Gonzales

15

The sun was setting over the sprawling backyard of the family home, casting a golden glow on  the scene. Alessandro was at the grill, flipping burgers with ease while Romeo was playing catch with the boys, laughing as they raced around the yard. Amidst the chaos, Aurelio sitting on the steps of the porch, eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Hey,Romeo!" Aurelio called out, his voice high-pitched and sweet, with just a hint of sass. "You throw like a girl!" He giggled, and his laughter was so contagious that even Alessandro couldn't help but crack a smile.

Romeo pretending to be offended, tossed the ball to Marco. "Better watch out, Marco. Aurelio's coming for your job," he teased.

Marco, always ready for a challenge, shot back with a grin. "Oh yeah, little man? I'll teach you how to throw a real fastball."

Aurelio's eyes narrowed dramatically, as if he were considering how best to roast his next victim. He stood up, walked over to Matteo, who was lounging on the porch swing, scrolling through his phone.

"Matteo, do you ever look up from that thing? I bet you don't even know what real sunshine feels like," he said, hands on hips, giving his brother a sideways glance. Matteo snorted, amused by the sharpness in Aurelio's voice.

Evelyn, catching wind of the banter, turned her attention to her youngest. "Aurelio, you're a little sassy today, aren't you?"

Aurelio flipped his hair—only it was more of a messy tousle—and smirked. "I get it from you, Mama. You're always yelling at daddy for burning the steaks. You should've heard him last week, he said, 'It's just a little charred! It's called flavor!'"

The whole family laughed. Even Alessandro, pretending to be scandalized, clutched his chest. "You're giving away my secrets, Aurelio!"

Aurelio joined to the game of catch with Marco , and as he caught a throw, he spun around dramatically, holding the ball like a trophy. "You know," he said, giving a sly grin, "I think I'm the best player here. Maybe I should take over your spot. You're getting old."

Marco always the sport, chuckled as he shook his head. "Getting old? I'll show you old, buddy." He threw a fast one toward Aurelio, but the little boy caught it easily, grinning.

"Ha! I'm faster than you, You should try and keep up!" Aurelio teased, his giggles bubbling up like little bursts of joy.

Meanwhile, Matteo, who had been attempting to take a selfie with his phone, overheard this and shot back from his seat on the steps. "Aurelio, you're five, and you're already roasting people. You're going to be the death of me. You know that, right?"

Aurelio turned to him with a cheeky look, tilting his head. "You think you can teach me stuff, Matteo? The last time I saw you try, you tripped over your own shoes and fell into the flower bed. Do you remember that? I sure do!" He cracked up, his laughter high-pitched and bright. Matteo raised an eyebrow, playing along with the jab.

"I was trying to make the flowers look better, you know!" Matteo shot back, laughing, though it was clear he was no match for Aurelio's relentless teasing.

At this, Marco, ever the competitive one, chimed in. "Alright, don't act like you're the funniest one here. I remember last week when you were so scared of the dog that you cried. It was your idea to pet him!" Marco grinned as Aurelio's cheeks flushed slightly.

Aurelio's smile faltered for a second—just long enough for him to pause and put his hands on his hips in mock annoyance. "Well, you're the one who said, 'Oh, he's friendly, Aurelio!'" he mimicked in a higher-pitched voice. "He looked friendly until he tried to eat my shoelaces!"

But Aurelio wasn't done yet. He dashed over to Leo, who was always a quiet, introspective presence in the family, and plopped down beside him. He leaned in with exaggerated seriousness and whispered, "Leo, I have a secret."

Leo pulled off his headphones and raised an eyebrow. "What's up?"

Aurelio looked around conspiratorially, making sure no one was listening, and then in a hushed voice, said, "You're actually the coolest one. But don't tell anyone, okay? I'm trying to keep up appearances." His lips curled into a mischievous grin, and Leo, ever the stoic, couldn't help but chuckle.

Leo ruffled his hair, his expression softening. "You're trouble, little man," he muttered, but there was no malice in his voice. Aurelio beamed up at him, his giggles filling the air once more.

Aurelio laughed again, throwing his hands in the air dramatically. "I'm trouble with a capital T! But it's fine because I make everyone laugh. Look at Marco, Matteo, and daddy—they can't stop laughing at me!"

His words were a little louder than usual, and this caught the attention of Evelyn, who had been monitoring the grill. "Aurelio!" she called out in mock exasperation, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Don't make me come over there and put you in time-out!"

Aurelio stopped in his tracks and held his hands up, giving her an exaggerated look of innocence. "I'm just helping them laugh, Mama! You know, I'm like... like the comedian of the family!" He winked at her, then swiveled to look at his older brothers. "Do you guys want me to take over for you, too? I can roast everyone and make the world a better place."

Alessandro shook his head, laughing despite himself. "You're lucky you're cute, Aurelio. Because if you weren't, you'd be grounded until your twenties."

"Which would be totally unfair," Aurelio quipped, giving him a sly look. "I need to be free to shine!"

Leo watched quietly, a subtle smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, as his younger brother continued to charm the entire family. Despite the relentless teasing and sassy comments, there was something undeniably endearing about Aurelio. His ability to light up the room, to make everyone laugh with a combination of bratty comments and a natural sense of humor, was a rare gift in such a big family.

Evelyn smiled from across the yard, her heart full. "You might be trouble," she said with affection, "but you're our trouble. And we wouldn't have it any other way."

Aurelio beamed up at her. "I know, Mama. I'm the best, aren't I?"

But before anyone could respond, Leo sat silently on the porch swing, his gaze distant as usual. Aurelio paused, as if sensing that Leo was his one brother off-limits for roasting.

Aurelio's lips curled into a playful smile, and instead of making fun of Leo like the others, he skipped over to him and sat down beside him. "Leo, you're too quiet," he said, tapping his brother's arm. "You're like a ghost."

Leo, as always, shrugged without saying a word, though Aurelio could see the small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Aurelio leaned in close, whispering with a wink, "But I still like you best. You're cool. You don't yell at me."

The family, watching this moment between the two brothers, couldn't help but smile. Aurelio might be the youngest, but he had a way of making everyone laugh—and sometimes, roasting them just enough to keep them on their toes.