The Woman in Silver

There was a door in the corner, her husband would emerge from it any minute now. 

The smell of popcorn and perfume made her both heady and hungry. 

Something shiny demanded her attention 

An undeniably beautiful woman in silver sat one seat away from her. 

Alone, in a 1968 cinema hall - does that make her vulnerable or empowered? 

Judging by the confident arch of her eyebrows - she felt more the latter. 

In the theatre lights, she seemed ethereal. 

Her husband soon arrived, sat between them, and said 

"I want you to meet someone.”

Artwork- Dara Shikoh with his consort | Attributed to: Balchand (Indian, active about 1600–1640) Indian, Mughal period, about 1633