"Tina Marie Bradley, do you agree to let your ex-husband have custody of your children for the period of one month?" asked the judge through the screen of her laptop.
"I do," she replied causing the two young boys to silently wiggle with joy in their chairs next to their mom.
"I have instructed you ex-husband that if custody is not restored to the original agreement upon his arrival back in the states he will be arrested," the judge spoke again.
"I thank you for your time and rest assured I mean what I say," the judge said.
"Thank you, your honor," she replied ending the zoom session.
They were sitting at the wooden rectangular table in the kitchen. Tina, flanked by a son on each side leaned over and hugged them both against her sides.
"You two be good I have agreed to let your father take you on this trip to Europe so you can see your relatives over there. I expect your best behavior when you are with him understood?" she asked.
"Yes mom," came the simultaneous answer from the boys.
It was Thursday and Tina could not believe it was almost a week ago since she spoke to the judge. The thirty-six-year-old brunette fought back the tears in her blue eyes. She left the airport missing the boys driving her red minivan. Shaking it off slowly she started to look ahead to a month of being alone. The high school history and social studies teacher looked forward to spending summers with her boys. The stress of teaching today's youth always made summer a time to unwind. The time spent with her boys seeing them grow over the summer always recharged her for the upcoming school year. Tina paused at the red light, reflecting a bit, she started to look forward to a little me time heading towards home. The light turned green as Tina felt the hunger of missing breakfast in the rush of the morning. The early flight time still left time for breakfast. Eying the small diner ahead she moved towards it as the red light turned green. In the van sitting in the parking lot, she ran the red lipstick over her sensuous lips checking her make up after. Reaching up as she leaned forward, she straightened her brunette hair around her face and black framed glasses. Getting out of the van her hair shined as the sun hit it, its length flowed almost halfway down her back standing out against the white top she wore.
Walking in she was greeted by a young man with a friend at the register paying their bill, "Ms. Bradley what are you doing here?"
"Getting some breakfast I just sent the boys to Europe with my ex. What brings you here Brandon?" she replied eyeing the two young men.
"Do you remember my older brother Oscar?" he said.
Looking and pausing she smiled and replied, "Wow you have grown a bit since my class looks like college has been good for you.
"He's spending the summer with me; our folks are off on an extended vacation with friends living in Greece. I just picked him up from the airport," Brandon told her.
