Handed Down Diapers (Patreon)

“Who the heck is that parking behind my Erma?” Frank squinted his eyes as he peered out the window, irritated as usual by the intrusion on his Sunday evening football plans. “Don’t they know what day it is?” 

“People do things on Sunday, Dad…” Jack rolled his eyes, pushing a couple of large, wooden blocks around on his baby playmat. Almost inadvertently, he had spelled out his name with them. He looked back over his shoulder, sputtering briefly at the way his dad was twisted around in his recliner, balancing a beer in the same hand he was using to spread the window blinds open. “Why don’t you just stand up?” 

“It’s that Reuben fella from a street down...” Ignoring his son’s advice, Frank continued to stare suspiciously down the length of the driveway as a particularly large rhinoceros all but peeled himself out of the driver side of a particularly small sedan. “I wonder what he wants.”

“The rhino guy? You barbecued with him like two weeks ago, maybe he wants to say hi.” No longer impressed by his dad’s flexibility, the younger mountain lion returned to pushing his blocks around and plotting an escape to his room, should the rhino ask to come in. “Guess he doesn’t realize he’s interrupting something so important.” 

“Oh no, he’s got a big box with him.” Frank groaned, letting the blinds pop shut before slouching back down in his seat and taking a drink from his fizzy beer can. The tickle of the bubbles made him twitch his whiskers. Almost on cue, the front doorbell chimed its merry tune. “Bet it’s some kinda food drive. Go answer the door, Jack.” 

“Uh.” Jack glanced down at himself, clad in his typical ‘Summer Outfit’ of a thick disposable diaper and a shirt that wasn’t nearly long enough to cover it, and then back at his dad again. “Dad, I’m not answering the door like thi-“ 

“Oh, for cryin’ out loud…” Frank rolled his eyes this time, looking very much like his son, then motioned with his beer. “Not like he hasn’t seen you before. It’s the end of the game, just answer the door and give him a few cans of that sauce your grandma keeps sending us. We’re about to drown in it.”  

“B—” The doorbell rang again, and Jack looked toward the front door. This time, he made eye contact with the rhino peeking through the foyer window. He was smiling, and Jack felt his cheeks heat up as he tried to smile back. 

“Hey Jack, buddy, remember me? Can you come say howdy for a second?” The rhino waved a large hand, and Jack looked plaintively at his dad once more, only to be met with lifted eyebrows and another broad ‘go on’ gesture with the beer can. 

No help there.

Unreasonably aware of both the sound and bulk of his diaper, but thankful, deep down, that he had just been changed before the game started, the younger feline stood up and made his way to the front door. 

“Uh hi, Mr. Reuben, wh-“ 

Jack’s voice dried up when he realized just what kind of box the rhino was carrying. A big, baby blue box of disposable diapers, unopened.

“Hey buddy, good to see you again.” The rhino tugged playfully on the matching hat Jack had forgot he was wearing. “I got some stuff for ya.” 

“Turns out, our boy was pretty quick to the whole potty-training thing, and he’s been out of diapers for a couple of weeks now.” Jack frowned to himself as the rhino spoke. If he could recall, the Reuben kid was just about to start school. “We figured, since you’re a… little late to the party, maybe they might come in handy at your house, instead of pickin’ up dust at ours.” 

In a way he must have thought was comforting, the rhino’s heavy hand slipped down to give Jack a firm pat on the seat of his diapers, making his ears all the redder. 

“O-Oh, y… you didn’t have to do that, we don’t really n-“ 

“Naww, I remember your old man complainin’ about the price of diapers.” The rhino laughed, waving Jack’s concerns off. “It’s the least we can do. After all, not like we’re gonna be usin’ em anymore.” 

“C’mon then, you got a young, strong back. Come help old Mr. Reuben unload the rest.” 

Jack’s eyes widened. The rest!?