[Dial tone]

[Hangup]

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

[Music]

[Beep]

[Pickup]

[Beep]

MIRA: Hey Papa Bear, it's Mira. I hope it's okay if I leave you another rambly message. I'm just... I'm full of emotions, and I think I just... need to get them out... somewhere.

[Chuckles] I should probably take up journalling or something, but... for now, this is what came to mind. I hope it's okay.

I just finished helping Helen get ready for her date. I braided her hair for her. She looks really beautiful.

She was so excited, it was like she was glowing. I was so happy to see her like that. She's so good at making everyone else happy, I just... I just want her to be happy too.

[Awkwardly] I'm... I'm also... honestly, I'm kind of jealous. Storm is so... [Sigh] She's so hot, and she's so amazing, and I just... I'm just jealous. I wish she wanted to be with me, too.

[Seriously] Please don't tell Helen, okay? I don't want her to think I feel anything even slightly bad about this. I don't want her to think I'm not happy for her, because I absolutely am. I just... kind of wish I was going along too, I guess.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

MICHAEL: Kane, it's Michael. Thank you so much for the extra work. I know it was Victor's idea, and, believe me, I have thanked him too, and will probably keep thanking him for quite a while yet. But you and Jason didn't have to agree with him, so please know that I appreciate it so much that you did. Things are going to be a lot easier for me from this point on. Thank you.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

KANE: Hey honey, thought you'd like to know that Helen came home with a smile bigger than the sun this morning. I asked her how her date was, and she said "it was really good", and then proceeded to blush pink as pink could be. I think it's safe to say that Storm treated her very well.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

KANE: [Yawn] Hey. Bedtime voicemail as requested.

I'm really proud of Victor. I know that sounds kind of condescending, but... I mean, shit, I didn't think the kid that showed up so long ago would be leaving us messages saying he's covering someone else's rent and looking for multiple jobs because he wants to help people.

I figured... I figured he'd just get stable and move on, you know? I figured... we'd help him, and things would get better for him, and then... then he'd move on and we'd... lose him.

Wait, that sounds a bit too dramatic. I don't mean like, we'd never see him again. Just that... he'd stop being a part of our daily lives, you know?

But that hasn't happened at all. He's still ours. He still cares for us and everyone here. In fact it's because of that care that he's moving forwards. That's... is it weird if I say that it's inspiring? It is, though. It inspires me. Victor is doing everything he can do within his means to make the world better, and...

Just, damn, Jason. I love that kid. I love that kid so much.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

JASON: Hey babe. Good night tonight. A few customers, mostly regulars. Helen and Mira sat up the back of the bar talking and laughing and blushing... I can only assume they were talking about Helen and Storm's date.

I know what you mean about Victor. I'm proud of him too. I honestly sometimes forget that he's not actually my little brother or something. I love him dearly.

And... I'm glad to be able to pass the job to Michael. It feels like... it feels like that's become another way for us to help people out, you know? We have folks living with us when they need it, and... we can afford to employ someone when they need that, too.

Heh, we might need to consider franchising or something if we wanna go much further down that road. Which... oh god, I'm getting a headache just imagining that. Let's not do that. Let's stick to our single employee situation. God.

[Sigh] Ah, I should close up. I love you. And I love that we can help people out.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

KANE: Good morning!

I love that we can help people out too. To steal Victor's metaphor, I think... I think we're starting to really appreciate the plants blossoming in our garden.

[Hangup]

[Cassette Noise]

JULIE: Hey baby. It's been... it hasn't been a very good week.

So... I guess now is an appropriate time to tell you a little bit about how you came to exist. Because that kind of feeds into what made this week so hard.

So, you know that my only romantic partner right now is Priya. Priya doesn't have the kind of body that could get me pregnant. And most of our friends are aware of this. So... most of them assume that I got you by using a sperm donor.

But I didn't use a donor. You happened naturally. It's part of what makes you such a miracle.

The thing is... when some people find out that I didn't use a donor, they think I cheated on Priya. And I didn't, sweetheart, I promise you, Mumma didn't lie to anyone or hurt anyone to have you.

You see, we're allowed to love as many people as we want, for as long or as short a time as we want, both Priya and I. And sometimes we only love someone for a night, or a weekend. And that's all right, because we all agreed to it.

I loved a very kind and gentle man for a weekend, and that's where you came from. He is a very good friend of mine, from up in Queensland. I don't get to see him much. But he was down here in Melbourne for a little while, and so it was lovely to spend some time with him.

Some of my friends... they don't understand that it was okay. They think that even though me, and Priya, and him, we were all okay with it... they still think it was still a bad thing to do.

And some of them... some of our friends, they think it was a bad thing just because he's a man. There are some women who think that... they think that men make women dirty. That if you've loved a man, that means you're not good enough to love women.

They're all wrong, of course. About both of those things. But... they've been mean to me about it, so... it's been a hard week. Some of my friends... well, I've found out they aren't really my friends, I guess is the best way to explain it.

[Sigh] This too will pass. I'll be okay. It just hurts right now. But it will be okay.

We'll both be okay.

[Click]

[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. Julie is voiced by Nic Rummery. Mira is voiced by Tahlia Celenn. Michael is voiced by Oscar Sabogal. Credits spoken by Roslyn Quin. Recorded by Kermie Breydon and Eris Barnes.

If you're enjoying Love and Luck, consider backing us on Patreon. We do our best not only to make a high quality show for you, but to pay everyone involved in its creation. Your monthly donation will be directly supporting queer art by queer people. Pledge now at patreon.com/passervulpes - that's patreon.com/ P A S S E R V U L P E S.

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, on twitter as @LoveLuckPodcast, and on tumblr and instagram as loveandluckpodcast, all one word.

[Music fades out]