I Want Her to Know What Love Is

This chapter is a little lighter on sex, with a little more intrigue. Four of Rooster's Unit buddies come for Christmas, and decide to meet some hookers of their own, for possible romance. Sonia knows of seven who definitely want out, and six of them come for the Christmas party. Thanks to JohnnyGalt for his editorial assistance. This work is copyrighted, and not to be altered, edited, changed or published anywhere without the written permission of the author, including other formats such as audio or video. © Copyright, 2025

I Want Her to Know What Love Is, Ch 21

I Want Her to Know What Love Is, Ch 21

A Hooker Christmas

A Hooker Christmas

After a breakfast of waffles, Ken and Barbara started going through the pictures of their presents, looking to find missing ones, while Sonia and I took all of the kids to Mall of America in the Genesis. I pulled Belinda and Tommy aside, and told them that since the Knudsons were going to spend Christmas with us, they needed to buy presents for Kathryn and Kenny. They didn't have to be big presents, but something to show we were thinking of them. I said that since they'd played with them, they might know what they want or need. Sonia took them and Jeremy, while I took Mighty Mite and Princess to the rides in the center of the mall.

Sonia called me when they were done shopping, and we met for lunch at the food court.

Buddy called me and told me he'd dropped off his stuff at the Maple Grove PD, and they loved it. Looked like the problem was solved. Not only that, but when the two burglars were confronted with the evidence, since they were hired and not one of Greg's crew, they squealed and ratted him out. Warrants were forthcoming. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. My plans had worked to perfection, Greg leaving his apartment to make his plans, thinking it was bugged, and doing it somewhere where my PI could record the details. Perfect.

We also got a call from Bobbi telling us to stay away for another hour.

"What for?"

"Barbara is whacking Ken's ass something awful in the gym. He's making a lot of noise the kids shouldn't hear."

"Ah, chastisement. Be interesting to know if it helps."

Bobbi laughed. "It might not help, but it's letting Barbara burn off some hostility."

Since our kids hadn't gotten to go on the rides, we went back for a second round. I let Sonia take everyone, while I looked after the purchases. We gave it ninety minutes before heading back, just to be on the safe side.

When we got home, we sent the kids to the Entertainment room, while we talked to the adults. Ken was not sitting down.

"Were you missing any Christmas gifts?" I asked, since that's what they started doing.

"A bracelet I'd gotten for Ken," Barbara said. "I'm not even sure if I want him to have it anymore."

"Let the Maple Grove PD know, and they'll check the burglar's property inventory. I've got some news as well. My PI brought his surveillance stuff to the police and not only did that implicate Greg Hudson, but the two burglars weren't some of his boys. I guess he was running low and he hired some outsiders. When they were confronted with the evidence, they further implicated Greg. They'll be issuing a warrant for his arrest.

"Because we won't know how long before he's arrested, or if he'll be able to bond out, I'm recommending you stay here. Feel free to invite your folks for the Christmas party. Just let me know how many more to prepare for.

"Did you two come to any decisions?" Sonia asked.

"I still don't know," Barbara said, glancing at Ken. "I guess I'm a little more inclined towards reconciliation than I was when we finished looking at how my Christmas plans and presents were ruined, but nothing firm yet. It could still go either way. Can you do something with him so I don't have to look at him."

"Sure. We need to go sign our statements at the Maple Grove PD. I heard they were ready."

I left the Genesis for big groups and took the Sapphire. Ken asked if he could lie down in the back seat instead of ride sitting in the front. I said to go ahead.

"Barbara nailed you pretty hard, huh?" I said when we were on the way and I heard his squirming in the back.

"Harder than I thought she would when I made the offer. I didn't know she could swing that hard. I think my ass is black and blue."

"Yeah, that's the problem with doing it while someone is mad."

"Can I fix my life?"

"I don't know, Ken. While we're out, we'll pick up something to put on your ass that might help ease the pain. You might want to use Tylenol if you haven't already."

"Not Ibuprofen?"

"Not if you're black and blue. That's a sign of broken blood vessels and ibuprofen is a mild anti-coagulant. Not as bad as aspirin, but I wouldn't want you to increase the bleeding."

"Yeah, I suppose."

"I'd also apply ice to reduce any swelling. We'll pick up more wrapping paper too. You can rewrap presents tomorrow."

