Beep beep beep! āWhat’s this? Sheās in labor. My wifeās in labor everyone, I must leave at once.ā Whereās my keys, John breathe think, oh here they are. This is going to be the longest 5 minute drive of my life.
āWhereās room 309?ā āRight down the hall sir.ā Said the Nurse
I better slow down Iām running out of breathe.
āJohn youāre hereā says Jane, āof course, now itās time to have our son.ā
After 10 hours of labor we are exhausted. It was a stressful delivery, emergency cesarean. Thankfully mom and baby are in good health. I will have to take over lots of duties in the next week or so while she heals.
āDarling would you like to hold him, I can assist you?ā āNot right now Iām too tiredā she said.
Days like this turn into weeks, weeks turn into months. I had to hire a stay home nanny and have my sister Jennie move in to look after my family as I had to go back to work.
Work has become my life. At home I didnāt want to be in Janeās way, all she would ever speak about was the ugly wallpaper in our bedroom. She hasnāt progressed she analyses the wallpaper in a way that she drives herself insane. Not calling my wife crazy, sheās just putting too much attention on unnecessary things instead of her health. I love my wife I want her back, back the way she once was. Writing about beautiful things and places full of life.
Our son is growing, my poor child needs love and affection from his mother. I try as much as I can and Jennie is great trying to play the mother role. But sheās not his mother, itās a lot for Jennie she cannot have children of her own. Meanwhile Jane bared a child and doesnāt want anything to do with him.
Home is dreadful, but it’s home. I have horrid thoughts while Iām away at work, as soon as I open the estates door I run up to Janeās room to check on her and hope she hasnāt harmed herself in away. I discussed anti-depressants for her with her brother, he agreed that taking something might actually help her relax. She slept better that night, but sheās still not my Jane. Will I ever get her back?
āJane dear please go for a walk, some fresh air might do you wellā āyes darlingā said Jane
Finally she listened, getting out might be good for her. I wanted her gone so I can take a good look at the hideous wallpaper.
First thing I notice it yellow, ugly yellow not a happy bright yellow, with uneven patterns. Ahh that must be what bothers her. Itās not aligned correctly. This paper mustāve shifted with the heat and melted, no one has lived her in years. That can be irritating, thereās no beauty in the room. I thought possibly with this room previously being a nursery she might want to connect with our child.
āJennie! Please come in hereā
āYes John, please hurry this room isnāt wellā she said
āThatās exactly what I wanted to speak with you about. What do you see when you look into this wallpaper.ā I asked curiously.
āJohn, I see Jane. Janeās somehow lost in there. I notice the yellow and how it stains oneās clothing. Janeās clothes always have patches of yellow as if she was sleeping on a yellow stained bed. I do wish you would take it down for her.ā Said Jennie.
We only have a day left in this house, maybe I shouldāve redecorated or listened to Jane and went into another room. Unfortunately I now have to leave for work over night tonight. This can be well for Jane, some closure or at very least happiness that she will never see the wallpaper again.
āJennie, would you please stay with Jane tonight?ā
āI will John, safe travels brother. Donāt worry about us here?ā Jennie replied
My dear sister if only it was that easy to not worry. As I worked all I could think of was that wallpaper and what it has done to Jane. She looked at it as if someone was looking back her.
Now to get ready to go home. Itās been a strange 3 months. Letās see how Jane will be in the comfort her own home. āLetās get going everyone, the sooner we have everything together the sooner we are out of hereā. I yelled.
āJane dear, itās John, Iām ready to take you home.ā
āJohnā she said
āOpen this doorā
āI canāt, but you can from the outside with the keyā she replied
I canāt get this door open, she doesnāt sound well. I hope sheās safe and my worst fear hasnāt come true. She cannot be harmed. I need her I love her. Finally itās open.
āWhat the matter with you Jane, I nearly had a heart attack for godās sake your yellow”
āIām free!ā she whispered
Maybe I was wrong for bringing her here and I shouldnāt have left her last night.
āWhat do you mean by free.ā
āIāve ripped off the wallpaper, so you canāt put me backā she said
Now I understand she was so lost and confined she saw herself in the yellow wallpaper. Oh no what’s that I think Iām having that heart attack now.
I really liked your retelling and that you started from when Jane had gone into labor. I felt that it shows John’s hope and excitement at the birth of his son ,and the growth of his family. I think its interesting to see his side of the story and how he perceived his wife’s slow descent into depression. I also like that you pointed out that he found the wallpaper to be unattractive as well, and that he can see what she sees.
I forgot to mention that it seems that you told your story in the first person autodigetic form.
Retelling a story is very good way of telling a story in an another person view is a way of telling a story in a different way. Reading a story then retelling different stage of mind is like telling a Cinderella Story then going back to the real of life of story. It’s like a dream you want to come true as a story.