NYC, New York

The flurries of white outside the window, accompanied by harsh winds whistling in her ears, was typical of New York winters. My mother, immersed in her job, had fallen into a familiar routine. That was until the vibration of her phone interrupted her focus, rattling softly against her desk.

"Hello?" She squeezed the phone between her ear and shoulder, her voice tentative.

A familiar voice responded, addressing her by name. "Did you remember?" My grandmother's words held a note of urgency.

My mother didn’t know what she was supposed to remember. Was it important enough to warrant a phone call in the middle of her workday? Concern crept into her voice as she asked, “Remember what?”

The silence on the other end felt unnerving until my grandmother finally spoke. Her words made my mother’s heart drop. "Your citizenship test is right now."

How could she forget?

In a panic, she thanked my grandmother and rushed to excuse herself from work. Frantically, she jumped into her car, and despite the blinding snow, sped toward the testing center. The deadline had already passed — in fact, the moment her mother had called, it was too late.

She knew they wouldn’t allow her to take the test late; they never did, from what she had heard. Still, she had no choice but to try. She would test her luck and hope for the best.

Upon arriving at the building, my mother hurried inside, snow still clinging to her coat. She was greeted by a man behind the desk, the person who would ultimately decide her fate with a single sentence.

She started to apologize, prepared to explain her circumstances, but the man stopped her gently. “It’s alright, ma’am. I understand why you’re late.”

My mother blinked in surprise. "Pardon?"

“The snowstorm, of course,” he replied with a small smile. “It wasn’t exactly easy to get here in this weather. We can make an exception given the circumstances.”

My mother, stunned but relieved, didn’t waste the opportunity. She nodded and quickly headed to the exam room, where she took her test. A month later, the results came in — she had passed.

A stroke of luck, carried on the winds of a snowstorm, had given her the chance of a lifetime.