[Dial tone]

[Pickup]

ROSLYN: You've reached the Love and Luck Podcast.

[Music]

[Beep]

[Pickup]

[Beep]

JASON: Hey babe. You're asleep, and Victor's asleep, and I probably should be trying to get to sleep, but I'm all wired and can't relax.

Considering I am really wired though, I might play around with magic and see if I can get some kind of ward thing up and running like we talked about. I don't... really know how I'll do that. But I'll experiment. Most of our magic is done with a sort of... throwing our intentions and feelings around, right? So maybe it's as simple as throwing around intentions of protection and feelings of safety? But... I guess I'll have to try rooting them to the location somehow? Man, I don't know.

Anyway. I'll go play with it and see what I can do. Love you.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

KANE: Hey... so, whatever you did with the wards? I think they worked. The bar felt really different when I came downstairs today. Safer. Warmer. Tighter, as weird as that sounds. Kind of like something was wrapped around it.

Victor noticed it, too. He said that he doesn't feel as afraid today as he did yesterday. He's also been smiling more easily today, and his body language is a bit more relaxed.

When you get up, you'll have to tell me what you did. I bet we can strengthen it even more together.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

JASON: Hey, I miss you. It's another quiet night tonight. Not because there's a lack of people here - there's a few, actually, but there's not much for me to do for them. People are just hanging out. It's really nice, actually.

Victor's doing a lot better tonight, too. He's been chatting with customers and often tidying things up before I can get to it - again, not leaving me much to do. He's a good kid, though. I don't mind so much. It seems to cheer him up to be helpful, as well.

Those wards are definitely doing something good. People's shoulders seem to drop tension the moment they come inside now. Victor's smiling easily. Things feel like they're lightening up.

Hope you're sleeping well, babe. I love you.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

KANE: So, annoyingly, three of our nice vintage teapots broke this morning. You know, the ones we used for group tea serves? So I'm going to have to go out and buy more considering that's a popular order. I could just order some to be delivered to us but... we're down to only one group teapot, which, honestly is not going to be enough to see us through the day let alone the week.

Victor's going to watch the bar while you sleep and I do a quick op shop or failing that a kmart run. I should be back by the time you get up. Love you.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

JASON: Hey, just got a great booking for next month - a zine fair!! Should be a lot of fun to have something like that southside for a change.

Also, I'm really glad you bought those extra teapots, because literally all of them are in use at the moment. Who'd have thought tea would be so popular? Especially that fruity one you ordered from Tasmania, that's a big seller. Thought you'd be pleased to know that.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

KANE: So, I think I found another way to strengthen the wards this morning, maybe. I remembered when I was a kid, that Mumma used to tie decorative knots in cord and hang them off the back of doorknobs, and she told me it was to keep the room or the house safe.

So I thought... maybe there was something to that? So I did a chain of knots on a bit of twine. Nothing fancy, but I figure... the magic probably doesn't mind if it's not complex macrame, right? It's just a physical thing representing something ethereal, so like... it probably doesn't matter if it's not super pretty or whatever. So I was trying to like... put all those feelings of safety and protection into each knot.

Then when I was done, I hung that on the inside doorknob of the bar. I guess we'll see later if it made much of a difference... this preventative magic stuff is a bit like art or something, huh? You kinda have to sleep on it to get any perspective on whether or not it worked out well.

Anyway. I love you. See you when you get up.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

JASON: Hey, I think your knotted string is being pretty damn effective - lots of people tonight are telling me how welcome and happy they feel here. Like... almost everyone who's come in has said that. I know you heard that from a fair few customers today as well, so... yeah. Good job, string witch boyfriend!

[Hangup]

[Beep]

JASON: There are some amazing drag queens holding an impromptu makeup workshop in our bar right now. I love our bar, I love our community, I love us. This is literally my favourite place on earth.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

KANE: I can't believe you didn't wake me for the drag queen makeup workshop. So cruel!! I could have been getting covered in glitter instead of snoring away in bed!! Next time, definitely wake me if there's drag awesomeness happening downstairs, okay?

[Hangup]

[Beep]

KANE: Hey, so... Victor's Dad came back this morning. But he didn't come inside. He stood outside the bar- we could see him through the window. He just stared at the bar for ages, like he wanted to come in but couldn't bring himself to do it.

I thought he'd go away after a few minutes, but he didn't. And I was thinking... well, we made our wards to protect the bar and the people in it, but they aren't designed to send people who wish us harm away or anything. Just because he couldn't come in, didn't mean he was motivated to leave.

So I just... prodded, a little. Magically, I mean. Encouraged him to let this go and leave. And... he did. He just walked away.

Victor's still a little shaken up by it even though his Dad didn't come inside, which is understandable. But he says he feels safe here, so that's good.

I think we should try and tweak the wards to send away bad intentions as much as keep them out, but other than that... we did it. We protected our turf and our people. And we did it without any harm coming to anyone.

Victor's Dad might come back, but I feel pretty sure that he won't be able to come after Victor any more. I think... I think we're all going to be okay.

[Hangup]

[Music]

ROSLYN: Love and Luck is written by Erin Kyan, and produced by Passer Vulpes Productions. Kane is voiced by Lee Davis-Thalbourne. Jason is voiced by Erin Kyan. Credits spoken by Roslyn Quin. Recorded by Kermie Breydon.

For more information about Love and Luck, check out our website, loveandluckpodcast.com. You can also find us on facebook as Love and Luck Podcast, and follow us on twitter, at @LoveLuckPodcast.