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…" 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQahLB5JU6k
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.”315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWYddrsZwU
“Of course, dear.." 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQ9qJOnNql
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." 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWgobIMO47
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?" 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0ppULTiJk
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." 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS19PRZcMHj
"Do you remember MoMA?" Birdie said with a light chuckle. 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqsGYwQMQLm
"How could I forget! That’s where you lost your wedding rings."315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzv6UA2vdX
She shrugs, "Too bad, I do believe that self portrait would’ve looked rather good in the sitting room.." 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7HMbesmCK
"You’ve always been a fan of Picasso, my dear.." 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5EaYdW9Fv6
The two sigh in unison as they remember that balmy, summer evening in 1980...315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf74Dw4bQCg
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.315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZPAtWACwP
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?" 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcv0hQeSkR
"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.315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeG0iMrpbR
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."315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBvbBYhswE
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."315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRDlkyxCqE
"Then I’ll take my ring back, thank you very much," He said as he stretched out a gloved hand.315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMgesYF0df
"You aren’t serious," she mused as she reached for her wedding rings. Upon feeling nothing, she let out a hitched breath. 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXijcOXJ9WT
"What? What is it?"315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YuyRO7BTR
"My rings! My wedding rings! They’re gone!" She exclaimed in a hushed whisper.315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTwB3C9rXf
"Surely, you didn’t bring them." 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMl9Zl7ka4X
Her face flushed with anger as she hissed, "I never take them off! You should know that!" 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMIzywlWXuk
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."315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfbsmMHpuD
"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?"315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5VhbqYPUl
"Mr. Picasso?! My wedding rings, Archie, they’re missing!"315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvv1YrlyA9K
Rubbing the back of his neck, he asks, "So…no more…Mr. Picasso?"315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dSnwbuSTI
"ARCHIE!"315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpXT0rrHEi
"Archie.."315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIDkMi9NnZ
"Archie, darling? Are you alright?"315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt38XckzFBb
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." 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfqicU2Qda
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. 315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw38pC4lBsh
"Oh Archie, she's beautiful.."
Archie clears his throat, before giving his wife a cunning side-eye.315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Pa89W37pF
"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.315Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOaN9nEcRP
"How?"
ns52.14.131.93da2
