PURGATORY LOVE
A/N: This seven-chapter is a story about Jack in an abusive relationship. It contains descriptions of physical and verbal cruelty. It takes place between when Grace left Will to get back with Leo and when Jack inherited Beverley's estate. Will is in it, but Grace and Karen aren't. Grace is living with Leo and caring for newborn Leila. Karen is busy with her divorce from Stan. Will and Vince are living together, but haven't yet adopted Ben.
Chapter 1
"I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love with a wonderful guy." Jack sang one of his favorite show tunes as he breezed into Will's apartment one morning.
"Hold it down, Horatio Hornblower. Vince is working the night shift this week. He just maybe trying to sleep…" Will mildly scolded, then added sarcastically, "Who is it with this hour?"
"Oh, Will," Jack responded obliviously. "I've found true love at last. This one's a keeper for sure."
"Only if you have him wrapped in cellophane and stashed in your freezer," Will continued to tease.
"You think you could be happy for me for once, Truman," Jack said huffily.
"Yes, I am thinking about it," Will began in his lecturing tone. "Let's see, in the last week it's been Todd, Frank, Bill, Dave, Lindy, Bobby, Ed, George, Evan, Kirk, Conrad and Woody."
"Ah, yes…Woody," Jack sighed getting that far-away look in his eyes. "And I know where he got that nickname!"
Will smiled to himself and wondered how long this new love interest of Jack's would last and asked, "Well, what's this one's name?"
"Jared Jarvis, my big brawny strong bear. He's in a biker group, Purgatory's Pimps." Jack added as he pulled a photograph from his pocket and showed it to Will. "I met him at the Boy Bar last night. He's the one on the left," Jack said pointing to the picture.
"Are you gonna go out biking with him?" Will incredulously asked as he stared at the photo of a large muscular man with a red bandana, leather vest over a black lady killer and sporting a mullet hair style with a Fu Manchu mustache and goatee. Beside him were two other tough-looking men. Will formed a mental image of his friend astraddle a huge Harley, dressed in black leather, in the company of this seemly incongruous other person. He looked tough, but gay? Well, he had always heard the proverb that opposites attract.
"Yeah, he's gonna get me a sidecar so I can go with him. Isn't it wonderful, Will?" Jack enthused, jumping around and clapping his hands together. "I'm moving in with him tomorrow - into his apartment on the East Side. "
Will stopped in his tracks at this bombshell announcement. "Moving in. With a guy you just met? Someone about whose background you know absolutely nothing about? Jack, step back…take a deep breath. Is this something you really want to do?" Will desperately tried to keep Jack from making a fool of himself again for about the umpteenth time.
"But I love him," Jack whined in his little boy voice; one of his stock replies.
Will shrugged. If Jack wanted to go off chasing some gang biker, he couldn't stop him. After all, Jack was an adult, although Will often doubted that. He glanced at his watch and realized he'd have to hurry to be at work on time. Jack shenanigans had made him late added to the fact that he still wasn't convinced this was a match made in heaven. As it turned out, it was a match made in purgatory.
to be continued...
