One Milk Tea, One Life

Synopsis

My husband, Daniel, the captain of a local mountain search and rescue team, insisted on dragging me and our frail ten-year-old son, Owen, up the Longs Peak winter route in Colorado. He said it was about "building character." But as a massive blizzard closed in, he suddenly started packing up his gear. "Paige is my VIP client. She’s craving that limited-edition boba from Boulder, and the shop closes soon. I'm heading down." I stared at him, sure the howling wind was playing tricks on my ears. "What did you just say?" He shoved past me, eyes tight with impatience. I grabbed his arm, my grip desperate. "Are you out of your mind? Owen’s lips are turning blue!" He yanked his arm away. His phone screen lit up. A voice message from Paige bled through the speaker, her tone dripping with a whiny pout. "Daniel, please... the shop is literally about to close..." He turned toward the descent trail. "Paige is getting anxious. I’ll have Eric meet you at the trailhead. He’ll be there in twenty minutes."