[Dial tone]

[Pickup]

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

[Music]

[Beep]

[Pickup]

[Beep]

MIRA: [Thoughtful] Hey... so, I really wanted to talk to Helen about this, but since it involves her birthday present and I'm not going to ruin the surprise, you're getting a message instead.

I know it's super corny, but I don't have a lot of money, so... I made a scrapbook for her.

[Self consciously] It's not a particularly traditional one, since we don't have a lot of actual paper mementos or anything. It's just like... well, I wrote about how much I love her, and how great she is, and I put stickers in it, and I printed out some of our Instagram selfies together, and... yeah. I don't know. Now I'm looking it over, I'm worried it's kind of stupid.

[Sincerely] But... I mean everything in it. She's so dear to me, and... I don't know. We've become so close over the past few months, and...

I don't know if it's, like... I don't know if it's just platonic any more or if it's a bit romantic, or what, but... whatever it is, I don't even care. I'm just... I'm really glad to have her.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

KANE: Hey honey, Helen's birthday present is on the bed next to you for when you wake up. I know you were worried about me giving it to her without you, so, once again, we will use this method to make sure that doesn't happen. [AMUSED] I imagine we will probably do it again next year, too.

Oh, and since she's not up yet, I'm going to gloat about something. I'm getting over my fear of fairy lights burning the bar down. Mira and I put them up so we can surprise Helen when she comes down today. I hope she likes them.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

EILEEN: Hey Helen, it's Eileen. Happy birthday!

I can't make it to your party tonight, I've got the flu. But I'll come by next week and see you and drop off your present, okay?

Have fun tonight!!

[Hangup]

[Beep]

MICHAEL: Happy birthday Helen! Victor and I will be coming to help with the party soon. Also, I have a gift for you! I have some beautiful African Violets I've been tending very carefully in preparation for today. I'm sure you will like them. They brighten up the whole room, just like you!

[Hangup]

[Beep]

STORM: Helen, sorry, I only just left work - it's been fucking busy as hell today. But I'm on my way to the Best of Luck now, so save a dance for me, okay?

[Hangup]

[Beep]

[BG FX: Muffled music]

KANE: [Tired sigh] Hey honey. I gotta say, I was a little sad to leave the party early, but... well, I gotta get up at my usual early hour tomorrow, so I gotta get my beauty sleep.

I love Helen's birthday. I love the way we all use it as a reason to just... aggressively love on her. We get to tell her how much she means to us, and we can be as sappy or as serious or as over the top as we want, because it's her birthday, and that's okay.

[Yawn] She looked so happy dancing with Storm. I like it when Helen looks happy.

Goodnight. I love you. So much.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

JASON: Hey babe. We're just finishing up down here. And, yes, we've taken down the fairy lights, just like I promised, so you don't need to worry about that overnight. Although... I guess you'll probably notice that when you get up and don't need to hear it from me, but it feels like I should tell you anyway.

Storm had to head to bed a bit earlier than the rest of us, she'd been awake for something like 20 hours or so by that point, so, damn, fair enough. So she's crashed out in Helen's room.

Everyone else is packing up and heading home, except Helen and Mira, who are sitting up on the back lounge together.

I should probably finish my last couple of things and head to bed myself. I am very much looking forward to snuggling up against you.

Good night, gorgeous.

And yeah. I like it when Helen looks happy, too.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

HELEN: Hey Papa Bear, I just wanted to thank you for tonight. It was perfect. And I know the fairy lights make you anxious, so... I appreciate your sacrifice.

Thank you. I'm so glad to be here with you, and Jason, and everyone else.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

HELEN: [Sweetly] Hey, my handsome girlfriend. You're sleeping in my bed right now, so I'm leaving you this message to wake up to tomorrow morning.

Storm, thank you for everything. For the necklace, for dancing with me, for coming to see me when you're so tired from work... and for being my girlfriend. Thank you for being my girlfriend.

I'm so, so glad you found your way to this bar and to me, and to Mira. You're so perfect, and wonderful, and... I spend a lot of time hardly believing that someone like you wants to be with me. I love you, I love you so much.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

HELEN: [Lovingly] Mira... I love you. Thank you for the book, and for everything else.

You've become so important to me, I can't imagine my life without you any more.

I sometimes can't tell if I love you like a sister or more romantically, but then I realize... it doesn't matter at all. All that matters is that I love you, and I know you love me too.

[Hangup]

[Cassette noise]

JULIE: You know, baby, morning sickness is supposed to start wearing off around now. Please don't be one of those babies that makes me sick all pregnancy, okay? Especially if it's going to be a week like this week.

I have done nothing this week, baby. In between throwing up, I have laid in bed and laid on the couch and watched too much boring television. Poor Priya has been looking after me, and I feel terrible about that. She's still hurting so much from her father's passing, and I should be looking after her, instead!

She doesn't mind, but... *I* mind.

I've not always been the best at looking after people. I was very selfish when I was young. I used to be very reckless with people's feelings. I... I regret so many things from back then.

I had so many girlfriends that... well, I used to think that the problems in our relationships were about being monogamous, or about them being in the closet, all kinds of things. But... in hindsight, it's mostly just that I always prioritized my feelings over everyone else's.

I don't do that any more. Or at least, I try my best not to. I'm still human, and I'm still going to make mistakes. But... I'm much better, these days.

It's one of the reasons I'm excited about you. I would never have been able to handle you when I was young. But now? Now I can.

And... well, I'm going to have to try and make sure that you learn to be gentle with people, too.

[Groans] Ugh, baby. Please knock it off with the sickness. It's getting old really fast.

Mumma's gonna go try to have another nap. If she doesn't throw up, first. Oof.

[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. Helen is voiced by Ashe Connor. Mira is voiced by Tahlia Celenn. Storm is voiced by Creatrix Tiara. Michael is voiced by Oscar Sabogal. Eileen is voiced by Abigail Michell. 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]