$1$ I'll never forget that Saturday as long as I live. I mean, sure, I knew this day would come eventually, but I had avoided it for as long as possible. When my best friends Jerome and Dylan insisted it was time to hang out at my house, I knew the day had finally arrived.

$2$ Usually we hang out at Jerome's or Dylan's house. Jerome's parents work long hours. So at Jerome's house it's just us guys hanging out in his den and playing video games. Jerome calls the den $$his castle,$$ and I believe him, too, because when we're at his house, we're left alone to play video games, watch TV$,$ and eat pizza out of the box without any interference from his family.

A photo shows three teenage boys playing video games and eating pizza

$3$ Dylan's house, on the other hand, is a little more traditional. Dylan lives with his grandmother and she is $$old school.$$ She insists that we eat at the dining room table with proper utensils and talk about our daily activities. She does most of the talking, while we eat as quickly and quietly as possible. $($It$\text{'}$s rude to talk with your mouth full of food.$)$ Even Dylan's chatty little sister remains silent and listens to her grandmother reminisce about life back in the old days.

$4$ At my house $...$ well, let's just say that life at my house is a lot livelier. Some might describe it as hectic or chaotic. My mother likes to call it spirited; my father says it is boisterous. My abuela $($grandmother$)$ who lives with us says our house is like a little bit of Puerto Rico in the middle of Illinois.

$5$ Although I usually hide out in my room when I$\text{'}$m home, there is no avoiding family dinnertime. Every weekday night, our family of seven gathers around the kitchen table and speaks passionately about everything$$in English and Spanish. Does seven sound like a lot people? That's just during the week. On the weekends, the entire family is there, and when I say the entire family, I mean EVERYONE!

$6$ With my abuela, my parents and three siblings, various aunts and uncles, and a dozen cousins $($some of whom are still toddling around$),$ there are about twenty of us$.$ Jerome and Dylan talk about their family reunions, but this is what life is like at my house every weekend! I wasn't sure my friends were ready for the craziness that is the usual weekend at my house, but I had no choice. It was my turn to have them over.

$7$ When that fateful Saturday arrived, I looked outside and saw a row of parked cars lining the street. I$\text{'}$m not sure why my stomach flipped$-$flopped$$our house always looks like this on the weekends. Perhaps I was preparing for the inevitable wisecracks from Jerome and Dylan about the car lot outside my house. Those two could always make a joke about anything.

$8$Vincente$!$ my mother called from the kitchen, $$your friends are here!$$ Another stomach flip. Jerome and Dylan know me as Vincent, or Vince for short.

$9$ As I was leading my friends back to my room, my mother summoned us to the kitchen, where the aroma of garlic, cumin, and coriander wafted like a cloud from Puerto Rico itself.

A photo collage shows a large Hispanic family enjoying a cookout and games in the backyard

$10$Vincente$,$ don't be rude. Introduce your friends to everyone.$$ She wiped her hands on her apron and stretched out her hand to Jerome.

$11$I$\text{'}$m Vincente's mother,$$ she said smiling. $$A pleasure to meet you.$$

$12$ Jerome hesitantly reached out his hand, then Dylan followed his example. I reluctantly made introductions to the other occupants of the kitchen: my abuela, two aunts, and one uncle.

$13$C$\text{'}$mon$,$ I said. $$Everyone else is outside,$$ and I shuffled my friends to the backyard.

$14$ I slid the glass door open; salsa music and laughter filled the air. Some of my uncles were slapping domino pieces onto the picnic table, conversing animatedly in Spanish. My father was busy tending to the pork in the smoker, discussing the finer points of Puerto Rican seasoning with his sister, my aunt. Toddlers were crawling around and playing with toys; my sisters, brother, and older cousins were playing softball.

$15$Come here, mijo,$$ my father said, signaling me to approach. I was glad my friends did not understand that mijo meant "buddy" in Spanish. I liked it when my dad called me mijo, but not in front of my friends! I sheepishly introduced Jerome and Dylan and was relieved when Father took over with the family introductions. At first, my friends seemed reluctant and uncomfortable, but after the fourth handshake, they were talking with my aunts and uncles like old friends.

$16$ Then Father asked Jerome to help him add more wood to the smoker, and my uncles made room for Dylan to sit down and join them in a game of dominoes.

$17$I think we are just going to hang out in my room,$$ I said, hoping to rescue my friends from this nightmare.

$18$No$,$ that's OK$,$ Dylan said. $$This slapping dominoes game looks like fun!$$ Uncle Roberto chuckled and began explaining the finer rules of dominoes to Dylan. I looked o