"This is not a restaurant," Midge said with a frown as the car pulled up in front of the large brownstone that sat on a leafy street in Greenwich Village.

"Oh, it isn't?" Lenny answered nonchalantly as he shut off the engine.

"Lenny…" Midge said with a warning, recognizing the mischievous look in his eye all too well and realizing she had been lured to their destination under false pretenses. "Why are we here?"

"Just come with me," he encouraged as he exited the driver's side before opening her door and giving her the help she'd recently come to appreciate getting out of her seat.

"If this is some sort of surprise babyshower," Midge said as they walked up the steps, Lenny's hand resting protectively on the small of her back, "you should know that Imogene has one planned for two weeks time and she will not be happy if you usurp her."

"It is not a babyshower," Lenny told her as he unlocked the door.

"Why do you have the key?" Midge asked mostly rhetorically, frowning. "Lenny, what did you do?"

Knowing the jig was all but up, Lenny decided to cut straight to the point. "You like it?" he asked as they stood in the hallway and he gestured to their surroundings.

"The house? Sure," Midge said with a shrug, "it's nice. It's empty, but it's nice."

"That's good because it's ours, if you want it."

"You bought a house?" It was a question, still she said it more as a fact.

"Kind of," Lenny said with a slight grimace, cocking his head to the side. "We had that talk when you were on tour about maybe moving, so I got to thinking and I might've reached out to a few realtors."

Midge started to protest before Lenny cut her off.

"I didn't want to stress you out with the whole thing, but this came up, and the location, everything just seemed perfect. They agreed to put it on hold, but it's not final until I get back to them," he insisted, his hands raised in a gesture of calming.

MIdge pursed her lips as her eyes took in her surroundings with silent interest.

"Just take a look," Lenny said as he took her by the hand. "It's got this amazing big living area with massive windows," he told her animatedly as he led her into the living room, "and look at how much space there is in here," he continued, motioning to their surroundings.

Midge nodded silently, eyeing her husband and the attitude he was displaying with quiet amazement.

"The kitchen is great, super modern and all fitted out with everything you could want," he went on to insist as he led her back out into the hallway and pointed to the kitchen that was visible through the open door. "But the best part," he said excitedly as he led Midge up the staircase, "is the bedrooms."

Midge continued to take everything in as they went, quietly impressed with what she saw.

"It's got three floors and a basement," Lenny informed her as they reached the first landing. "Three baths and six bedrooms, if you can believe that," he continued with a smile. "C'mon, have a look," he said as he pulled her into the master bedroom, his mood akin to that of an excited child showing off his new toy.

"It is really spacious," Midge said once she entered, clearly impressed as her resistance waned.

"Right? And it has these great windows in here, too," Lenny said as he eagerly pointed them out. "And there's an ensuite," he gestured towards the connected bathroom. "And the six bedrooms mean each of the kids could have their own room and there would still be space for my study."

Midge smiled at the novelty of Lenny's enthusiasm. "I've got to say, I never thought I'd see you so excited over the inside of a house."

"What can I tell you," he said with a shrug, a hint of dry amusement peaking through. "Fuck Playboy, I'm gonna go after a column in Better Homes and Gardens."

"Personally, I think Vogue would be a much better fit for you. I can see it now: 'Foul-mouthed Comedian Lenny Bruce on the Season's Hottest High Heeled Pumps'."

"As someone with some experience of such footwear," he joked, referring to his crossdressing escapades during his time in the Navy, "I can confidently say I would not recommend any of them for comfort."

"No pain, no gain, Mr. Bruce," Midge quipped.

Lenny smiled as he nodded his head down in joking defeat at the barb. "So, it's up to you, Mrs. Bruce," he said a second later as he looked up, dropping his hands to his sides with a shrug as he fixed Midge's gaze. "Do you want the house?"

"I…" Midge fumbled before letting out a long breath. "I don't know what to say."

"Yes or no would be infinitely helpful," Lenny deadpanned, eyebrow raised.

"I mean, I think it's great, I really do." Midge looked around and Lenny could already see her planning where the bed might best sit. "It's got so much potential, but I don't think I can handle the stress of moving right now…"

"All taken care of," Lenny insisted lightning fast, having already expected her response. "I talked to Susie and she said she knows some guys, worked with some real demanding clients - even on the Upper West Side - can get it all done without you having to lift a finger. Decorating, moving, the whole shebang."

