Tales of taliber
It all started with 'The End'. Taliber was finished with the second to last novel in the series "The Evil People and the Coffee Crusader. Reaching onto his bookshelf, feeling around for the next book to read, he found nothing but an empty spot where his book was supposed to be.
Taliber saw his door half opened, heard giggles and the faint sound of the toilet flushing.
"Aureus!" he shouts springing out of bed and halfway down the hall almost on a single step.
He was in the bathroom in a flash, just in time to see the book torn-up, soggy and swirling around the inside of the bowl. It was like a scene from a bad movie, Taliber dove to save it with an elongated "Noooo! My book!" Making his young jackal brother cry.
Ignoring the crying toddler, he rushed off, nearly falling down the stairs to tattle on his adopted brother.
"Momma! Aureus ruined my book."
Aureus followed closely behind responded "I was only making a paper boat, he got lotsa books."
Hiding a giggle Taliber's mother, Dora, looked to Aureus faked a frown and explained "It's not nice to take other peoples stuff no matter how many they have. Taliber, sweety, why don't you just read another book?".
Feeling slighted, Taliber looks back almost cross-eyed, not wanting to yell at his mother for fear of reprimand he exclaimed "But I read them all. Can't I have some money for a new one?".
"Times are tough," his mother replied "I'm afraid we don't have the money."
Running off in a huff Taliber shouts, "I hate little cubs!"
The very next morning Taliber awoke to as a plate of cookies and crudely colored apology card from Aureus. his mother had set out for him went crashing to the floor. Groggily he looked down and picked up the card. Slightly touched but still very mad about yesterday, Taliber flopped down the stairs into the kitchen while mumbling though the last of the cookies.
"I'm sorry about yesterday momma, but it was the last book of the series." Setting the card in front of his little brother while ruffling his headfur "I'm sorry little guy, but no playing boats with my books okay?"
Dora turns from finishing the last of the breakfast dishes and looks at her son. "Taliber, I'm glad you forgave your little brother..." Before anything else could be uttered, the honk of the school bus caused Taliber to go bolting out the front door with a wave
"Love yea momma!"
The school bus was as noisy as ever.
All Taliber could think about was how to get the last book. He asked his friends, but they didn't have it or would not let him borrow it until they were done. He thought about stealing it but he couldn't steal. He needed money and fast. Mulling over ideas in his head but coming up empty, he decided to bury his nose in another book.
During recess when the rest of the kids went out to play, Taliber was in the library, when it struck him, right on the head. Another student on a step stool had dropped a book 'The Babysitter's Club'.
"Oh I'm so sorry," the young vixen said to him. "You see I'm starting a babysitting job and wanted to study up."
Between the pretty little fox girl, along with the pain in his head and pure desperation this would send Taliber down a road he never thought he would go down.
His mouth opened and said "I love kids, can I help?"
"Sure," she said "I could use the help." Her answer was due equally to feeling bad she hit him and he was kinda cute himself
The rest of the school day went by quickly. Upon arriving home Taliber spoke with his mother about the events of the day.
"It will teach you some much needed responsibility and I have an idea. You can take care of your brother for the rest of the afternoon while I go shopping for dinner? You know how Aureus is in the grocery store."
Taliber laughed and nodded in agreement before smiling impishly "About my fee, that will be twenty dollars."
His mother's look was one of both shock and hilarity, "you will get two dollars and extra desert if the house is still in one piece when I return."
Running off to tell his brother he was now in charge, he heard his mother, who was half way out the door, "I think your brother needs a new diaper. You should see to that as well?" No big deal, he had done it before. But this would be his first unaided and it smelt bad.
"Aureus?!" Taliber asked awaiting an answer he was met with nothing but a giggle and the smell of a ripe cubbies "I smell your poopy butt, come let me change you." he stated in the firmest voice he could muster, again nothing but another giggle.
Literally following his nose and listening for the giggle that echoed his call, as he knocked on open playroom door. "Hello, is Mr. Smelly-butt home?" It was at that time Aureus's tail was seen sticking out from behind the toy box.
Leading Aureus over to the change table, Aureus who was almost always co-operative became as stubborn as a mule. Taliber was unable to coax him or lift him onto the table he got smart and laid out one of the travel mats on the floor. After sitting him down he removed the little puppies pants and shirt the hard way, struggling with a fidgeting fighting toddler, who smelt worse than week old gym socks. He finally got the diaper opened and off Aureus. Tossing it to the side with a wince and a gag for effect, which Aureus found hilarious.
"Hold still while I clean your smelly butt." With that Tailiber's fate was sealed.
The nude puppy ran off "Hey wait," he shouts chasing closely behind with a handful of wipes and a clean diaper. "I'm not done yet silly." Rounding a corner into the boys bedroom, The pup was wrangled to the floor, cleaned and re-diapered. Figuring it best to quit while he was ahead, Taliber decided to forgo the clothing and let his brother go with just a diaper and his freedom.