Gonzales

29

The smell of pancakes and warm syrup wafted through the house, pulling the rest of the family from sleep like an invisible rope tugging at their dreams. The kitchen, usually quiet in the early morning, was already alive with the soft clatter of dishes and the low hum of music playing from an old radio perched on the windowsill.

Evelyn stood at the stove, flipping golden pancakes with practiced ease, her auburn hair tied up in a messy bun. Alessandro leaned against the counter beside her, sipping his coffee and watching her with a small smile that hadn't changed since they were kids themselves. He looked relaxed, but Evelyn knew him well enough to see the subtle signs of his mind working—probably thinking about the week ahead, or the long list of things he wanted to get done around the house while the family was all together.

Marco and Aurelio shuffled into the kitchen, still a bit sleepy but clearly on the tail end of their early morning play. Aurelio made a beeline for the table, climbing into his usual seat and loudly declaring, "I'm starving! I ran really fast today."

Evelyn turned around, smiling at the sight of her youngest. "Good morning, baby. You run marathons in your sleep or something?"

"No," Aurelio said proudly, "Marco and I raced the whole house. I won. Twice."

Marco snorted. "That's not exactly how it happened, but sure, let's go with that."

Evelyn leaned over and gave Marco a quick kiss on the cheek. "Good morning, sweetheart."

Alessandro ruffled Aurelio's hair as he passed. "If you keep getting faster, we might need to sign you up for the Olympics."

"I already told Marco I'm the fastest," Aurelio said, his mouth now full of the pancake Evelyn had just set in front of him.

Moments later, two more pairs of feet came stomping down the stairs. Luca and Leo—identical twins at sixteen—burst into the kitchen with the chaotic energy that followed them wherever they went. Luca wore a backward cap and a hoodie half-zipped over a graphic t-shirt, while Leo had headphones draped around his neck and a notebook tucked under one arm.

"Smells like heaven in here," Luca said, flopping into the chair beside Aurelio and stealing a bite off his plate before Evelyn swatted his hand away.

Leo grinned as he slid into the seat across from him. "Let the youngest eat, you animal."

"I'm not an animal," Luca shot back, grinning. "I'm just an opportunist."

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna tell Mom you were talking about girls yesterday," Aurelio said suddenly, fixing his gaze on Luca with theatrical seriousness.

Luca blinked, caught off guard. "Wait—what?"

"Yeah," Aurelio went on, puffing his chest. "That's how I knew to ask Marco if he had a girlfriend."

The table burst into laughter. Evelyn raised an eyebrow at Luca, and Alessandro coughed to cover a smile.

Luca leaned back in his chair, shooting Marco a betrayed look. "Really, dude?"

Marco just shrugged. "He listens more than you think."

Luca, trying not to laugh, nudged Aurelio. "So, what'd Marco say?"

"He said girls are complicated," Aurelio answered, very seriously. "But also kind of like friends. But not the kind you race cars with."

Luca gave Marco a teasing glance. "Sounds like someone's been giving love advice."

Marco groaned. "It wasn't advice. It was damage control."

Evelyn chuckled as she set another stack of pancakes on the table. "Well, maybe all of you need to lay off the girl talk around your baby brother. He's already out here planning his romantic future."

Alessandro finally stepped away from the counter and sat at the head of the table, his presence quiet but grounding. "Better he hears it from you guys than from some kid on the playground."

Luca grinned. "Fair. But maybe not from me."

Leo leaned forward, resting his chin on one hand. "I think we should start calling Aurelio 'Little Romeo.'"

Aurelio blinked. "Like Bubba?"

The whole table paused for a beat—then burst out laughing.

Marco shook his head, grinning. "No, not that Romeo, your bubba. He meant the other one. The one from the old story about the guy who falls in love and does a bunch of dramatic stuff."

Aurelio frowned in confusion. "So... not Bubba?"

"No, you're safe," Evelyn assured him with a smile. "Nobody's replacing your big brother Romeo."

Aurelio leaned back in his chair, visibly relieved. "Good. 'Cause Bubba Romeo knows how to fight with swords. And I think he'd be mad if I stole his name."

That sent the laughter around the table into another round. Even Alessandro chuckled into his coffee.

"You make a strong case," Leo said with a grin. "No more Little Romeo, then."

"Thank you," Aurelio said with a nod of finality, stuffing another forkful of pancake into his mouth. "Just call me Fastest Boy in the World."

Marco patted him on the back. "Deal."

"Smart kid," Alessandro said with a wink. "Stick to race cars for now."

They all laughed again, the kind of easy, full-bellied laughter that only happened when everyone was truly present. The kitchen buzzed with conversation—stories from the night before, gentle teasing between siblings, Marco quietly trading plates with Aurelio so he could have more syrup without anyone noticing.

It was chaotic, yes. But it was home.

As breakfast wound down and the boys began clearing dishes and wiping syrup off the table, Alessandro stood up and clapped his hands once.

"Alright," he said, "I was thinking—how about we all head out to the lake this afternoon? The weather's perfect, and it's been a while since we've gone as a family."

Luca looked up from the sink. "You mean all of us? Like, even Mom?"

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Marco grinned. "I'm in."

Aurelio, still holding his fork, practically jumped out of his seat. "Do we get to race in the water?!"

"No racing," Alessandro said firmly. "But we'll pack lunch, maybe fish a little, and just hang out. What do you say?"

Everyone exchanged glances. Luca shrugged. Leo gave a small nod. Marco smiled. Aurelio was already running to find his swimsuit.