That evening after dinner, Frank went out onto the barren moraine to think. As he walked amid the scattered rocks and boulders, he tried to focus on the mountain and mentally prepare for the grueling ascent that would test his fifty-seven-year-old body, but all he could think about was Sarah and Greg. He had spoken with Tashi briefly, telling the lama about his struggle to do the right thing and lead Greg up the mountain, as well as his feelings for Sarah. Why can’t I let go of the need to keep Pasang and Steve Madden’s whereabouts on the mountain to myself? The young man deserved to have at least one moment with his father. As for Sarah, how could he tell her he loved her, knowing that she would be going home, never to see him again? It just seemed cruel to put that on her.
He sighed and
