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theresawritesstuff · 8 months

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Prompt - Midge finds out she's pregnant after her night with Lenny in the blue room.

She'd had this feeling she couldn't shake for the better part of a week. Nothing monumental or show stopping or obvious, just…Something. An intuition.

One she hadn't been truly sure of until the moment she saw him standing in that empty hallway. Bound for California…

Still, they made small talk. She held her tongue.

They were already leaving things unsaid that were much more certain than this. He had enough on his plate…

"Okay…You take care."

He turned to go, bag in hand. Off to make a life for himself on the west coast for who knows how long. Maybe forever.

She should let him go. She should…

"I think I'm pregnant," she heard herself say.

He turned back, not sure he heard her right. "What?"

"It's early," she told him quickly, the words tumbling from her mouth or their own free will. "I-I haven't even been to the doctor yet to confirm anything but I just…" She let out a shaky breath. "Christ. And now you've got a plane to catch and a lease and–"

"Wait…" He strode back to meet her at her side, processing. "You're saying it's…"

"Yours," she confirmed. "Yeah…"

He nodded, looking a little pale as he covered his lip with his finger. "You're sure? That I'm…"

"There hasn't been anyone else in a long time so…"

"Wow…" He puffed out a breath, glancing at the terminal anxiously. "Um–"

"I'm sorry. I know it's terrible timing. I shouldn't have said anything but–"

"But we don't call?" he offered a little sadly, turning her own words back on her.

She deserved that.

She hadn't been expecting a call from him after the way things ended at Carnegie, after she'd screwed up so astronomically.

Doesn't mean she hadn't wanted him to…

"We probably could have made an exception," she replied, attempting for light-hearted and not quite succeeding.

Lenny nodded. "Probably. Still, a guy likes to hear this sort of news in person when he can."

A tinny voice announcing the start of boarding for his flight to Los Angeles echoed off the walls around them, intermingling with the quiet strains of their song on the radio…

Lenny exhaled a sigh. "Look just…wait here. Okay?"

"Lenny." She knew she couldn't ask him to stay. That it wasn't fair to spring this on him like this. It wasn't fair to either of them.

"Just…wait. Please," he begged.

She nodded quietly. "Okay."

She'd always had a hard time saying no to him when he said please.

He got a flight attendant to help him retrieve his checked suitcase from the luggage, a pink baggage tag hanging brightly against the handle.

"You didn't have to do that," she told him when he returned, even if she was grateful he had.

"I'll catch the next one," he replied.

"Is there anyone you need to call? Let them know you'll be late?" she wondered.

"I'll call my mother later," he promised. "But we should talk first."

"I suppose we should," she admitted.

"Bar? Not for you but–"

She held up a hand mercifully. "I get it. Bar is fine."

They made their way to a quiet corner of the airport lounge in hesitant silence.

He pulled out her barstool for her, treating her with kid gloves.

"Thanks," she gave him a smile, hoping to hide her nerves.

God this sort of thing had been so much easier to talk about when she had a ring on her finger and a ten year plan carefully laid out.

He took the barstool next to her, ordering a whiskey for himself and a club soda for her, tapping the bar nervously as they waited.

"So," he ventured. "Pregnant?"

"'fraid so," she murmured.

He took a moment, letting them both come to terms with it.

"Haven't you got a rocky history with that word on stage?" he teased finally.

She laughed despite everything. "Maybe they'll give me a few extra seconds if it's my own condition I'm talking about."

"Maybe," he conceded, downing a bit of his drink. "How are you feeling?"

"Good. Fine. Really good actually. No nausea or anything like that yet."

He nodded quietly. "Okay. Well that's something. Otherwise I'd feel like a real schmuck."

"I'm sorry for dropping this on you," she told him genuinely.

A smirk tugged at his lips. "Pretty sure I'm the one who asked to see your corset that night. We both had a hand in…well, you know."

"I do," she replied, smiling softly as she stirred her straw idly around her glass. "At least it was a memorable night."

"I aim to please."

He looked down at the bar.

"How um…how far along would you guess you are?"

"Not very. They actually start tracking from when your last cycle was instead of from the actual doing of the deed, so…about a month?" she guessed, belatedly realizing what she was admitting to. "Too much information?"

