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…" 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjhwwzJ1Qm
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.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNeCtvXP0i
“Of course, dear.." 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39WHbQ7YZS
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." 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78Df0AMjvU
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?" 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8H7yDdl7K
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." 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduF4UiXIFA
"Do you remember MoMA?" Birdie said with a light chuckle. 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBf0rZxisRV
"How could I forget! That’s where you lost your wedding rings."245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19HlfkQMvz
She shrugs, "Too bad, I do believe that self portrait would’ve looked rather good in the sitting room.." 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxusyZm2Zf
"You’ve always been a fan of Picasso, my dear.." 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXN1FuLcSf5
The two sigh in unison as they remember that balmy, summer evening in 1980...245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4K1M48ri85
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.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVT9d5EthHe
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?" 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKCSiebgoe
"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.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXBtHhtF7u
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."245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTYf0xrCp7
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."245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pwaOifXIX
"Then I’ll take my ring back, thank you very much," He said as he stretched out a gloved hand.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4wgCrvnxH
"You aren’t serious," she mused as she reached for her wedding rings. Upon feeling nothing, she let out a hitched breath. 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRt9CT6wj1s
"What? What is it?"245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwqIXBHM79
"My rings! My wedding rings! They’re gone!" She exclaimed in a hushed whisper.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKvYF4ZXh2
"Surely, you didn’t bring them." 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdzb9OgPwq
Her face flushed with anger as she hissed, "I never take them off! You should know that!" 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjV0uphJGwy
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."245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ya83qLSDn
"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?"245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8my61fANox
"Mr. Picasso?! My wedding rings, Archie, they’re missing!"245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGeHdGHIik
Rubbing the back of his neck, he asks, "So…no more…Mr. Picasso?"245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIn5e5fVhd9
"ARCHIE!"245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTKDBICvqJ
"Archie.."245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJCflIcWBt
"Archie, darling? Are you alright?"245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLSQLBqWVk
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." 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidLV74wLdZ
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. 245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzInQRzbjEj
"Oh Archie, she's beautiful.."
Archie clears his throat, before giving his wife a cunning side-eye.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGqyt4OpHE
"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.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeZLpPzSX1
"How?"
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