"Standing up," Ken said ruefully. "I've never seen Barbara so angry."

"Infidelity is one of the big no-nos in marriage. I'm not sure that it was a guy makes it that much better in your case. She might be wondering if you even want to be married to a woman. It's tough."

"Is there anything else I can do?"

"Grovel a lot. Say you're sorry as much as you can without sounding like a broken record. Don't make a promise you can't keep. Promise you'll support her and the kids no matter what she decides. You want her back, but you know you've violated her trust and that's a hard thing to win back. Maybe we'll let her see your poor ass and how much she hurt you. Perhaps you'll get some sympathy. It usually doesn't look as bad when it happens, as it will now. We'll see."

We arrived and asked for the detective covering the case. He gave us more details than Buddy had given me, and it looked like some gooses were well and truly cooked. While we were there, we also got the missing bracelet from the inventory. The bracelet said simply 'Dad3', with the back engraved, 'And Best Husband Ever'.

"No wonder she doesn't want to give it to me anymore," Ken said. "I fucked up bad this time."

"Shit man. You have to quit obsessing about the past. It doesn't help anything, and there's nothing you can do to change it. Move forward, adapt, adjust, but go forward. Work on making the present better, not trying to change what can't be changed. That's what fucked up Greg Hudson. The asshole couldn't let go of the past. He screwed up, and instead of working with what he had, he kept trying to go backwards. Some things, you can't get back from, so you quit living like you can."

We got our statements and read them over. Mine looked fine so I signed it. The detective, Swanson, wondered why Ken didn't sit down to read his.

"Man, I pulled some bad shit and I let my wife wallop me with a paddle, and I can't sit down for the life of me."

"Probably should have waited until she cooled down a little," I said. "See this bracelet she bought him. She just found out she's pregnant again, which is why it says Dad cubed, his third, and she found out he's cheated on her a few times."

"Ouch. Some men just let their dicks get them into so much trouble," Detective Swanson said. "I swear that half the cases I work involve marital crap. Ruined my first marriage, dumbass that I was. Did I end up with a better pussy? Fuck no. Better homemaker, better wife, better mother? Hell, no. Just pissed it away. If it had been a one time failure, maybe she would have forgiven me, but I fucked the strange for six months. Don't come back from that shit."

"I hope I never become another statistic," I said. "I've got a pretty sweet set up, and I don't want to ruin it."

"Just don't. It ain't worth it. Was it worth it, Ken?"

"No."

"See what I mean? You think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, and you forget how sweet the grass is on your side, and there are Casanovas out there eyeing your grass with evil intent. Nah, take care of the missus and she takes care of you. I forgot that shit."

"Words to the wise, my friend," I said. "I like that analogy. Guys eyeing my grass thinking it's a beautiful field, and all the while I'm looking at some other dumb schmucks field thinking, 'Damn! Is his grass green or what?' Forgetting what they're looking at is pretty damn good on it's own, and a lot of men would like to own it."

"For damn sure. Five guys hopped the fence to taste my grass once I hopped mine, and damned if she didn't end up with a nicer fellow than I was. Live and learn."

"There was nothing you could do to get your wife back?" Ken asked.

"Oh, I tried, but she didn't trust me anymore. Job like mine, irregular hours, too much room for me to slip up in, even if I wasn't. Every time I had to work overtime or answer the phone in the middle of the night, was me still fucking up, even if I wasn't. No trust. Couldn't believe I wouldn't do that to her again. I can't blame her. I'd have been the same."

"At least you have regular hours, Ken. That would be one less thing Barbara would have to worry about," I said.

"But no going out with the boys for a beer after a hard day, catch a game at a buddy's house. You ruined that. Lack of trust kills everything."

"I should shoot myself."

"Yeah, don't do that. You know if you kill yourself, your kids are more likely to commit suicide when they have a problem. It's like fifty percent higher. Plus, your kids need you, whether you're married to the missus or not. Don't do that shit. Live and learn. Try not to make the same mistakes twice."

"Let's go, Ken. Sign the statement, and let's go. You're wallowing again. It's not helping."

"Listen to your friend," Swanson said. "It's too late to close the barn door. See if you can round up the cows, and hope you didn't lose too many."

