How I Stayed in America (Part 26)

Only in Amsterdam, I learned that I was pregnant with my second child. That summer was the World Championship, and we went to Berlin in a big company to watch the final game. In fact, it was the exact game when Materazzi provoked Zidane and thus was disqualified. What a historical match. After it was over, we left for Amsterdam at night.

Do you feel certain sensations when you are pregnant? I certainly do. The first days of the delay are accompanied by terrible fatigue. Yet, this is my favorite kind of weariness. In the morning, I went to the pharmacy to get the pregnancy test, and it turned out to be positive. My husband

was next to me, and we were on cloud nine! We went into our friends’ (Nicole and Ilya Kovalchuk) hotel room . “Are you pregnant???” – they could tell by our faces that something obviously special happened.

In my stories about yearning to get pregnant, I missed one remarkable fact: my husband’s career was at its peak. In 2004, he became a part of the All-star list and turned out to be one of the best defenders ever.

Those who are familiar with basketball know that these are highly significant achievements. And those who do not know, these facts  could be reflected by his contract — $86 million for 6 years. It was a lot of money! At this moment, “not life, but a fairy tale” began: private jets, yachts, Bentleys and Rolls-Royces. In short, a lavish life.

Following the news of the pregnancy, we immediately returned to the United States. We rented a house in Malibu, where we spent a productive summer. Andrei trained twice every day with the best coaches and sparring partners, while I explored the entire downtown of Los Angeles and its showrooms. Before the season started, we bought a dream home in Salt Lake. This house had never been up for sale, but as soon as it was, we bought it in an instance. 750 square meters with a huge pool, gym, and even a music studio! There was also a sakura garden in addition to the house.

My pregnancy was easy, except for the very onset of toxicosis. As soon as the toxicosis got better, I “went all out”. I worked as if there were 40 hours a day. I couldn’t sit still at all! During six months of active pregnancy, I built my boutique. Plans, permits, design, purchases… I rushed from place to place like a shuttle on the LA-SLS route. I gave    birth on March 6th, and in early April we officially opened the store.

My birth was a planned cesarean. I changed my gynecologist, and this time Dr. Sharp, the best one in Salt Lake, delivered the baby. He’s like Kurzer in Moscow, or Katz in LA. At the last examination, I got into a conversation with Sharp. I asked him how many children he has. He said that there were two, and I wondered why, it was so little for Utah,

considering that he is a Mormon. He said that after his twins died right after being born, his wife no longer wanted to give birth. I asked who the doctor was during that birth, and he honestly answered that he was. “So, you helped your wife deliver, she had twins, and then they died???” “Yes,” the doctor replied calmly…