Arm-in-arm, an older couple walked into the museum gala. The man wore a black evening coat and his wife, an elegant black dress, evening gloves, and a white fur stole. The two strode in influential gait. Gazing at one particular painting, the woman turns to her husband raising a thin eyebrow, she utters, "Song Dynasty, dear…" 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnosWS7fhI
The man nods in agreement, "I’d have never guessed that, by the looks of those signs," he said, gesturing to the Song Dynasty exhibit banners. His wife smiles and playfully bumps her hip into his. "You know Archie, art is not just pretty paintings. Every work of art has its history. It wouldn’t hurt you to know some of it, especially on a night like tonight.”316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpShZfJltp
“Of course, dear.." 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgFgMSEVWa
The old man said dismissively as he steps away from his wife, grabbing two champagne flutes from a passing waiter with a serving tray. "Oh, my dear Birdie, tonight is a night for celebration—not for matriculation." 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MyKqA4jfM
Birdie plucks a glass of champagne from her husband’s hand and takes a small sip, sighing nostalgically. "Do you ever think about those days?" 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqjquVUDMo
He stares into his glass as in deep thought. "Darling?" He looks up longingly, "My dear, I can’t walk through any room of our home, or look at any wall without remembering." 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAEChATNEf
"Do you remember MoMA?" Birdie said with a light chuckle. 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjXsolJ9ppL
"How could I forget! That’s where you lost your wedding rings."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMKTvoIXFY
She shrugs, "Too bad, I do believe that self portrait would’ve looked rather good in the sitting room.." 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4ezSSKUPQ
"You’ve always been a fan of Picasso, my dear.." 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsAzoWD3AS
The two sigh in unison as they remember that balmy, summer evening in 1980...316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhYJnxGsCM
There the young couple stood, in front of the blue portrait of a young Pablo Picasso, stoic but with a small smirk playing at his pallid lips, his dark eyes staring back at them. Almost daring them to whisk him away.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7DOSmU1qI
Birdie watched as her husband stood in front of the large painting, his strong chin tilted upwards, his dark brows furrowed in concentration. His fists on his hips, as he glared at the painting. "Birdie, honestly, this painting is so utterly depressing.." He says in a hushed yet, urgent whisper, "Why is it, again that we decided on this one?" 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSTlPxlVGk
"Well, for you, darling it's always been the thrill of acquisition, while for me…its’ always been about the art." Archie pauses, turning to look at his young bride. Her doe-like eyes brimmed with tears that threatened to fall as she looked up at the portrait.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPo0psU1j4
In this moment, Archie felt his walls crumble as her delicate hands reached for the canvas. He shakes his head, giving a wry chuckle, "You’ve never looked at me like that before."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKv6hhCdh2a
She turns to him as she wipes the stray tears away, laughing. "Well, I'm sure this painting is a better listener than you, Mr. Delacroix."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpTGkoxzfY
"Then I’ll take my ring back, thank you very much," He said as he stretched out a gloved hand.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZjRCIF1WX
"You aren’t serious," she mused as she reached for her wedding rings. Upon feeling nothing, she let out a hitched breath. 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2D68ucAGz
"What? What is it?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfK5oQcmgx1
"My rings! My wedding rings! They’re gone!" She exclaimed in a hushed whisper.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIb254fwHhs
"Surely, you didn’t bring them." 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyOfI64xWz
Her face flushed with anger as she hissed, "I never take them off! You should know that!" 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgSlzPh9g4
He raised his hands up defensively. "Alright, alright, where’d you put them last?" Slowly she turns to her husband in obvious annoyance, "If I knew that, they wouldn’t be lost."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsEbgFAT5R
"Okay, well, the guards will be circling back in about," the young man pushes up his sleeve to look at his watch. "twenty or so minutes. So, how do you want to do this, Mr. Picasso?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBqgxuPz2r
"Mr. Picasso?! My wedding rings, Archie, they’re missing!"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXklSKm5yL
Rubbing the back of his neck, he asks, "So…no more…Mr. Picasso?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ni0wxbDyG
"ARCHIE!"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtUmBPJQU9
"Archie.."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nxRnUvvRi
"Archie, darling? Are you alright?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTT2sIa8fw
Pulled back into the present, Archie looks to his wife. Her pale blue eyes were fixated on him, her eyebrows knitted together in concern. Archie looks past his wife and up at the centerpiece of the gallery.
"It seems that the Empress has finally graced us with her presence." 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsXtGPjDar
Birdie turns around, following his gaze up to the portraiture of a young Chinese empress, adorned in red and orange robes, her moonlike face turned away from the audience, her black hair hidden by the intricate bejeweled headpiece. Her tiny lips curled in the slightest of smiles. 316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAiJzORJ8yN
"Oh Archie, she's beautiful.."
Archie clears his throat, before giving his wife a cunning side-eye.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVkFXG19Dg
"I do believe that Her Majesty would look amazing over the fireplace in the study."
The old woman whips her head towards her husband with a look of shock, her eyes shone with anticipation and excitement.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUJlLl6QpJ
"How?"
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