Ken signed and we left, heading to a Target for wrapping paper, and some kind of cream for his backside, getting a couple different things to try. We headed back home. When we got there, I sent Ken to his room with the purchases. The kids were in the pool with the ladies watching them. We said hi, and I gave my two a sensual kiss because I could. Benson and Ann were working on supper. I helped set the table. I gave everyone enough notice to dry off and change before supper was ready.

I noticed Ken still couldn't sit down when it was time to eat, so he stood, eating at the counter. His ass should be feeling a little better by now. It had been several hours. I told everyone that we'd signed the statements, and gotten the missing property. I didn't say missing Christmas presents, trying to protect the kids. Everyone helped load the dishwasher when the meal was over, and Ken helped wash the big dishes.

"Can you sit down at all?" I asked.

"No, not yet."

"Even using the pain cream?"

"Yeah."

"That's not right. Take me to your room and show me."

"You're going to look at my bare ass?"

"I don't want to, but someone has to look, see how bad it is. You were whacked around lunch time. It should be getting better."

He took me to his room and dropped his pants and underwear. Shit! I don't think I'd ever seen bruises as bad as his were. Every inch of his skinny little engineer's ass was black and blue, with some purple and yellow thrown in. It even looked a little swollen. Barbara should almost be arrested for battery, it looked that bad. I knew Ken wouldn't press charges, but it was brutal. God, she must have been pissed.

"What's the scoop?" Ken asked. "Is it bad?"

"If that detective had seen it, Barbara would be locked up right now. I've never seen anything like this. How did you stand it?"

"I didn't really. I was screaming my head off."

"Why didn't you tell her to stop?"

"I did, several times."

"Why not move, take the paddle away from her?"

"I was tied down on the weight bench."

"Fuck, man. You should go to a hospital. Have a doctor look at it."

"Would Barbara get arrested if I did?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"Then I'm not going."

"You might have to. This could be dangerous. Maybe you throw a blood clot or something equally bad."

"At least if I die, she gets the insurance."

"Not if she's arrested for your murder, she wouldn't."

"Could that happen?"

"Criminal Negligence, I guess, like leaving your kid in the car. You should know the consequences of doing stupid stuff. This was stupid stuff."

"Shit, shit, shit!"

"Well, you were hoping for another chance. This might be what you needed." I went to the intercom. "Barbara, please have someone make you a huge bag of ice and bring it to Ken's room, please." I released the intercom. "She has to see what her anger caused. Personally, I think she needs to take you to the emergency room. Lie down on the bed."

It took five minutes for Barbara to come. Sonia behind her. Barbara took one look at Ken's ass, gasped, and dropped the ice bag on the floor. Sonia picked it up and handed it to me. Her eyes were wide.

"Fuck, Kenny. Did I do this to you?" Barbara asked.

"You did, Barbara," I said. "What the fuck were you thinking?"

"I wasn't. I wasn't thinking at all. I'm not even sure I saw him lying there. I kept imagining him with a cock in his mouth. That's what I was seeing."

I handed her the ice. "You need to apply this ice to your husband's ass, and I'm seriously thinking you should take him to an emergency room. This is dangerous."

"How dangerous?" She asked, looking worried.

"Perhaps really dangerous, which is why a doctor should look at it. If his blood forms a clot and it goes to his brain or heart, it could be deadly. You can apply the ice for now to see if it looks better, but I think the emergency room or Urgent Care Center may be necessary, and be aware, it might lead to your arrest. I can't know that either, but the doctors are going to want to know why his ass looks like that."

"I don't want to go if it leads to her arrest," Ken said. "It's all my fault."

"Shut up, Ken, or you dying and leaving your kids without a father might be your fault. Everybody needs to take responsibility for what they did."

"I thought this would be a good way to get back at him," Barbara said. "He said I could."

"Not to this extent. Not when he's screaming at you to stop and you keep going. That's why safe words exist in BDSM circles. You can't beat someone to death and claim they asked you to do it."

"I'm sorry, Ken. I didn't mean to go this far. I don't know what got into me."

"Apply ice. Put a towel over it first, so he doesn't get frost bite on top of it. We'll look again in an hour and see if it looks better."

Sonia got the towel and Barbara got into bed with him and put the towel on his butt, and the ice on top of that. He flinched at the weight of both.

I checked in an hour and told Barbara to take him to the ER. "If you do get arrested, call me and I'll bond you out," I said. "You can't wait any longer."