Midge chewed her lip. "I'd still like to have a say on things…"

"And you could," Lenny told her. "You'd pick things out, it would just be somebody else handling all the dictating and the actual grunt work."

Midge nodded thoughtfully, her lips pursed as she considered things. "You're sure..."

"I'm positive."

"OK, let's do this," she conceded with a nod and a smile, before tilting her head in contemplation. "But I've got one stipulation."

"Oh?"

"The walls in here," she said as she looked around, grinning, "they've got to be blue, right?"

Both relieved and amused, Lenny let out a hearty laugh. "I think that can definitely be arranged."

Much to Lenny's displeasure, he was awoken much too early one Sunday morning with the shrill ring of the telephone.

"Ugh," he groaned as he fumbled for the receiver, eyes open little more than a crack. "Hello?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.

"Lenny, put Midge on," came Susie's surprisingly peppy voice.

"Ugh," he groaned again as a kind of reply. "Midge," he said as he nudged his only half awake wife. "It's Susie."

"Hello?" Midge questioned, her voice scratchy, as she took the receiver, holding it to her ear like something of an alien object.

"Holy fucking shit, Midge, you got a goddamn Grammy nomination!" came Susie's voice through the telephone, so loud that Midge had to hold it away from her ear.

"A what?" Midge questioned, her brow knitting in confusion as she could tell from Susie's response this was apparently important.

"A Grammy nomination," Susie repeated in mild frustration. "It's kinda like the Oscars, but for music."

"But I'm not a musician," Midge said, her bewilderment not helped by the fact she had only just woken up.

"No, but they have a comedy category and you're nominated for the album we put out earlier in the year."

Susie had decided it would be a good idea to put one of Midge's performances from her early 1965 tour out as an album, and much to her surprise, Columbia Records had been interested in distributing it. So in May, the album had been released with little fanfare, and although it had sold relatively well, it was still a shock to hear it had garnered any kind of professional accolade.

Not getting too much response from Midge, Susie continued to try and convince her of the importance of the thing. "It's a big deal! Bob fucking Newhart won a couple of years ago!"

"Oh," Midge replied, finally taking in the magnitude of the honor.

"The ceremony is March 15th next year," Susie told her. "So get to thinking about what dress you wanna wear and all that shit that I know you'll love."

"I will."

"Anyway, I should go and you should probably go back to sleep since you're still incubating that kid you're gonna be popping out in less than two months."

"Thank you, Susie," Midge offered wryly before she handed the receiver back to Lenny.

"So, what was it?" he asked, looking at her curiously.

"I've been nominated for an award for the album we put out. A…Grammy award."

"Sweetheart, that is fan-fucking-tastic," Lenny enthused before leaning to kiss her.

"It's a big deal, I guess," Midge said, still a little baffled.

"It's a huge deal," he informed her. "Those Grammy Awards keep getting bigger every year."

"The ceremony is March 15th. So, can I count on you as my date?"

"Try and stop me."

"Remember, your rooms are on the third floor," Midge called after the children as they burst through the front door the moment Lenny unlocked it.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Bruce," Lenny offered with a smile as he opened the door fully and guided Midge through it, his hand resting on the now considerable roundess at her hip. "I'd carry you over the threshold," he added with a chuckle, "but I'm not sure it would be advisable in your current condition."

Their things had been gradually moved over the past couple of weeks, culminating with them being left with only the essentials to be transferred over that day. Midge had overseen the decorating, picking out swatches and colors and seeking Lenny's opinion before consulting the interior designer, but this was her first time seeing the finished result.

Looking around, she took in the powder green walls and the brass accents of the hallway, all set off with the linoleum on the floor cut into concentric squares as a kind of centerpiece. It was just as she had pictured it.

"I can't believe I have an opinion on goddamn interior design," Lenny said, shaking his head in spite of himself, "but…I love it. It feels like home."

"It does," Midge agreed, tearing up a bit. "It really does."

"And you haven't even seen the bedroom yet," he added, before whispering close to her ear: "I'm really looking forward to trying out that new bed later."

