"The Story Of An Hour" Retold

As I sat in the parlor of the Mallards, I watched the poor Mrs. Mallard weep in the arms of her sister Josephine, heartbroken after the news of her husband's death. I felt sad for poor Louise, but all I could think about at that moment was the sun beaming on her golden blonde hair that was beginning to unravel from her tightly knit bun. We had been sitting in the parlor for roughly a half hour, as Josephine had to break the news to her ever so slightly because of the heart conditions Louise had. I had been the one in the newspaper room, which was right next to the train station, when the news of Brently Mallard’s death appeared in the headlines of the newspaper. After confirming that he was dead in the newspaper, I immediately went and headed to the Mallards to inform Mrs. Mallard of the news.

As I knocked on the door, Louise answered and opened up. “Richards! Brently isn’t here at the moment, may I take a message?” Mrs. Mallard had insisted I call her Louise because Brentley and I were close friends. “Actually Louise, I was here to see you; may I come in?” The shock on her face was quite evident as she thinks I only come to the house to see Brentley. “Well of course, to what do I owe this pleasure?” she said as I stepped through the door, taking my hat off as I walked in. “Well, I’m afraid I have some bad news.” I had no idea how she would take the news of her husband's death. I suspected and hoped, that it wouldn’t be as bad as other wives would react to the death of their husbands. I had always suspected that she had wanted something more. I loved watching her as she moved ever so delicately. When she would walk past me I could smell her sweet scent of magnolias. At that moment Josephine walks in, and I suddenly had the idea to have Josephine break the news to her, so Louise wouldn’t associate me with the bad news. I needed to be the one there to comfort her when she was heartbroken and give her solitude when she was sad. Then she would begin to lean on me for other things she needed support in, and eventually fall in love with me too. After the news was broken, Louise ran to her room. I decided to give her a few minutes to calm down and collect herself before I went up there to talk to her.

A few moments later I decided to try and go up to talk to Louise. I wanted to confess my love for her, to tell her that I could give her a better life full of happiness, wealth, and love. I had so many things I wanted to say that I’d built up over the years, and I was finally about to have my chance, and I could only hope she would feel the same way. But as I started to get up, Josephine stood and explained that she thinks she should be the one to go check on her dear Louise. I hesitated, then decided to protest proclaiming that I possibly could console her. Nevertheless, Josephine thought she knew best, and proceeded to head up the spiral staircase to the bedrooms. After a few minutes, they both descended the staircase, Louise looking as beautiful as ever, and stopped shortly before entering back into the parlor. There was a sudden rattling of a key, and just like that, my plan that I had waited so long to execute had suddenly all been ruined. There in the doorway of the Mallard's home, stood Brentley Mallard. My plan was going so well. Brentley was supposed to be on the train that had crashed, I bought the ticket and planted it so he would get on the wrong train, I had made sure the train would fall through the bridge, and it was all for nothing. Because here in the doorway was Louise's husband, whom she would never leave. Shocked, Josephine and I stood for a moment, trying to comprehend what was happening, when all of a sudden Louise was on the floor, pale as can be. The next few moments were a blur. When the doctor arrived he announced what I already knew but didn’t want to accept. Louise had died. She died of the shock of her husband coming back after he was presumed dead. Even months after I still find that I try to convince myself she died of the fact knowing she would have to be with Brentley for the rest of her life. But deep down I know that isn’t true, and I also know that my one and only true love is no longer in this life either.