A suffering, older brother, persuades his little sister to join him in chopping off the

genetic roots of their shared hemophilia gene. As a concession for their life-long promise to never have children, he creates seven little packets holding instructions to help them through any crisis in their future lives. He also promises that a bit of magic is tucked inside. He calls them belly buttons.

Told from Patty Cakes’ perspective as she cares for her mostly bedridden brother, her

gullibility at eleven years old is made evident in more than just their promise. From pinky shake to forward sixty years, the belly buttons come in to play, six for Patty Cakes, and one for her brother. They lead the siblings, through death, deceit, divorce, new horizons and best of all, they introduce new blood into the family by adoption. Truly, these siblings share each other’s burden until the very end.