"...pull your well-known strings and get Tat to please stop calling me going on and on with this kind of stuff--and yes, I've changed my phone number eleventy-million times."
Michelle held her cell phone up to Tarasova going on and on talking to Michelle, "Michelle, you only think you are injured. What does American doctor know? Come to Russia. Russian doctors know all! Look at Yagudin! Look at Plushenko! They take Russian doctors advice and still skate best in world," said Tarasova, suddenly having no problem with her English. "While you're at it, get to know Russia, especially my hometown. You stay with me and my husband's families. We have very big room for whole apartment. Sleeps 160, no problem. And 160 is the least number of points you'll get between your SP and LP at Olympics if you do everything I say. You will be future of Russian figure skating! Irina is through. I will make you greatest figure skating star is world with Olympic medal in GOLD!
"And don't worry about Spatcha. She work like she on vacation. I change 'Swan Lake' six times in eight weeks and while she think she have flu--all in head--she ask if we can pick version of 'Swan Lake' and keep it so she can practice and get used to it." Tarasova through her head back and laughed, revealing for a few seconds the multiple chins so many minks had given their lives to hide. "Theese ees no arteest!" laughed Tatiana. "Theese ees no compteetor! Splatcha should be able to get new version of great program I make and like that!," Tat said snapping her fingers, "Skate eet clean! The rest ees all excuses. Seeckness, jet lag, eenjury. No! Meechelle, YOU are eembodeement of Russian figure skating.
"Come weeth me and Mother Russia weel be at your feet. There is just one leetle thing you need to do for me..." said Tarasova, narrowing her eyes and scrunching up her face the way she did when Ilia Kulik was about to attempt the quad at the '98 Olympics...