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…" 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkuXTOedyb
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.”354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fiwAizNrI
“Of course, dear.." 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoM699lkmik
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." 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNZTH38GE1
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?" 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0EfYRlwX9A
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." 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9ff8OGbQX
"Do you remember MoMA?" Birdie said with a light chuckle. 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3qulVszyC
"How could I forget! That’s where you lost your wedding rings."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZmYEWSMT0
She shrugs, "Too bad, I do believe that self portrait would’ve looked rather good in the sitting room.." 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuPPDqvd9Cw
"You’ve always been a fan of Picasso, my dear.." 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGUSr5R5D0
The two sigh in unison as they remember that balmy, summer evening in 1980...354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2BmMH34aW
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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ334n5rk8jH
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?" 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBantZEsSP
"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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6cS4gbhEt
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."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSA22rAshv
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."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOlpRZmVi1
"Then I’ll take my ring back, thank you very much," He said as he stretched out a gloved hand.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBn2jjOFQJ
"You aren’t serious," she mused as she reached for her wedding rings. Upon feeling nothing, she let out a hitched breath. 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljuAV7lrc7
"What? What is it?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ughickq3j
"My rings! My wedding rings! They’re gone!" She exclaimed in a hushed whisper.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8HLNgey0s
"Surely, you didn’t bring them." 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhT49EZtFW2
Her face flushed with anger as she hissed, "I never take them off! You should know that!" 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVg7WA5UAmT
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."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdVeEiK1nV
"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?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ146WdLdHyC
"Mr. Picasso?! My wedding rings, Archie, they’re missing!"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvgYxDCu1A
Rubbing the back of his neck, he asks, "So…no more…Mr. Picasso?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDk8JK7kPA2
"ARCHIE!"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWvmolr5pX
"Archie.."354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOm428JyQm
"Archie, darling? Are you alright?"354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwFc9RIz5V
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." 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXp6spQTo7
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. 354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDg4XvZXtO
"Oh Archie, she's beautiful.."
Archie clears his throat, before giving his wife a cunning side-eye.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CaXzS2cu9
"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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxDyTDTSMt
"How?"
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