Forki One-Shots

Forgotten

"I'm going to take a nap. You stay out of trouble, okay, Natasha?"

"Yes, Nana," the six-year-old said sweetly.

She watched her father's mother walk down the hallway, then close the bedroom door. Natasha waited a full three minutes before quietly sprinting to the kitchen, where her Nana had conveniently left her phone on the counter. She grabbed it, then slipped back to her room, where she closed the door, then hid herself in the closet. She unlocked the phone, then pressed her dad's name.

Her dad's phone rang three times before he picked it up.

"Hey, Mom,"he said.

"Daddy, it's me!" Nat exclaimed excitedly.

"Hey, Natty, what's up?"

"Nothing." Sheh paused. "I miss you."

"I miss you,too."

"Why couldn't I go with you on tour, Daddy?"

"Well...it's just..."

"School hasn't started yet."

"I know, pumpkin, but, it just-"

"You didn't want me with you."

Her dad sighed. "Natasha, no, I love you. It's just better for you to be with Nana, okay?"

Natasha said nothing.

"Nat, you there? Please don't be mad. I'm just trying to do what's best. Alright?"

"Whatever."

"I'll be there for Thanksgiving, 'kay?"

"And you'll play with me?" Nat asked, hopeful.

"And I'll play with you,"he promised.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days passed. Weeks. A month. Soon, her grandparents were preparing to host Thanksgiving for all their children, in-laws, grandchildren, and friends.

When everyone arrived, it was total chaos. So, Nat hid away in her room. She hated crowds. A little while later, when the noise seemed to have died down a bit, she decided to sneak down and see if her dad had arrived.

He had. He was sitting on the couch with his new wife, Moriah, and talking to Tobymac, Aunt Libby, and Moriah's brother, Anthony. She went back to her room to wait for her dad to come and play with her.

Hours passed. Nat only knew that because of the digital clock next to her bed. 6 turned in 7, 7 into 8, 8 into 9, and soon it was 10 o'clock.

And her dad never once came up to play with her.

Finally, Natasha gave up and headed downstairs. She was starving.

Everyone had left. Only her dad, Moriah, Vince, and Kara were there. And her grandparents. They were drinking tea and playing poker, a Thanksgiving tradition of theirs.

Nana heard movement, and looked up.

"Natasha! Oh my goodness, I forgot all about you. I'm so sorry."

She got up and rushed over to her.

"Oh shit,"her dad said.

"Are you hungry?" Nan askedd picking her up. Nat pushed her away.

"Hey, Natashalie, I'm sorry I-"her dad began.

Natasha turned around and stormed back upstairs, tears spilling.

Her dad ran after her.

"Go away!" she screamed.

Soon, all the adults were. She ran into her room and crawled under the bed. It was a tight space, and her covers hid her. They'd never find her.

The adults entered her room. Nat stifled her sobs.

"Natashalie,"Vince said. "Can I talk to you? We can talk about Queen Elizabth II! And the Cambridges. I know you love Kate. We can mock Will's glow-down."

"Nat, what's wrong?" Kara asked.

"Natasha?"Moriah called.

"I should've kept my promise," her dad sighed.

"What did you promise, Joel?" Moriah demanded.

"I promised to lay with her when I came today," he answered. "And I forgot."

"I forgot to check on her, too,"Nana admitted.

"Come on, bug,"Granddad sighed.

But she never did. She waited for them to leave before switching off the lights and climbing into bed.

Her dad never forgot her again, but Nat never made a promise with him ever again.

No apologies could fix that.