It's Late 2022

Officer Dela Cruz and Officer O'Neill returned looking sombre.

Officer Dela Cruz addressed Ed and Cory together with Idris and Kirsty. "I have discussed this with my partner and there are obviously a number of factors at play here."

"I don't see how, I grew up here" Ed stated.

Officer Dela Cruz pursed her lips "be that as it may that doesn't mean you have an automatic right to the property. That's for the lawyers to decide. In the meantime as Idris is the longest continuous resident we think it's the best course if you vacate the property until the courts can make an appropriate judgement."

"That is outrageous! Just because he travelled that means a stranger gets his house? " the blonde middle aged Cory exclaimed.

"Don't be such a Karen" Idris mocked. Cory turned to him and opened her mouth to reply...

Officer O'Neill interjected "I'm sorry ma'am, we have to be cautious and ensure all parties are being treated fairly and there's no... ah... bias towards any one party who may at some point otherwise feel they are aggrieved and raise a complaint to relevant authorities."

"What authorities? You're the police!" Cory demanded.

Officer O'Neill coughed and shifted uncomfortably.

"Do you have somewhere to stay?" Officer Dela Cruz asked Ed

Ed hesitated "I don't..."

"He shouldn't need to!" Cory added.

"I'm sorry ma'am there's nothing further we can do. Sir, could you please gather what you need to vacate the property" Officer O'Neill requested.

Cory protested further to Officer O'Neill while Idris watched on smugly.

Officer Dela Cruz moved through the commotion and spoke quietly to Ed "This wasn't easy for us and there's no correct answers in cases like this. I would appreciate it if you allowed the courts to decide."

"How long will that take?" Ed asked.

Officer Dela Cruz looked slightly guilty "It's hard to say... but they're the only ones who can make a formal decision as to homeownership. Given the claims made by Idris of the potential for **** we need to deescalate the situation. In this particular situation to ensure there's no one in danger we require you to leave the premises."

Ed slouched "This is... unfair..."

Officer Dela Cruz looked at Ed with sympathy "I understand you feel that way but we have to respect everyone's rights and Idris has rights too."

Defeated, uncertain of his legal rights beyond what the cops had told him Ed capitulated to their request. He went alone to his bedroom then gathered some clothes and underwear into a bag. He grabbed a couple of childhood mementos and stuffed them into the bag. As he left his bedroom he stopped and turned in the doorway looking into the room that had represented all of his childhood. Memories of a happy childhood flitted through his mind. He traced some marks on the door frame where his dad had measured Ed's height as he grew.

As Ed closed his bedroom door the memory of his childhood and parents seemed to grow dimmer. He paused wondering whether he would ever open the door again.

He felt a hand touch his shoulder, he turned to see Cory. "Are you ok?" she asked, not for the first time.

"I guess I turned a second corner and did a 180" Ed commented.

Cory sighed "no, just a speed bump." She took a breath "Look, I want you to come and stay with me until the lawyers straighten this out. Sad to say but if the bank is going to repossess it anyway then it might not be your problem for very long. Idris might think he's won but even if he does it could very well be a pyrrhic victory at best."

Ed looked back at his bedroom door "Fuck it, this isn't over. One day at a time."

Cory smiled "One day at a time."

They returned to the living room where the officers had been waiting. Idris was sitting on the couch with Kirsty sitting on his lap. He looked overjoyed at the outcome and grinned wolfishly.

"Let me walk you out of my house" Idris offered.

"That won't be necessary Sir" Officer O'Neill replied.

Officers O'Neill and Dela Cruz escorted them to Cory's car and exchanged contact details. Officer O'Neill made a point of telling Cory that they'd be in touch and gave her the details of a lawyer he claimed to know. Cory smiled politely and thanked him.