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…" 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzIlcbKsIa
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.”246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBgvxUIHDY
“Of course, dear.." 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlpmom4kBW
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." 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhLgfj5rI7
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?" 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2AATIqi0s
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." 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5d5AyCv4Sn
"Do you remember MoMA?" Birdie said with a light chuckle. 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasGSWhHp7Z
"How could I forget! That’s where you lost your wedding rings."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx72XE6GxYh
She shrugs, "Too bad, I do believe that self portrait would’ve looked rather good in the sitting room.." 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0eZSLxjPa3
"You’ve always been a fan of Picasso, my dear.." 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLU6iBti0ls
The two sigh in unison as they remember that balmy, summer evening in 1980...246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHlYU2hBrU
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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKCBVaYljD
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?" 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KAZwanWWN
"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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBzdszfYCY
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."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH10rKB0MdQ
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."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLw1hTbL6H
"Then I’ll take my ring back, thank you very much," He said as he stretched out a gloved hand.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsB7wpZ7jDS
"You aren’t serious," she mused as she reached for her wedding rings. Upon feeling nothing, she let out a hitched breath. 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7n978EFra
"What? What is it?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfvpNTmtoB
"My rings! My wedding rings! They’re gone!" She exclaimed in a hushed whisper.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUohAafCzg
"Surely, you didn’t bring them." 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwop4fcf8Tv
Her face flushed with anger as she hissed, "I never take them off! You should know that!" 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbH6y6QVNOQ
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."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCieH0xIdxP
"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?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvYBufbCUP
"Mr. Picasso?! My wedding rings, Archie, they’re missing!"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZypq5XUNv1
Rubbing the back of his neck, he asks, "So…no more…Mr. Picasso?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSHsiALHHu
"ARCHIE!"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVXacFCDyN
"Archie.."246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8W3wkYjLv2
"Archie, darling? Are you alright?"246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfW5Y8VZfTj
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." 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWnTvCtS5M
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. 246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1z6Vm4Euz
"Oh Archie, she's beautiful.."
Archie clears his throat, before giving his wife a cunning side-eye.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76WqTiJSkR
"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.246Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyETkJUYnbj
"How?"
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