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…" 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnaBAgk0BW9
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.”327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqMp5BSOXK
“Of course, dear.." 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIq6lAup7V6
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." 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzCaqO4NTs
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?" 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcb2tVMoin5
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." 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0eQnmBk6Y
"Do you remember MoMA?" Birdie said with a light chuckle. 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2b6m65jl6
"How could I forget! That’s where you lost your wedding rings."327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaP0iFAK2T5
She shrugs, "Too bad, I do believe that self portrait would’ve looked rather good in the sitting room.." 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXGZvzMLZ9
"You’ve always been a fan of Picasso, my dear.." 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbMvS5EWAR
The two sigh in unison as they remember that balmy, summer evening in 1980...327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiG2zQIhxM8
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.327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZqxkZBSI9
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?" 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8egv6WmOZg
"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.327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyrXvbGwWA
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."327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjXleq868f
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."327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhhtyMixnf
"Then I’ll take my ring back, thank you very much," He said as he stretched out a gloved hand.327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHJM88pO7B
"You aren’t serious," she mused as she reached for her wedding rings. Upon feeling nothing, she let out a hitched breath. 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoJDxgKFr1
"What? What is it?"327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDveGdJweLo
"My rings! My wedding rings! They’re gone!" She exclaimed in a hushed whisper.327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3LvuxPRtR
"Surely, you didn’t bring them." 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eO0ex9Bov
Her face flushed with anger as she hissed, "I never take them off! You should know that!" 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZI9K15cGkT
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."327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Uvb22a6Zs
"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?"327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSH6oVC2PT
"Mr. Picasso?! My wedding rings, Archie, they’re missing!"327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12zZYgyJLL
Rubbing the back of his neck, he asks, "So…no more…Mr. Picasso?"327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXqPOlM2v8
"ARCHIE!"327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMge40Txysu
"Archie.."327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwMSqWNBjM
"Archie, darling? Are you alright?"327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubz4ksbtNv
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." 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xEpp9YydC
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. 327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncvCQ4DPhQ
"Oh Archie, she's beautiful.."
Archie clears his throat, before giving his wife a cunning side-eye.327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrUWePAHun
"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.327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpefiVTTW3
"How?"
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