Her father is there, waiting. And when her homework is completed, the pair will set out on an adventure that will keep them busy to nearly midnight. Jennifer Hicks is the youngest of four daughters. Her mother, Gertrude, is the breadwinner of the family. She is a home care worker who works night shifts. Her father, Cyril, can no longer work. He was once a cook and fisherman who would leave his outport home and head to the offshore—sometimes for six months at a time. His livelihood came to an end when Jennifer was barely more than a toddler. A piece of the ship’s rigging slammed into his leg, and the damage would leave him disabled for a lifetime. But his youngest daughter treasures his time at home. Especially on days like this. Today there’s no pain, no swelling in that old leg, and he’s ready for an evening out with his daughter. Though only a teenager, Jennifer and her sisters have been women from a young age.
