Ma had a stroke just before my 16th birthday, and I was left to take over the house, trying to stop Dad crying every day, cooking, and being 'ma' to everyone. To make matters worse, Sheba, our bulldog had four puppies. Bulldogs are known to be useless mothers, not knowing what to do with the cord, or how to feed them. So every day I woiuld get back from College to find that she had smothered a pup. It was heartbreaking and the worst of all was that I couldn't say anything to ma .Every time she asked after her beloved dogs, I had to lie. Sure taught me to lie well.
