The guests at Ed's party are mainly his moms friends and some neighbours

After their exchange Holly welcomed him into the house and revealed she had organised a welcome home party for him. Ed was delighted at the gesture but couldn't help but be a little disappointed that most of the people there were his mom's friends and neighbours, he had grown so much and yet they all seemed to be the same, the same faces, same clothes, same voices and yet he felt a swell of pride that it was obvious they were looking at him differently. He was 19 now, no longer the 18 year old child he was when they had last seen him.

Ed knew most of the people there, he spotted Jamal who he had been at school with in a corner drinking beer and leering at any women within view. Ed scanned the room further and appreciated the view of Jamal's tall buxom ebony mom Nyomai talking with the shorter thinner yet just as buxom Indian woman Preeti who looked to be upset about something.

Ed saw Manolo's mom Mason but couldn't see Manolo. Cory was here as well, the mature blonde worked as a fitness instructor at the same gym as his mom and always gave him a mischievous smile when she looked at him.

Ed was surprised when he saw Nikki and her daughter Jasmine, both had always been aloof, the mother was a snob who spoke condescendingly to everyone while the daughter did her best to copy her mother, she was lusted after throughout school but had a reputation as a cold hearted bitch to anyone she didn't think was of an equal social status.

There was small talk and Ed tried to keep humble but was eager to share his experiences with the guests around him. An older black guy he'd never seen before offered him a drink and he accepted, the guy stood beside him listening before asking aggressive questions about his journey, ignoring the hostility in his own home from a stranger as best he could Ed continued to talk animately about his experiences throughout the party until his mom asked the guy to help her get some ice from the basement. Ed offered to help but Holly declined commenting with a smile that she didn't want him to have to do anything at his own party.

Ed found himself talking to Preeti, Mason and Nyomai. He had wanted to talk to Preeti about India but she was more concerned about telling him about how she had found her husband had another two wives in India she hadn't known about. Preeti was getting more animated until Nyomai led her away to calm down.

Cory wandered over, she and Mason spent a few minutes openly discussing how much he'd changed and what a big boy he'd become. Ed wasn't sure if they were mocking him when they took turns to feel his biceps. Cory invited him to come to her house the next day for a health assessment with a view to him joining the gym to help develop him further. Even though he wondered why Cory was offering Ed accepted graciously then with a demure smile Cory made her excuses and went to speak to Nikki.