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…" 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKf4qt81Z5
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.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBwUHQQxSC
“Of course, dear.." 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlp3XUTU7Yz
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." 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Krnet4DrB
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?" 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0hiBvfVrz
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." 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXK0jLlfA7U
"Do you remember MoMA?" Birdie said with a light chuckle. 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZoPp7dL9n
"How could I forget! That’s where you lost your wedding rings."352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM88NGXuJng
She shrugs, "Too bad, I do believe that self portrait would’ve looked rather good in the sitting room.." 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkeetDe21O
"You’ve always been a fan of Picasso, my dear.." 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBRlwdxpGq
The two sigh in unison as they remember that balmy, summer evening in 1980...352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5g0DWTwgrC
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFK8Yojtt1J
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?" 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFb3iLe7rus
"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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqAJu0wDQS
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."352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjMR2cRAu7
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."352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHW7ACuF9Y8
"Then I’ll take my ring back, thank you very much," He said as he stretched out a gloved hand.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1tB9qEux6
"You aren’t serious," she mused as she reached for her wedding rings. Upon feeling nothing, she let out a hitched breath. 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJVrogwGqB
"What? What is it?"352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmD5zO3Du09
"My rings! My wedding rings! They’re gone!" She exclaimed in a hushed whisper.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcx6dLjL93u
"Surely, you didn’t bring them." 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimqF3b7NqZ
Her face flushed with anger as she hissed, "I never take them off! You should know that!" 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9miZgGON8
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."352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡticOIcdWXS
"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?"352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzCOxmy2s7
"Mr. Picasso?! My wedding rings, Archie, they’re missing!"352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ611p7KwhWn
Rubbing the back of his neck, he asks, "So…no more…Mr. Picasso?"352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89buVuOZ0O
"ARCHIE!"352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOMt0a4pjg
"Archie.."352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkDE1rBWJ5
"Archie, darling? Are you alright?"352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfN9aH6wC9W
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." 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6XqP3gtHh
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. 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDeOVQXAIRD
"Oh Archie, she's beautiful.."
Archie clears his throat, before giving his wife a cunning side-eye.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyawLpkyi9
"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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMI2Mv1YlT
"How?"
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