Lenny chuckled. "I think we're passed that point, Midge."

She shrugged. "Just wasn't sure how squeamish you were."

"I'm not," he assured her.

He took another fortifying swig from his glass.

"So…what do you want to do?" he wondered hesitantly.

Midge blew out a breath, giving it some thought. "We could try calling? I've heard a few positive remarks on the concept. And you could visit if you want or I could come out to California, at least while it's still okay to fly." She fiddled with the edge of her sleeve as she second guessed herself. "Or I could send pictures if you'd rather we just…"

She trailed off, noting the tender, bewildered look in his eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing," he shook his head. "I just assumed you wouldn't…You want to have this baby? My child? Our…"

He swallowed, struggling to find the words. "That's something you want?"

"Well the timing isn't ideal but…yes," she admitted.

"You're sure."

"Yes," she replied.

"There might be a little Lenny Jr running around making your apartment a mess, ruining your wallpaper in the not exactly distant future, and you're on board with that?" he asked again, a fond sort of smile creeping into his expression.

She shrugged. "There are worse things."

Lenny smiled, sipping his drink slowly. "Yeah I suppose there are. Timing isn't exactly ideal but…"

"But…" Midge agreed.

He turned towards her cautiously, considering his words carefully. "I don't mean to sound indelicate, but what about your career?"

"I've got two other kids at home, what's one more?" she quipped dismissively.

He gave her a look. "Midge."

"It's fine, Lenny. I'm not exactly new to juggling motherhood with stand up. I'll figure something out," she assured him. "I'm not gonna blow it. I promise."

He reached over, putting a hand over hers atop the bar.

"We'll figure something out," he corrected. "And I'm going to hold you to that promise."

She squeezed his hand gently. "I appreciate that, really. But I'm not trying to make you feel like your on the hook or that you're obligated to–"

"Miriam," he said, looking at her fully. "As the mother of my future child, please give me a little bit more credit."

She felt a flush creep across her skin at the sound of her full name on his lips.

"Okay," she agreed quietly.

He nodded, removing his hand from hers. "Good."

She sipped her drink, averting her eyes towards the bar.

"I don't think you've ever called me Miriam before," she informed him.

"No?" he asked curiously.

"No." She shook her head, glancing up at him. "...It was kind of hot."

He put a hand over his mouth to hide a very bad smile.

"Something to keep that in mind for next time, I suppose," he replied.

She arched a questioning brow at his confidence in a next time, laughing to herself.

"What?" he chuckled. "I can't exactly knock you up any more than I already have now, can I? Wouldn't hurt to make the best of it."

Midge smirked, stirring the ice in her drink.

"That depends. Do twins run in your family?"

"Not that I'm aware of," he replied. "You?"

"No." She smiled, feeling more at ease with their old patter back.

After a moment she admitted, "You know. If this sort of thing had to happen, I'm glad it was with you."

"Yeah? Why's that?" he wondered.

She swallowed, wetting her lips.

"Because no one else has ever made me feel like you did that night. Made me feel cared for in that way."

"You mean when I hooked your leg over my–"

"Not that." She swatted at his shoulder lightly as they received a sidelong glance from the bartender.

Lenny smirked, looking rather pleased with himself as he arched a contradictory brow in her direction.

"Okay yes, also that," she conceded, keeping her voice hushed. "But I meant after. When you held me just to hold me. It was…it was really nice."

"I concur," he murmured. "At least until the slow runners called."

"And I found that bag in your bathroom."

He nodded, growing somber.

"Right. That."

"Is all really well?" she asked gently. "I know I didn't handle bringing it up well last time but I need to know, given that you knocked me up and all…Are you okay?"

She reached out to retake his hand in hers.

He turned his palm over, lacing their fingers.

"I'm working on it," he replied eventually.

"Well if there's anything I can do to–"

"There isn't really," he informed her softly. "But I appreciate the sentiment."

She nodded quietly. "We can talk about it another time. Now what about that pack of lawyers of yours? What are we dealing with there?"

"Midge, this wasn't supposed to be a talk about my problems," he reminded her.

"Too bad," she replied, hopping off the barstool to dig one of his files out of the bag at her feet.

"Miriam," he admonished, lowering the timber of his voice as he slid around her to get the file.

