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…" 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFahj9IU3B9
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.”341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzbKDuGc3e
“Of course, dear.." 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6PWuG818U
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." 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRwdNJS19k
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?" 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaF1tUfGtJU
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." 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudOm0678Ru
"Do you remember MoMA?" Birdie said with a light chuckle. 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTbsnnHpMz
"How could I forget! That’s where you lost your wedding rings."341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXbFk7d2Ae
She shrugs, "Too bad, I do believe that self portrait would’ve looked rather good in the sitting room.." 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQw7swDH5dS
"You’ve always been a fan of Picasso, my dear.." 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1t9xFlHLT
The two sigh in unison as they remember that balmy, summer evening in 1980...341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHxFLD8R9l
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.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkn1VJX5a1t
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?" 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdkys7gUeP
"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.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyWDHDeSKu
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."341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTye5Wjq0vo
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."341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrfKkLrrRE
"Then I’ll take my ring back, thank you very much," He said as he stretched out a gloved hand.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4p7cKS1ijz
"You aren’t serious," she mused as she reached for her wedding rings. Upon feeling nothing, she let out a hitched breath. 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZo1whCf9m
"What? What is it?"341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wbaEeyzvX
"My rings! My wedding rings! They’re gone!" She exclaimed in a hushed whisper.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOddnrQw5ER
"Surely, you didn’t bring them." 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYYMxXKnmh
Her face flushed with anger as she hissed, "I never take them off! You should know that!" 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFB3qWVLIv
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."341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7IOjB0KBq
"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?"341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPG1LAa0bv
"Mr. Picasso?! My wedding rings, Archie, they’re missing!"341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKLOHeBrqe
Rubbing the back of his neck, he asks, "So…no more…Mr. Picasso?"341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rtIBqC64Y
"ARCHIE!"341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7AnfL77m7
"Archie.."341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcddLLkMGbz
"Archie, darling? Are you alright?"341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvC53fNlgA
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." 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlAv6AKrfe
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. 341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUG3LukQfo
"Oh Archie, she's beautiful.."
Archie clears his throat, before giving his wife a cunning side-eye.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTJsAzUscB
"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.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYUQydxhFK
"How?"
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