“I lived with my biological mother in Moscow until I was nine...

“I lived with my biological mother in Moscow until I was nine years old.  She was a very bitter woman.  I remember loving her despite the dark moments, but she neglected me.  And she was abusive.  Eventually my father was able to win a court case and brought me to live with him.  It was my first time on an airplane.  I was so fascinated by everything.  When I got to his apartment, I had my own bedroom.  And there were two little bees sitting on the bedside table, a mother bee and a baby bee.  They were a gift from my father’s wife Elena, and I still have them today.  I call Elena my ‘mom’ because I don’t like the word ‘stepmother.’  It’s not enough.  She was so patient with me, even though I was a troubled child.  I was quiet.  I mainly kept to myself.  And during that first year, I bit her so many times that she had to wear long sleeves.  But my mom was never unfriendly, never violent, never abusive.  Even when she got angry, she always made me feel like I had value.  Our twentieth anniversary was on April 2nd.  She’s been there there for all the heartaches.  She’s shown up for all the big moments.  All I’ve ever gotten from her is love.  Mom doesn’t tell me much about her life before me.  I know she always wanted to be a mother, but married my father too late to conceive.  But whenever I ask about it, she doesn’t go into detail.  She’ll just say that I’m the only child she needs.”
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