[Dial tone]

[Pickup]

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

[Music]

[Beep]

[Pickup]

[Beep]

STORM: [Angry] Jason, it's Storm. Helen just told me about what happened with your parents. Fuck, my friend, I am so sorry. I'm also angry as hell, and if you need someone to set their lawn on fire or something, you call me, okay? What fucking arseholes. How dare they try and get between you and your family? Your real family, the one loves you? What complete fuckheads.

Fuck 'em. I've got your back and I know everyone else at the bar does too.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

MICHAEL: [Caring] Hey, Jason, it's Michael. I just heard about your parents.

Let me know if there's anything I can do for you, okay? Even if it's just... I don't know. Anything. Even just coming back and hanging out for a while. Or watching the bar if you need a break.

Although, I suppose I do those things anyway. But... let me know if they're needed suddenly, or if there's something I can do for you I don't already do. Anything you think of, you just call me, okay?

[Hangup]

[Beep]

MIRA: [Awkwardly] Hey, Jason, it's Mira. I... I've been trying to think of something I can do to help cheer you up, and... I've mostly been coming up dry on ideas.

But... I've been thinking. You know how you keep joking about how if Kane is Papa Bear, then what does that make you? And how come he gets a nickname and you don't? So... I'm gonna put my mind to work, and consult with your nelly boys, and we're gonna come up with a good nickname for you, okay? Something that expresses how much do you for us and how much we love you.

It's not much, but... it's something I can do.

And... you'll let me know if there's anything else I can do, right? Because... I really do want you to feel better. I really do.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

[SFX: Background traffic sounds]

VICTOR: [Emotional] Jason, it's Victor. I just heard about your parents and I'm on my way to the bar.

I don't... I don't know what I'm going to do when I get there, but... you were there for me when my parents were horrible, so... I'm going to be there for you. Don't even try and stop me. I'm going to... to... to do something. Probably hug you. And... oh I don't know. But I'm still coming to see you.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

RICARDO: [Gently] Hi Jason, it's Ricardo.

I was glad to see you go to bed a bit early tonight. I think you probably need it. You've been looking rough these last couple of days.

I know... I know we've all already told you this in person, but... I want to tell you again. If there's anything I can do for you, you let me know, okay? You... you stayed with me, all through hospital, and you've been there for me whenever I've needed you since.

Please... if there's anything I can do, please call on me. I'm here for you, Jason. You are so important to me, and I owe you so much, and... I hate to see you hurting.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

HELEN: [Gently] Hey, Jason... it's Helen. I just... I just wanted to tell you again, that I'm here for you if you need me.

I know there's not much I can do, but... I'm here. I'm here, and I'm leaving you a voicemail, because I know voicemails are special to you, and... because of that, that means they've sort of become special to me, too. Because you and Kane are so important to me, you're such a big part of my life, and... so much of the good in my life, I'm not sure I'd have, without you.

Everything changed, when I came to this bar. Everything. And I'm grateful for that every single day.

So please. Let me help you however I can. Even if it's just... wiping tables, or making you tea, or something. I just... I want you to feel better. I want you to feel loved.

Because you are. You are so loved, and so valued, and it's ridiculous that your parents can't see and appreciate that. But we're all here for you, even if they're not.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

KANE: [Tenderly] Hey honey. I'm glad you to seem to be sleeping well.

Everyone down here is buzzing. The news about your parents is spreading quickly, and well... people are mad about it. Everyone keeps telling me to tell you that they think you're great, and that you shouldn't listen to your cruel parents, and that you're a better person than your parents could ever hope to be.

Sentiments I agree with, incidentally. I... I've been avoiding bagging your parents themselves too much, because I think their behaviour is the problem, but honestly... what kind of parents are so cruel to their kid? I can't... I can't even imagine being so cold to anyone, let alone someone in my own family.

[Fired up] Like... you know what? They should be fucking grateful to have you as their son! You're so kind, and so cheerful, you make friends everywhere you go, you are a partner in a moderately successful business, you're helping the community... you are a fucking perfect child. You are an incredible person, and it makes me so angry and sad that they can't see that about you.

Fuck them. Fuck them, Jason. They don't deserve you.

You are everything good in this world. I love you so much, so deeply, and the fact you love me too honestly makes me have faith in myself in a way I never did before. If you love me, then I know, I know, that I am doing something right.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

MAGGIE: [Exasperated] [Sigh] Jason, why do you never answer your phone? It's not even early or late right now. It's a perfectly normal phone call hour.

Ugh. Anyway, that's... that's not what I called to say.

[Awkward, Sincere] I called to say... I'm sorry.

Not just for our parents, but... for how... how I haven't been on your side as strongly as I should have been, over the years.

I should have... I should have stood up for you the first time they yelled at you for being gay, when we were teenagers. I should have... I should have stood up for you when they kept saying all those horrible things to you. I should have... done something, when they told you to move out. No... when they threw you out.

[Tearful] God, Jason. I'm so sorry. I should have done more. I should have stood up for you more. I should have been there for you more. I should have done so many things.

[Crying] I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I hope you can forgive me, but I understand if you can't. I just... god, I'm so sorry.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

JASON: [Lovingly] Maggie... it's okay. It's okay. You were as scared of them as I was. I understand. I really do.

You're... forgiven. It's okay.

[Tearful] Thank you, though. For being sorry. And for standing up for me now.

I love you. I'm... I'm really glad you're my sister.

[Hangup]

[Cassette noise]

JULIE: I want to tell you something important.

A lot of people in the world, they think a family is a group of people who are related either by blood, or by marriage.

But that's an incomplete answer. Because you see... not all families are related. Sometimes they are, and sometimes they aren't. Sometimes there's marriage, and sometimes there's not. Sometimes families live together, and sometimes they don't.

And you can have a family that's made up of all of the above, too. You can be related to some of your family and married to others. Live with some and not live with others. None of those things dictate whether or not you're a family.

Do you want the complete answer, to what family is?

A family is a group of people who love each other, and who look after each other.

That's it. That's the entire definition.

You can choose your family, or you can inherit it, or you can do both. There's no reason your chosen family can't include people you're related to by blood. And there's no reason you can't consider people you're not related to your family.

All you need to have a family, is someone who you love and who loves you too, and who you can look out for and who looks out for you. That's it. That's all you need. Which means you can have a big family, or a small one, or a complicated one, or a simple one. Families can look like anything. There's no limit, and there's no average.

A family is a group of people who love each other and who look after each other. That's all.

And that's everything.

[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. Storm is voiced by Creatrix Tiara. Michael is voiced by Oscar Sabogal. Mira is voiced by Tahlia Celenn. Victor is voiced by DL Turnbull. Ricardo is voiced by Justin Jones Li. Helen is voiced by Ashe Connor. Maggie is voiced by Shelley Dunlop. 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]