"Nice try," she smirked, flipping it open on the bar, glancing over what appeared to be a billing statement of some sort.

"Jesus Christ Lenny, are you really paying these guys that much?"

He shrugged, slumping back into his bar stool in defeat. "It's either that or face some options I'd care for even less."

Midge shook her head. "You're getting ripped off."

"You know your way around a courtroom better than I do?" he wondered incredulously.

"I know a guy. Mike Kessler. He'll charge you way less than these vultures and he's good. Better than good. You should call him. I might have his number in my purse actually."

"Midge, I've got a lot more charges against me than just saying a few naughty things to a crowd in the Village," he reminded her.

"And flashing my tits. Allegedly," she corrected with a smirk.

He blinked at the image. "I think I missed that."

"You were waiting for me out front. We just didn't know it yet," she replied, pulling the card in question from her purse.

She placed it against his chest, holding her hand over his heart. "Call him. I'll put in a good word," she insisted.

He shook his head, lifting her chin with the crook of his index finger to kiss her.

She was more than happy to oblige, letting herself get pulled in by his embrace, her eyes drifting shut.

"Thank you," he replied when their lips parted, holding the business card between his fingers, pocketing it pointedly. "Now back to why we're really here."

"You've still got the lease and the daughter out in California," she reminded him.

"Kitty," he informed her.

She smiled. "Kitty. That's a sweet name."

"Thanks. She's a sweet kid. Yours are…"

"Ethan and Esther," she answered.

"Right," Lenny nodded. "Are they in school?"

"Ethan just started kindergarten this year."

"So did Kitty."

Midge couldn't help but notice the proud little spark in his eyes at that.

"How long's the lease?" she wondered.

"Six months. At least to start had been the plan."

She nodded to herself. "We can work with that."

"Maybe Kitty and I could come visit over Hanukkah," he ventured.

"I'd like that," Midge beamed.

"Me too."

Lenny smirked to himself, finishing the last of his drink, setting it aside.

"God, I feel like I should be offering to buy you a ring. Getting down on one knee to make an honest woman of you or some shit," he admitted, pulling some money for their drinks from his wallet.

Midge let out a laugh. "Well how could a girl say no when you put it like that?"

His eyes searched hers, looking for an answer to the question he hadn't quite asked.

"I don't need you to propose, Lenny," she replied gently. "Not right now. I…"

She let out a breath. "I don't want you to marry me just because you think it's the right thing to do."

"I can think of a few other reasons," he drawled, placing the money on the bar.

She shook her head. "I need to know that if you propose it's because you love me. First and foremost."

He nodded, getting to his feet slowly.

His hand came to cradle her cheek as he looked into her eyes, taking her hand in his other and bringing it to his lips tenderly.

"First and foremost," he promised.

He exhaled a sigh as the clock on the wall caught his eye.

"You need to go," she guessed.

He nodded, his thumb tracing circles across her hand, reluctant to let go.

"Promised Kitty I'd be home for her birthday. Should probably try to make good on that."

"Lucky girl."

He smiled softly, gathering his things.

"I'll call you when I get settled. Promise."

"Okay," she agreed, getting to her feet. "I guess I'll keep you posted on what my OB has to say."

"Please do."

"Not exactly how you expected your afternoon to go, hm?" she teased.

"One could say that."

She took him in in that moment, memorizing the lines in his face, the light in his eyes.

She'd never expected Lenny. Her whole life she'd made careful plans for herself but she'd never once expected him. Never thought to imagine that someone like him would drop into her life, become one of her dearest friends and steadfast supporters. Never expected him to slowly steal her heart along the way.

Was it any wonder that an unexpected pregnancy after a night spent in his arms felt strangely right, even now with the cards stacked against them?

"We'll figure it out," she promised.

He nodded, gathering his things in hand, a little bit of hope in his eyes that hadn't been there at the start of this.

"See you at Hanukkah?"

"Can't wait."

She watched him walk away, still bound for the west coast. But this time it wasn't a goodbye.

It was the start of something much better.

#Midgelenny #midge x lenny #Tmmm ficlet #Prompt fill #tw pregnancy #cw pregnancy #unplanned pregnancy #canon divergence #A bit of a stretch of the original prompt. Hope that's okay #Rewriting the airport scene felt like the way to go

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