Cat is not your typical teenager; she is a million times better. What makes her so special is that she has a little brother Jake, and he is different from other boys his age. Super smart, was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) at the age of 8, and has a need to wear mittens 24/7 due to his extreme fear of germs, cleanliness, and illness. Cat believes it to be her job if not her mission in life to keep her brother safe from people who don't understand him and will not take the time or give him an opportunity to show them how amazing he is. But her senior year in high school becomes more of a challenge. The feeling of not being able to have a day or a moment where she can be the most important person in her own life becomes her struggle. It is the day of her first dance and the only thing she wants is to focus on what she needs to do to get prepared for this date. Unfortunately, on this particular day Jake has a meltdown which has landed him underneath the desk in her room. After hours of trying to get him to leave she escorts him out of her room, closes the door, and locks it. Heartbroken, she can't get over how bad she feels for kicking Jake out of her room but is determined to get dressed for the dance. In an interesting turn of events, on the other side of the closed-door Jake shares with her exactly how he feels about his big sister, who she has always loved him for who he is. This is not a coming-of-age story as much as it is the story of a young woman who has already blossomed into a beautiful human being. There is nothing better than learning one of life's most precious lessons from someone who doesn't even realize that they have become your teacher. Patience, that is what we should all walk away with after one day in the life of Jake.
Mittens
There's no way around it, when I talk about my little brother Jake who is four years younger than me, a smile immediately comes across my face. Most of the time that smile will most certainly turn into a laugh because anytime I tell a story about my brother it makes me laugh which then makes you laugh. My little brother is obsessed with mittens. It doesn't matter what season it is, what time of the year it is, or if they match what he's wearing or not guaranteed Monday through Sunday- 24 hours a day my little brother is going to be wearing mittens. He often jokes, “Hey Cat, you have ten fingers and I only have four.” That's one of his favorite things to say, and he's really smart about it. He'll tell my mom, “Hey Mom, I can’t do all of those dishes with just four fingers, I’m at a disadvantage. I’m underprepared. I’m overwhelmed.” Oh, he brings the drama. But that's Jake and that's how he loves. That's how he lives. That's just my little brother and his OCD.