Episode 62 - Storm

[Dial tone]

[Hangup]

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

[Music]

[Beep]

[Pickup]

[Beep]

JASON: Hey babe, hope you're sleeping well. Things are quiet again tonight, but that's not surprising. Wednesday nights aren't usually raging party nights. For most people. Personally, I think any night is ripe to be a raging party night if you want it to be, but... well, it's not my fault that society can't handle that truth.

So, I've been thinking, and I think you're right, we should ask Michael and Victor for some more plants for the bar. I've grown quite fond of these little sprigs, and I think it'd be nice to add some more greenery if we can. We can definitely talk about hanging plants over the bar like you wanted.

[FX: Door opens]

Ah, customer! I'll talk to you later. Love you.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

JASON: BABE. I've made a new best friend, she's basically the best person ever. Except for you, obviously, clearly you're the best person ever. BUT. She's a close second.

STORM: [Impatiently] Hey, c'mon! Gimme the phone!

JASON: ANYWAY, she wants in on this voicemail, so! Kane, my beloved boyfriend, meet Storm! our newest customer and like, clearly, one of the greatest people in the universe.

STORM: [Energetic] Hi! Kane, it's an honour to meet you via this most treasured form of communication between you two weirdos.

[JASON LAUGHS IN BACKGROUND]

When Jason was telling me that you guys leave voicemails for each other like love notes, I basically died. That's the cutest fucking thing I've ever heard.

Anyway! Anyway. [Serious] Kane. Kane, listen to me. This is a very special moment. I feel like fate brought me here.

Do you know how hard it is to find somewhere to go at this hour, that is not a bar full of drunken twenty year old straight men? It is extremely, extremely fucking hard. Walking into the Best of Luck Bar was like reaching a god damn oasis.

Jason said you did most of the work in terms of getting this bar up and running, so I owe you a god damn debt.

[Majestically] You are a prince among men, Kane, boyfriend of Jason. Thank you for granting a cup of peppermint tea and a god damn moment of peace and quiet to a nurse that just got off a ten hour shift and is looking at still another hour's drive home.

Bless you, and bless this tiny little bar that you have put together, and bless your weird voicemail thing with your boyfriend. Bless you.

JASON: ISN'T SHE GREAT? Hopefully you'll get to meet her in person sometime, assuming that she ever has a shift that doesn't end while you're sleeping.

I'm going to get her to tell me some gruesome medical stories right now, but I promise I'll leave you another message before I head to bed, okay?

STORM: Bye Kane!!!

[Hangup]

[Beep]

JASON: [Sweetly] Hey baby. It is... veeeeery late, or early, or whatever. Storm stuck around for a bit past closing, actually. It's uh... it's closer to five than three, let's put it that way.

I think she was a little bit delirious, or clearly some kind of superhero, because I can't fathom being that cheerful and chatty after ten hours of doing ANYTHING, let alone working. Let alone working as a nurse, isn't that like... one of the most draining jobs in existence, or something?

Anyway. She's amazing. You know how sometimes you meet people, and you just... click? Like you just know, yes. This is someone I'm going to be good friends with. This is someone compatible with me, and my friends, and my lifestyle. That kind of thing. I felt that with her.

I don't know, maybe I'm just drunk on the wee hours. Shit does get weird this time of night. Inhibitions lower, everything's blurrier and sharper at the same time... yeah, I don't know. Everything is surreal and hyperreal and other... real... things.

Man, I should get to bed before the sun comes up.

I love you. And I haven't said it in a while, so, just a reminder? Thank you. You've made my life something amazing. It really is thanks to you and so much of your efforts that we have the Best of Luck Bar, and... just, thank you. Thank you for everything. I love you so much.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

KANE: [Amused] Hey honey. I gotta say, those were some interesting voicemails to wake up to.

I'm glad you made a new friend. I look forward to meeting her face sometime, since I've already met her voice. Assuming her shifts work out in a way for that to happen.

[Serious] And, Jason... this was a team effort. We could go "no, you did more to make this happen!" at each other all day, and in fact I'm pretty sure we have done that at some point in the past. But I think at this point we should just concede that we both put a lot of work into the bar.

I couldn't have done this without you, and you couldn't have done this without me. And that's okay, Jason, actually, that's... wonderful. It's all the more impressive in that it was both of us. We made it happen together.

We're a team. And the longer we're together... the more and more that feels true.

You know... I always worried about getting too wrapped up in someone. Like I'd disappear if I let myself get in too deep, you know? But... the complete opposite has happened. Being with you has made me more 'me' than... anything else in my life. The person I am now doesn't need you in order to exist or anything, but... I'm better because of you, and I'm better with you.

I love you. Thank you for everything.

[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. Storm is voiced by Creatrix Tiara. Credits spoken by Roslyn Quin. Recorded by Kermie Breydon and Eris Barnes.

Thank you to Sian Dart for naming Storm.

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[Music fades out]