Bob stood at the boarding gate, frustration and desperation gnawing at him as the woman behind the counter refused to let him through without his daughter’s birth certificate. He had been through enough in the past few days, and now this bureaucratic hurdle threatened to keep him stranded in a city where he had no one to turn to.

As he pleaded with the gate agent, his mind raced, searching for a solution. He had to get home, had to be with his daughter, who had just lost her mother, and he couldn’t bear the thought of being stuck in this unfamiliar place any longer.

Then, like a bolt from the blue, a name popped into his head. An old friend, someone he hadn’t seen in years but who might be able to help him now. Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone and dialed the number, his fingers trembling with anticipation.

“Hello?” came the voice on the other end, and Bob felt a wave of relief wash over him. It was Sarah, his college roommate, the one person he knew he could count on in a pinch.

“S-Sarah, it’s Bob,” he stammered, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m at the airport, and they won’t let me board the plane with my daughter without her birth certificate. I don’t know what to do…”

Sarah listened patiently as Bob poured out his heart, explaining the situation in frantic, disjointed sentences. When he had finished, she didn’t hesitate for a moment

“Bob, don’t worry. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” she said firmly.

True to her word, fifteen minutes later, Sarah arrived at the airport, a determined look on her face. Without a word, she marched up to the gate agent and began to speak in rapid-fire Spanish, her gestures animated and her tone commanding.

Bob watched in awe as the gate agent’s demeanor softened, her expression shifting from stern to sympathetic. Moments later, she nodded and handed Sarah a boarding pass, and Bob felt a rush of gratitude wash over him.

Together, Bob and Sarah made their way onto the plane, their hearts lighter now that they were one step closer to home. As they settled into their seats, Bob turned to Sarah, his eyes brimming with tears.

“Thank you,” he whispered, his voice choked with emotion.

Sarah smiled, her eyes twinkling with warmth. “Don’t mention it, Bob. We’re family, after all.”