{c3b} not working in lua script

I have a lua script where I set var_cur_time = {c3b}, then on the watch face I have a layer where the text is var_cur_time.

The layer just reads "var_cur_time", not the time of my 3rd appointment.

In the same lua script, I do same things to set var_cur_time = {c1b} or {c2b} and those work.

If set the text of the layer direct to {c3b} that works too.