted home delivery, in the morning and then school in the afternoon and be the guard at night. "

Jules said remembering the time.

" Then me and Dominic started feeling the same that, we were eating for free and started delivering the groceries to people and earn.

Cole and Jules asked us too, to start the studies again.

Then we too started our studies.

Then Cole successfully cracked the exam and joined as junior Cop in the department and left the job at godown.

We were still working and earning for all of us and studying.

Cole disappeared then and we felt, he got the job so he forgot about us !

We were doing our studies and then, Jules started working as junior lawyer at the department after his graduation.

And then he too disappeared just as Cole.

But we were so wrong about them.

Cole had got his own place of a single room.

Jules was staying with him !

They were waiting for us to do something on our own.

I finished my studies and joined the court room as assistant lawyer.

But Dominic wanted to become a doctor and his income wasn't sufficient for his college fees or books.

Cole contacted me one day and told about him and Jules being together and he told me to move in with them.

I told them about Dominic.

They decided to get Dominic as well as Derek with us.

We earned money, eat food and saved some and provided to Dominic.

Even before it was Derek's turn to work hard and earn money for himself, Cole and I decided to get him here.

Jules was worried that if, we spoiled Derek and didn't let him struggle even a bit, he wouldn't realise the value of hard work in life.

But, deep down he too didn't wanted Derek to undergo the unfavorable conditions as we did ! Though, he is just 2 years younger than me and Dominic, we still had watched him growing infront of us and we didn't wanted the troubles for him.

And we got him with us.

Cole was the one earning the most.

He had paid all of our fees without letting us even realising that.

We see him at our father's place.

Neither of us have seen our own father's faces, but we are sure, whoever they were, even they wouldn't have done things which Cole have done for us. "

Lauren said being proud of Cole.

" That's why, we don't mind his anger, because he don't realise that he shows his love for us without even realising it himself.

He have done everything for us.

Even the house we live at now, Cole have built it on his own and again didn't let us live at our first home.

He didn't even let us realise that he was building that huge and massive house for all of us.

He didn't accepted a single penny from anyone of us; till date !

We try to pay him in different ways, but he returns it back; with the threat to break our jaw or kill us ! "

I said chuckling.

" So, we pretend to be scared of him and don't try again to pay him back.

He doesn't even let us buy groceries or vegetables or even milk !

He gives the reason that, we don't have any brains to buy the correct and healthy things for us.

That's the real Cole !

He could bear anything but words related to his parents or family; and darling you said exactly what he didn't want to listen ever !

He is trying to forget about his parents.

And he succeeded to a very large extent, but you have made them green once again.

I don't know, now how long will it take him to try to forget those things again ! "

I said to her feeling bad for him.

" Why are blaming her, Lauren ?

She didn't know that! "

Derek said.

" I am not blaming her for anything, Derek.

I am just telling her what just happened ! "

I explained myself.

" Telling someone that, he have done something he shouldn't, is blaming him in sober language ! Isn't it, Jules ? "

Derek said.

I guess he is right.

" But, I..."

I tried to defend myself but Jules changed the flow of the topic.

" We are sorry, Ashley. "

Jules said caressing her arm.

" Please don't embarase me even more by apologizing.

I am the one who should apologise.

Aaah... "

Ashley said and moaned in pain while trying to get up.

" Hey !

What do you think you are doing ?

Why are you getting up ?

What are you...

Hey ! "

I tried to make her lay down and she literally pushed me away !

What is she planning to do ?

I grabbed her in my arms and made he sit on the bed.

" Hey !

Leave me.

Let me go !

What are you doing ? "

Ashley protested.

" Exactly my question is !

What are you doing ?

Where do you want to go ?

And... "

I asked her and she answered before I was finished.

" I need to apologise to Cole !

He won't come to me, I'll have to go to him.

And I must apologise him right now before it's too late for that.

You haven't stopped me earlier when I was doing the stupidity, so please don't stop me now. "

Ashley said trying to get up again.

Jules made her sit back again.

" Don't act stupid.

He is very mad right now.

He won't listen to you, he would insult you instead. "

Jules told her the fact.

" I don't care.

And he have the right to do it if he want to.

I deserve it.

And I... "

Ashley was determined to go to Cole and apologise him.

Though, he is sweet, but when he is mad, he is someone else.

She won't be able to handle his that phase !

" Jules is right, Ashley.

You shouldn't go now.

He is very mad right now.

He would do something which he'll regret later. And we don't want him to regret anything now. Dominic went after him to stop him.

Only he can handle him, when he is mad !

You mustn't go now. "

Derek said pressing her back on the bed.

" It's not like that, only Dominic can handle him. Even you can handle him Derek !

Ha ha. "

I cracked a joke to make the situation light.

And we all laughed at it.

" Ha ha, very funny.

I am not going to jump in the volcano knowingly ! I can't handle him, in the name of handling him, what I'd do is, get fried in his fire ! "

Derek said and we all laughed again.

Finally she agreed to rest now and apologise him later.