Under Pressure…

Under Pressure: Friendship, Love, and Consequences

Hudson followed Carly’s long gravel driveway as Blink-182 played on the stereo. “I Miss You” wafted through the speakers. Dust and leaves filtered above the headlights and settled on the ground. Carly sat on a porch swing in a sundress, with the porch light glowing in the distance. She was smoking a slender death stick on the oak porch, sipping wine from a glass, and listening to an audiobook. Carly had a three-story red house with white trim. She had a tall, white privacy fence that circled the yard, enclosing a spacious, neatly trimmed lawn.

Hudson stepped out of his truck and followed a path lined with yard lights on either side, resembling a runway.

“Where the hell have you been?” Carly asked. Wet mud smeared his pants while leaves and lake water coated his shoes. Hudson had a black eye and scratches on his arms.

“I promised…” Hudson gasped for breath. “That I would protect you. And I kept that promise.” Hudson clapped the dust off his jeans. “I did it.”

Carly swiveled her gaze to her neighbor’s porch. “Inside,” Carly said through her clenched teeth. She put out her cigarette in her ashtray.

Hudson stepped into her home, and she shut the door. She twisted the lock, folded her arms, and narrowed one eye. “Now, what did you do?”

“I was sick of seeing the bruises.” Hudson surveyed the living room; Carly had framed art hanging on the beige walls.

“I wanted him gone, but…”

“It’s done.” He rested his hands on his hips.

“Yeah,” Carly raked her fingers through her hair, “but not like this.”

“You wanted him gone,” Hudson said. “You wore bruises because he couldn’t keep his hands to himself. Right?”

Carly brought her hands to her mouth. “I did.” She nodded.

“And now, you don’t have to worry about him,” Hudson said.

“But unaliving him?” Carly lifted her brow as if to say he had gone too far.

“It was the only way,” Hudson said. “You said so yourself.”

“Where did you put him?” Carly said. “His body; where did you put it?” She paced the maple living room floor. “Maybe I shouldn’t ask.” She lifted her palms. “I don’t want to be an accomplice to taking out an ex,” she said. “Look at me; I’m too pretty for jail.” Carly moved her hands along her figure as if she were a model.

Hudson chuckled.

“That “ wasn’t supposed to be funny.” She laughed. “I freed you from the devil.” He gestured. “That’s what you called him. The devil.”

“I did.” Carly had one arm looped around her waist and picked at her dry lips with the other hand. Hudson reached for her sweaty hand and guided her to the brown leather sectional. “We’ve been friends since we were kids.”

“I know.” Carly moved her finger across her damp eyes.

“You didn’t kill him, did you?” Carly gave him a tight-lipped stare.

“Look at me,” he said, waving, “I couldn’t survive in jail. I’m too hot.” Hudson winked.

Her cheeks warmed. “Where is Ernie?”

“I scared him off,” Hudson said. “I just thought it’d be bad ass to tell you I took out that trash.”

Carly’s eyes sparkled. “That is kind of hot.”

“I told him what you told me, that it was over for good this time.”

“Thanks for caring about me,” she said, leaning her head on his chest.

“Thanks for loving me.” Hudson moved loose strands of her hair behind her ear.

Carly lifted her head and matched his gaze. “Loving you?”

Hudson gave her the look of a puzzle solved.

Carly returned her head to his shoulder, hugging him tightly. “I’ve always loved you,” she said. “You’re the only one who cares about me. I married my ex because my mom said we’d be good together.”

“Oh, and I’m dirty because Kipper decided he wanted to bathe in the creek. Stupid dog.”

“He’s spontaneous like us.”

Hudson touched her chin and kissed her.

Carly sighed. “I could use some more of that.”

“We’ve got forever.”

“That’s not enough time,” Carly said, kissing him again.

Someone knocked on the door.

Hudson looked at Carly with tension written in her eyes.

“Carly,” a voice said. “Let me in.”

“Who is it?” Hudson said.

“We’re through, Ernie!” she said.

“It’s a police officer,” he said. “Your new man tried to threaten me,” he said.

“We talked about this, Ernie,” Hudson said.

“I’m your ex-wife,” Carly said. “Don’t you get it?”

A gunshot pierced the door.

“He’s got a gun,” she said, biting her fingernails.

“Go to the bedroom,” Hudson said.

“What are you—”

“Now!” Hudson said. “Go.”

“Carly is mine!” Ernie said.

Hudson squatted and hid in a closet. “You’re divorced,” he said. “And the cops are coming.”

“Screw you,” he said with his chest. He shot another round and kicked in the door.

Hudson’s heart thumped hard.

He darted his eyes and found a bat. He wrapped his fingers around the base.

“What the hell are you doing here?” a police officer said. His badge reflected off the lamplight.

“Carly is my friend.” Hudson lowered the bat, still gripping it tightly.

“She’s my sister,” the officer said. “I thought her ex-husband was here, so I raced here.”

“Carly,” he said. “It’s your brother, Carly.”

“You sure?”

“Yes,” Hudson said.

Carly stepped into the living room, and Hudson swung the bat at Ernie’s head.

“That was my ex,” she said.

“Ernie dressed up like a police officer.” Hudson sighed. “I pretended I’d never seen him before.”

“Good playing it off,” Carly said, giving him a sultry wink and a confident smile.

Carly called the police, and Hudson bound his hands behind his back.

Hudson smoked a slender cancer stick and paced the deck.

Carly grabbed it from his lips and took a puff. “Think he’ll get time for this?”

“I hope he gets the help he needs.”

“You’re too nice,” she said. “You balance me out.”

“You want him electrocuted?” Hudson laughed.

“That’s too good for him.”

Flashing blue and red lights approached the home. Carly waved the officers inside. Ernie came to as two cops took him to jail. He stayed in prison for a year while his case filtered through the justice system.

Hudson and Carly attended several hearings.

Hudson moved in with Carly, and she loved coming home to Hudson reading rather than sipping brew from a frosty glass.

He’d fry catfish for Carly, and she lifted her thumb in approval.

She’d cook him steak, and he’d flash an okay sign. It was tough to chew, but her thoughts hit the spot.

Carly opened a letter. Ernie’s trial starts next week.

The prosecution entered evidence of a disturbed ex who couldn’t let go. Carly kept images of his broken promises as bruises. He’ll never do it again. That’s what he told her.

His defense claimed he was mentally absent.

The jury agreed that he was gone but still responsible for tormenting Carly.

A jury convicted him on all counts.

A judge sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

At his sentencing, Hudson spoke on his behalf.

“I can see why we’re here,” Hudson told the judge. “Carly was enough to drive any man to a life of crime.”

The judge hid a smile, breaking character.

“Carly is my best friend,” he said. “What her ex did was wrong, but I understand it.”

Hudson shook Ernie’s hand and handed him a Bible.

He returned to his seat.

Carly wiped her damp eyes with a tissue. “That was beautiful,” she said.

“You see what you do to men?” Hudson raised an eyebrow.

“Shut up,” she replied, playfully punching Hudson’s shoulder.

“The future is closer than the past,” Hudson said. “And I’d like to spend it with you.”

By Andy Cooper

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