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…" 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDFO2DYytq
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.”370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YyePR6wmo
“Of course, dear.." 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLh975PiNtI
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." 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNqCvJvZ2T
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?" 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEDtDEuEnP
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." 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDed0Zev5i
"Do you remember MoMA?" Birdie said with a light chuckle. 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqv4phM3ecC
"How could I forget! That’s where you lost your wedding rings."370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQ7I5sUS9f
She shrugs, "Too bad, I do believe that self portrait would’ve looked rather good in the sitting room.." 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9c030MkW5
"You’ve always been a fan of Picasso, my dear.." 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Uga4Kzw2i
The two sigh in unison as they remember that balmy, summer evening in 1980...370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdF7y8DtX1I
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.370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsWLYO2Qqe
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?" 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4wirUlbLa
"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.370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3SrkRttDW
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."370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWN9AjJAtJ
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."370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDnzmpw0Yl
"Then I’ll take my ring back, thank you very much," He said as he stretched out a gloved hand.370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYE94fwlWwJ
"You aren’t serious," she mused as she reached for her wedding rings. Upon feeling nothing, she let out a hitched breath. 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfuP0KGhyf
"What? What is it?"370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJq5VOJFuyc
"My rings! My wedding rings! They’re gone!" She exclaimed in a hushed whisper.370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wQRkrmy7M
"Surely, you didn’t bring them." 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hrtvnsVdC
Her face flushed with anger as she hissed, "I never take them off! You should know that!" 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6rYstWl14
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."370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBXOo534Yw
"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?"370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTlyXrAUAb
"Mr. Picasso?! My wedding rings, Archie, they’re missing!"370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXymntL7Sw
Rubbing the back of his neck, he asks, "So…no more…Mr. Picasso?"370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBQC1y9x09
"ARCHIE!"370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fCpr7gZOj
"Archie.."370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddGwSwmyno
"Archie, darling? Are you alright?"370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZCOodczuI
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." 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SuWsWAgo1
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. 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknfipWdU01
"Oh Archie, she's beautiful.."
Archie clears his throat, before giving his wife a cunning side-eye.370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cAZd7mfDP
"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.370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZliksQbQa
"How?"
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