Eight-year-old Nika candidly tells the story of her life growing up in a Caribbean ghetto in the eighties. Nika is unintentionally funny, unbelievably clever, and kicks butt when she needs to. Nika's dilemma is simple. She wants to exist without torture but life in the ghetto makes this an unrealistic desire. Being the twelfth child of fifteen, Nika finds a way to get the attention she needs. Her cute, little black face sheds light on the woes of a Caribbean ghetto. Despite abject poverty, violence, and physical abuse, Nika maintains a hopeful demeanor that is far too mature for her age. She stands up to bullies, outsmarts sexual predators, and puts an end to her desire to cheat and steal. After her most horrific experience, Nika finds a diary of a visitor to her Caribbean island that tells the story of Meredith. Meredith is a successful criminal defense lawyer with many burdens, struggles, and secrets. Will Meredith's heart-rending story help Nika uncover the "happily-ever-after" in the ghetto? Or will the ghetto destroy Nika's resilient spirit?