Midge grinned. "I'm really-"

"Knock knock," came the interruption of Rose's voice as she stood at the already open front door. "I brought you a few things," she said, lifting the covered dishes she held, "because I know you won't have time to cook and you need to keep your strength up."

"Thank you," Midge reluctantly accepted, knowing her mother's true intention was more to see the house than to help feed them.

"I'll just go and pop them in the kitchen, shall I?" Rose continued, already breezing past Midge and Lenny, somehow knowing exactly where she was headed even if she had never been there before. "Oh Miriam, it really is lovely," she said with surprise as she paused to look around the hallway and into the living room. "And in Greenwich Village, too."

"Life beyond the Upper West Side isn't all trolls under bridges and crack dens, who knew?" Lenny joked discreetly to Midge, who offered him a sly sideways glance and a grin in return.

"Mama," Midge told her mother as she followed her into the kitchen. "As much as I appreciate you coming around, we really just want to settle in by ourselves today."

"Oh, of course," Rose agreed breezily as she placed the dishes down and surveyed the kitchen. "This kitchen really is beautiful, too."

"Yes, well thank you, we picked it out," Midge said with slight irritation. "But if you could maybe come by again tomorrow…"

"Oh, fine," Rose agreed with only slight indignation. "You do need your rest, after all."

"I do," Midge agreed with relief as her mother made her way to the front door.

"If you need anything, we're just-"

"A phone call away," Lenny finished Rose's sentence, having heard her say it with increasing regularity in the months since Midge had been pregnant. "We know," he concluded as he held the front door open for her.

Goodbyes uttered and much to the relief of the homeowners, Rose was gone.

"As I was saying, the bedroom," Lenny said.

"Yes, the bedroom," Midge agreed. "Although I think any extra curricular activities in there might have to be saved for later, unless you want the kids well and truly traumatized."

"Killjoy," Lenny joked. "Walking in on your parents having sex is kind of a right of passage."

"That may be," Midge agreed, "but I think I'd still rather do my best to ensure it doesn't happen."

"Eh, you're probably right. But let's at least look at the bedroom."

"This…" Midge frowned with confusion once they entered the room. "This isn't the shade of blue I picked," she said. "It's similar," she mused, having spent far too long looking at the paint swatches before making the choice, "but not the same."

"It is not," Lenny confirmed guiltily. "After a lot - and I mean a lot - of calling around, I was finally able to find the exact paint color that was used for a very special, very blue room."

"You did not."

"I did," he confirmed with pride. "And even though the company didn't make it anymore, I managed to get them to make a couple of custom tins just for us."

"You did not," Midge said with even more disbelief.

"I did. I don't know why you're surprised, you should know by now that I am very famous and important," Lenny said with a smirk. "The end result of which is us having our very own, very specifically blue room."

"I love it," Midge beamed. "I love you," she continued before placing a solid kiss to his lips. "And I will definitely show you just how much later."

"Hmm, I look forward to it," he said happily. "But c'mon"–he grabbed her hand–"you gotta see the baby's room."

While the master bedroom on the second floor would be theirs, and the smallest of the other two rooms would be perfect for Lenny's study, the remaining room would belong to the new baby. It was the only room in the house that, at Lenny's request, Midge did not have any input on decorating ("I didn't do any of that planning stuff for Kitty and I don't know, I guess I regret it," he admitted).

"While I'm sure it's a girl," he told Midge, his left brow firmly raised, "I knew you'd want it to be more neutral just in case, so…"

He opened the door to reveal sunshine yellow walls containing shelves with carefully chosen trinkets and toys.

"Oh, I love it," Midge gushed as she walked over to better inspect the white wooden crib in the center of the room. "I'm starting to think Better Homes and Gardens really should sign you up for a column."

"I gotta admit, I enjoyed it." Lenny shrugged slightly bashfully before walking to stand next to Midge. "I know you're doing the real hard work," he continued as he placed a hand on her belly, "but it made me feel more involved I suppose, like I'm doing something."

"You do a lot, Mr. Bruce," Midge insisted before kissing him lightly. "I couldn't do it without you," she added more seriously. "I really couldn't."

"That's alright," Lenny said as he reached out and brushed her cheek, "because I am not going anywhere. You are well and truly stuck with me."

"Promise?"

"I promise."