It was the day of the family cookout and Katrina was nervous. She knew that her family didn't like her, but that wasn't her fault. If her father wasn't so difficult she would have known her grandmother and new favorite cousin better. She wished that her mother could be with her family again, but there was a big Broadway show opening and she was the choreographer, so she couldn't make it. Her father wouldn't come down even if he was paid to do it.

"Nate, are you ready?" Katrina asked as they were walking to the park where the cookout was being held. She had never seen many of her family and was searching for Latoya in the crowd of unfamiliar faces.

"No. What the hell was I thinking? I'm the only white guy here…are you sure I should be here?" he said scanning the crowd with an anxious look on his face.

"I'm not even sure I should be here…" she trailed off and then smiled as soon as she saw Latoya helping her grandmother set up the food table. Latoya spotted her and Nate and walked over to them smiling.

"Hey, girl. Hey, Nate." she said as she hugged them.

"Hello, Latoya. Damn, I'm so nervous. I feel so nauseous."

"Well, girl, you betta get ya stomach in check 'cause you 'bout to eat some good food. How you holdin' up, Nate?"

"I'm nervous as hell. Are you sure it's okay for…me…to be here?"

"Oh, you worried about the race thing. Well, I hate to break it to ya, but you in the wrong part of America if ya worried about that shit. I'll try my best to keep 'em off ya. And if they don't listen to me, I'll call in the big guns…Grandma Lucille."

"Thanks. Does she need any help with the food?"

"Naw…she got it. You gonna be okay eatin' some country ass food, Katrina? You know we known to throw down with the best soul food."

"I think I can handle it. It kind of grew on me because that's all Grandma Lucille cooks. It's him I'm worried about…" she said laughing as she pointed at Nate and he shot her a look. "What?" she said in an innocent tone.

"You have so little faith in me…"

"Well, no offense, Nate," Latoya said. "I just don't see you throwing down on a plate of ribs. Aw shit…" she said with a worried look on her face as she stared ahead.

"What?" Katrina said looking behind her and she saw what Latoya saw. It was a group of people headed towards them and they didn't look happy. She wished she could just run away, but she knew that she would be a coward for that and her mother didn't raise a coward and the strong influence from her grandmother made sure she didn't ever become one.

"You got a lot of nerve showin' up after what your daddy did." said a woman she later learned was her aunt, Jackie. She never forgave Donna for running off with that man, she often called him because she refused to acknowledge him as her sister's husband because that would make him family.

"Come on, now…" Latoya said as she rolled her eyes. "It wasn't her fault."

"Yes, Latoya is right. If I had known how any of you felt, I would have been here a long time ago, but, for some stupid reason, my father didn't want me to get to know you and I apologize for him. I'm so sorry."

"My mama may be a forgivin' woman, but I ain't. And, Latoya, my brother feel the same damn way and I think he won't appreciate his daughter stickin' up for this girl. You know your mama should be ashamed of herself for not coming down here to see her family. What? We ain't good enough for her no mo? I hope you enjoyed watchin' broke ass kinfolk in the stupid South…should be entertaining for white boy here." she said and Nate squeezed Katrina's hand tighter. It was so unfair to persecute her like that. Of course, her family members had nothing on what Blair or Chuck could do. If it wasn't for those two, he wouldn't be in this uncomfortable situation. But, if it wasn't for them, he wouldn't be have Katrina as his girlfriend, so he was torn.

"That's not it. She wanted to come and visit all of you, but her job is so demanding and, like I said, my father had a lot to do with it. I feel so embarrassed that he kept my mother from her family, but I'm here now even if she wasn't able to be here. Please, don't let the actions of my father speak for me. I'm here and I want to be. Grandmother Lucille is the most kind woman I've met in my life and she opened her heart to me. And Latoya saw past all the anger and welcomed me. Please, accept my apology."

"I don't want ya damn sorry ass apology!

"Jackie!" Lucille said with full authority and Katrina felt relieved that her grandmother came to her rescue. "Girl, you know I didn't raise you to act like that. Now, be nice to your niece because she is family and we love each other."

"Mama…you know this ain't right. How can you just forgive Donna like that? She abandoned you and me and Roger and Kenneth. You always played favorites with her."

"You know I didn't do that. I love y'all just the same. Ain't none of y'all was loved more than the other one. I just know that Katrina had nothin' to do with how her father was. Yes, I want Donna to visit more often, but if she's busy, then that's somethin' we gonna get over. Now, accept her apology so we can eat…"

"Fine…I accept your apology…" Jackie said and Katrina nodded.

"Okay, now that that's settled…who want some of my famous lemon cake?" Lucille asked and several people shouted praise for the cake and began moving to the food table.

An hour later, Katrina was talking to so many family members that it was hard to keep them straight. She wished that it hadn't gotten off to a rocky start, but she was enjoying herself as she knew that she would definitely return next summer and , hopefully, on good terms. Maybe her mother could be there with her, and she could try to persuade her father to come along. She was just glad to have her grandmother and Latoya there…and Nate. He was being such a trooper for putting up with the constant stares and disapproving looks they were giving him. He was even brave enough to eat food she knew completely repulsed him, and she found it a little amusing. She, however, had rather liked it and had adapted to it. It wasn't sushi or a truffle-filled grilled cheese sandwich, but it was food and it was cooked with love.

"Katrina, I like you, but…I can't do this…" he said pushing around a pile of greens with his fork poking at the piece of pork in it. He grimaced as he lifted the fork up to his mouth.

"You don't have to eat it. I'm pretty sure you've tested your limit with the barbecue. God, could you imagine the headline on Gossip Girl. 'Nate Archibald seen with Party Girl at Georgia cookout eating ribs.'" she said laughing.

"Yeah…" he said hoping that she didn't know about how much he really hoped that Chuck didn't go to Gossip Girl with the news that he was in Georgia because of her. Not that he was ashamed of Katrina, it was just…well, he wanted to keep their relationship a secret to protect what they were developing. He wanted to savor it because he had the opportunity without Chuck or Blair or Gossip Girl there to stop them.