Time moves forward to a month later...

Ed lay in his bed staring at his ceiling reflecting on the last month before getting ready to start work.

The inquest revealed no foul play in this moms **** and it was ruled an accident however because of the **** in her system the life insurance company refused to pay out. Despite this his moms funeral and wake had passed with the respect she deserved, worries of further drama between him and Idris had not materialised as each respected the departed woman in their own way. Ed had found the strength to give the eulogy and maintained his composure throughout the sad occasion.

Cory had been devastated by the news but had done her best to support Ed throughout, they hadn't discussed the unfortunate timing of their night of passion and in fact there had been no more sexual contact between them. The desire they had expressed being complicated by an unspoken guilt as they struggled to process everything that had happened.

Shauna had stayed over a few times but neither her nor her father were insensitive enough to demand Ed sleep on the couch. Shauna had actually been sympathetic and almost kind to Ed passing on her sympathies with a sincerity he had never expected from her, she had even claimed to have deleted the video of him with Mason he asked her about it.
Her father, Idris, had become less overtly aggressive and retreated to a cold almost official like politeness only engaging Ed in conversations around practical arrangements for the funeral and latterly cohabiting in the house. Idris had occasionally disappeared for a day or night with no explanation and a curt reply for Ed to mind his own business if he challenged Idris on it.
Ed had briefly, awkwardly asked Idris to leave but he had replied that Holly wouldn't have wanted him to be homeless. Ed in his grief hadn't pursued it yet as Idris had tapped into Ed's guilt about his actions leading up to his moms ****.

Manolo had returned from university for a few days and Ed was glad to have a friend around, someone who reminded him of simpler times. He had the occasional meal with both Manolo and Mason feeling in those moments a rare sense of normality and even laughter. He felt relieved that Manolo seemed to be unaware of Ed fucking his mom and other than the occasional lingering eye contact between Ed and Mason there was no indication of what had happened between them. Ed was sad to see his friend go when Manolo had to return to his studies.

Ed rarely saw Nyomi but she had expressed her sympathies when their paths crossed in the cul de sac. Jamal and Eds paths had only crossed once and Jamal had stared aggressively at Ed, his anger at Eds perceived disrespect undiminished by Eds obvious grief.

Nikki and her daughter Jasmine had largely avoided Ed, not being particularly close they felt slightly awkward at what to say to him.

Ed had discussed the future with Preeti, she confessed that she had rarely had sex with her husband since he had taken his second wife so that the baby was indeed possibly Ed's but the foetus was still too early to do a paternity test but she would do one in a couple of months. Since it was still such early days she had so far managed to hide the truth from her husband but was still deciding whether to just have an abortion to avoid any consequences or further drama. As the potential father Ed tried to offer his opinion but was firmly rebuffed as Preeti maintained that it was her body and her choice.

Now would have been the deadline that his mom had set for Ed to provide the funds to cover his medical expenses from when Jamal had hospitalised him. Had he not acquired the funds his mom would have had to sell the house, now that he had to deal with the bills, he was unemployed and Idris refused or was unable to contribute Ed finally understood the difficulties his mom had faced as an adult. He felt a sense of bitterness that bills didn't stop just because his whole world had changed.

Mason and Cory were aware of his situation, Cory had got him a job at the gym she worked at as a cleaner but it was a minimum wage job with irregular hours. Feeling as though he had no alternative in the short term he had accepted it in the hopes it would tide him over until his moms will was read and he could officially get Idris to leave and rent out the spare room for income.

Ed got up and had a shower before leaving for his new job.