ROSLYN: This episode of Love and Luck contains references to transphobic violence. Please, take care of yourself.

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

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JASON: Hey, good news! Ricardo's being discharged tomorrow, so I have only one more night of sleeping on this shitty hospital floor!! Then we'll both being coming home!! And then I'm going to have a proper night's sleep in my proper bed and it's going to be the best fucking night of my life!! Because oh my god, I miss our bed.

[Hangup]

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KANE: Hey! I'm so glad you're coming home!! Everyone else is too, there was an actual cheer from the bar when I let them know.

Also, Helen's going to be crashing in our lounge area for a few days while Eileen is with us, so that Eileen can stay in her room, and we still have the free bedroom for Ricardo. It'll just make it easier for him, rather than trying to juggle everyone around once he gets here. I didn't ask her to do that, by the way, but I'm sure you figured that out already. Girl's too good for this world.

We're finishing up setting up the room for Ricardo today - okay, actually, Victor, Michael and Brandon are finishing setting up the room for Ricardo. I've been banned because they're worried about my bad back. No one's even lifting anything heavy! They're just shuffling a few things around and making sure the bed is made and all that sort of thing! Ah well... they mean well, so I don't really mind that much.

God, I'm so happy you're coming home. I miss you so much. Seeing you for lunches and a few minutes here or there when I run errands just isn't enough... I have gotten used to having you around almost all the time. Time apart these days is just hell.

[sigh] I love you so much. See you tomorrow.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

KANE: [Panicked] Jason? Jason, please, call me back when you get this. Helen's hurt.

Not badly, she's just got some cuts and bruises, but... fuck. They--they were waiting for her. They followed her. They chased her. Threw bottles at her.

She's--she's okay, I mean, she's not okay, but she's safe now. Once she got back to the bar and got inside they ran off and left her alone. The wards at least kept them out and ran them off. But... but they still chased her. They still got to her. They still hurt her.

I can't--I'm not handling this very well. Please, call me back as soon as you get this. Fuck.

[Hangup]

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JASON: Kane? I'm on my way home right now. Call me back if you want, but I'm already coming. I'll see you soon.

[Hangup]

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KANE: Hey. Everything's okay, no new horrible thing has happened, I just... I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd give you a call. Thank you for coming home tonight. I... when I saw you come through the doors, it was like I could breathe again. Thank you.

Helen's sleeping okay, thank god. I'm glad you were okay with putting her in our bed for tonight. I just... I needed to know she was safe. If something worse had happened to her, I...

[Intake of breath] Okay, no... no, I'm not going to get worked up again. She's okay, she's safe, she's sleeping.

I love you. I hope Ricardo's doing okay. See you tomorrow.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

KANE: Hey. I still can't sleep.

I've been hanging out downstairs for the past couple of hours. Thinking, mostly.

[Quiet, serious] I think... I think that you were right. When you said that we should bash back. I mean, I know you didn't say that exactly, but I think... you were right. To do good in this situation, we need to consider a more aggressive move.

I still don't want to be violent. But... they're targeting us, specifically now. They targeted Helen. Helen! Of all the fucking people in the world, for it to be her...

If we can't even set foot outside the bar without having to fear for our safety and the safety of our people, then... even if the answer is violence, or even potential violence, then I need to accept that.

I think... I think I let myself prioritize my discomfort over people's safety. I shouldn't be allowed to do that. That's not... that's not doing good. That's a cop out. That's an attitude that left Helen vulnerable tonight.

We can't let them get away with this any longer. If we have the means to end it, then we should use them. No matter how uncomfortable it makes me.

I don't know what what we'll do, exactly, or how we'll go about it, but that's something we can figure out together.

I love you. I'm sorry for not accepting the truth of the situation until now.

We'll finish this.

[Hangup]

[Music]

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.