She didn't argue. She helped Ken get dressed and took him right away. I told her where the closest ER was. We took care of getting their children into bed.

It was three hours later before they got back. Barbara didn't get arrested, but Ken had to give a major song and dance of why it was his fault and not Barbara's. When they got here, Barbara took Ken to her room so she could keep an eye on him and give him the pain meds and other treatment the doctor recommended. Maybe Ken was going to get his second chance after all.

******

Ken still couldn't sit the following morning, but whatever the doctor had given him was helping. Ken and Barbara rewrapped their Christmas presents, while we kept the kids busy with a movie. I chose 'One Magic Christmas' with Mary Steenburgen.

"Okay, Scout, Tuffy and Princess. I want all three of you to watch this movie and then tell me why I'd want you to watch it, and it isn't because it's a Disney movie. Some bad stuff happens in it, but I still think it's worth watching. It's got a message, and I want to know if you recognize the message."

I had a lady on each arm and they were leaning on me, and they both jumped when Mary's movie husband was shot and killed.

"This is a Christmas movie?" Bobbi said. "How can this be a Christmas movie? It's horrible."

"It's not over yet," I said. "Give it a chance."

A few minutes later, Sonia said, "Not the kids, too? This is depressing."

"I warned you it had bad spots. Give it a chance."

"Oh, okay, the angel saved the kids," Sonia said. "I'll take back what I was thinking about you, but the angel said he can't save Jack."

"He can't, but don't give up hope yet."

By the end of the movie, both ladies were crying. "Better than it started, Rooster, but isn't it a bit of a downer?" Bobbi said.

"I don't know. Let's ask the kids what they thought. Let's start with you, Scout. What's your take on the movie?"

"I liked Jack and the kids. No matter that he lost his job, or they had to move because it was company housing, he still had a positive attitude. He wasn't going to let anything spoil Christmas. Plus, no matter how bad things were, he was still helping other people, like giving Molly Monaghan the bike."

"That's pretty good, Scout. No matter how bad things are, there's always someone who has it worse, who can use a helping hand. How about you, Tuffy? What did you think?"

"I think that it's important not to lose hope. Ginnie had lost hope. She could only see the bad happening, and expected the worst thing to happen, not the best. I liked how she helped that other guy at the end. Giving him fifty dollars for the camp stove kept that man from robbing the bank to get money for his kid. He just needed a little break, and she gave it him."

"She was a little bit like George in 'It's a Wonderful Life', looking out for the other folks in town, right at the end there. It took her almost losing everything to see it, but she finally did."

"Yeah, and the angels, both Clarence and Gideon, showed them what was important in life, and it wasn't what most people value."

"Exactly, little acts of kindness towards others."

"Is that why you invited us here to stay with you at Christmas, when we had to move out?" Kathryn asked. "Because it was an act of kindness?"

"That's right, Princess. Your family needed help and we had the ability, and even more important, the desire to help. Lots of people might have the ability, but do they have the desire to help when help is needed. I think part of the reason I wanted to help, is I thought the problem you had in the first place, was because of something going on around us, that wasn't your problem at all.

"The person after your Dad, was after him because he was mad at me. It shouldn't have given him a reason to go after your Dad, but he was a bad apple. He was willing to hurt people he didn't even know, just because he was mad at someone else. But, we could help, so we did. I'm glad we could, because otherwise, we might not have found out how nice you and Kenny are. I have very little reason to socialize with the people who work for me, but now we know how good you kids are, so it worked out for all of us. We got new friends out of the deal."

"Thanks. I like you guys too. You're all so nice."

"It must mean we're doing something right. I've got another movie if you guys are interested, called, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever'. Not quite the downer this one started to be, but when you see the Hardemans in this next one, you're going to recognize some of the bullies you might have seen in school. You might want to think about why they're a bully in the first place."

"Do you think there might have been some reason that some of the people in high school bullied you?" Sonia asked.

"Besides being nasty and rude? Perhaps. They say you shouldn't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes, but I've got to say some people make it darn tough to like them. Some of them haven't learned how to behave even now. They're still stuck in their high school persona. At some point after they've grown up, don't they have to realize there's something wrong with them, and figure out what it is and how to fix it, or are they going to be stuck in their idiot gear forever?"