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…" 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fuVcU1dLH
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.”290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdKMR4haNx
“Of course, dear.." 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEZZKRlrSK
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." 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjOUvyOWwF
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?" 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeesBTwkkb
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." 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcIp4Elawg
"Do you remember MoMA?" Birdie said with a light chuckle. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjdnTjktg3
"How could I forget! That’s where you lost your wedding rings."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CcwWdwT60
She shrugs, "Too bad, I do believe that self portrait would’ve looked rather good in the sitting room.." 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1QBQwTVEv
"You’ve always been a fan of Picasso, my dear.." 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXyxA9plvz
The two sigh in unison as they remember that balmy, summer evening in 1980...290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZI2J3G1B8
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.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ02CWcvOsG
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?" 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAee7Bd0faK
"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.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8c0Ffx5h1c
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."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡushEbZiMIe
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."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5192KH0KHN
"Then I’ll take my ring back, thank you very much," He said as he stretched out a gloved hand.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsocFLiJJIQ
"You aren’t serious," she mused as she reached for her wedding rings. Upon feeling nothing, she let out a hitched breath. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpK1mNeaRb
"What? What is it?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbW40tLbHl
"My rings! My wedding rings! They’re gone!" She exclaimed in a hushed whisper.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLjje9MuXt
"Surely, you didn’t bring them." 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nrwIJS1d8
Her face flushed with anger as she hissed, "I never take them off! You should know that!" 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASBBNQoOTE
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."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgxa9URa6u
"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?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsgY122oHz
"Mr. Picasso?! My wedding rings, Archie, they’re missing!"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8CtNesuSS
Rubbing the back of his neck, he asks, "So…no more…Mr. Picasso?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsiUTIg0tL
"ARCHIE!"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1tYTbENER
"Archie.."290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3ljxLaKLE
"Archie, darling? Are you alright?"290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSZyBFMiVI
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." 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DCkTiaCEh
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. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJgAK8gDkn
"Oh Archie, she's beautiful.."
Archie clears his throat, before giving his wife a cunning side-eye.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1BpZuXjH8
"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.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DSnECs8p0
"How?"
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