CHAPTER 360: CHAPTER 360: FEAR IS MEANT TO BE OVERCOME

After coming back from the cemetery, Shane didn’t go to the company but stayed home with Audrey Sutton. He sat at the table against the wall in the living room working, while she sat on the sofa watching TV, occasionally laughing at the variety show on the screen.

Outside, the weather was hot, and the grass in the yard hung its head listlessly. General lay by the archway leading to the garden, staring blankly at the lawn outside, while Pea lay on her back next to General, sleeping without a care in the world.

When the TV cut to commercials, Audrey didn’t switch channels. She stretched lazily on the sofa and then got up to walk behind Shane, who was seated at his desk.

Seeing her approaching, Shane didn’t shy away, continuing to type on his keyboard, keeping his eyes fixed on the computer in front of him.

Audrey came up behind him, pressed herself against his back, wrapped her arms around him, rested her chin on his shoulder, and glanced at the dense spreadsheets and data on his computer screen, feeling a headache coming on.

"Are you tired?"

Shane smiled and said, "How could earning money to support my wife be tiring?"

Audrey grinned, stood upright, and gently tapped his shoulder with her small fist, "I’m really easy to take care of, as long as I can eat my fill, I’m good."

Shane teased her, "You think your appetite is small?"

Audrey stopped her shoulder-tapping motion, and said in dissatisfaction, "I’m just a normal eater, alright? Why do you make me sound like I eat a lot?"

Shane: "I’m afraid the kids might take after you. If I don’t earn enough now, I might not be able to support both of you later."

"Being able to eat is a blessing. Plus, kids need a good appetite to grow up healthy. And honestly, I’m not eating a lot; it’s just that when you can’t finish, I feel it’s wasteful to throw it away, so I force myself to eat it."

"So you’re blaming me?"

"Indeed, I’m blaming you." Audrey shifted the blame and walked away to sit beside General and Pea, squatting down to gently stroke Pea.

Shane watched her with a smile for a while, then turned back to his work.

After petting the cat, Audrey, bored, opened the piano and claimed she was playing music for him, though she just played a few nursery rhymes, occasionally hitting wrong notes.

It’s not noisy, nor is it particularly pleasant.

Shane didn’t comment but found it quite nice having someone create a little hubbub nearby.

Audrey leisurely prepared dinner, and after eating, she and Shane took General for a walk around the nearby park.

It was past six, and the sun hadn’t set yet. Leaving the indoor air conditioning made the outdoor air feel stiflingly hot, with even the breeze feeling warm.

Audrey’s hair was loose, and she hadn’t brought a hair tie; she was sweating heavily after just a few minutes, and soon suggested they should head back.

For the first time, she initiated the idea of playing in the pool.

That day, after entering the water, she had soaked in the pool several times, but always with the water level set very low, and never without a float.

At least she wasn’t resisting getting into the water anymore.

Shane came out wearing swim trunks, just to see her lazily paddling around the pool with a swimming float.

He approached her in the water; the water level was about waist-high for her, making the float unnecessary, but to her, the float seemed like essential support. She wouldn’t part with it, keeping it wrapped around her despite being able to stand in the pool.

When Audrey saw him approaching, she scooped water with her hands and splashed it at him, the water droplets causing Shane to squint slightly. He didn’t stop her or raise his hand to block, nor did he retaliate.

As she laughed and splashed water at him, he focused on the float’s air nozzle, reached over, and pulled out the rubber stopper.

Audrey didn’t immediately realize what he was doing; it wasn’t until she heard the float deflating that she glanced at the spot where he’d just been fiddling.

Thinking it was another of his pranks, she pouted at him and promptly plugged the rubber stopper back in, muttering, "What’s wrong with you?"

No sooner had she spoken than Shane grasped her hands, lifted them, and smoothly removed the float, then tossed it strongly toward the shore.

Looking at the discarded float, Audrey glared at him, "What are you doing?!"

Shane stopped her from heading to retrieve the float, saying, "Why need a float in such shallow water?"

"I just want to hold onto it."

"Fear is something you should find a way to overcome, not live under its shadow forever. The float gives you temporary security, but only overcoming your internal fear is a long-term solution."

Listening to him start talking wisdom, Audrey was momentarily at a loss for words to refute.

"Come over, I’ll teach you."

He took her hand and led her a little further into the center of the pool.

Giving Audrey no chance to think or argue, Shane said, "Let’s start with holding your breath."

Audrey stood motionless looking at him, with a slightly displeased expression, almost like a child being forced by parents to learn something they have no interest in.

Moreover, her inherent resistance to swimming was a psychological fear that kept her from ever attempting it.

"Pinch your nose and squat into the water to get used to it first."

Audrey grumbled, "I don’t want to learn."

Shane patiently persuaded her, saying, "Just try it once. If you can’t do it, we won’t continue."

Audrey looked at him; it sounded like a simple move—just pinch your nose, squat into the water, then come back up.

But thinking about it brought back memories of that suffocating underwater feeling.

With a tenacious personality, especially not wanting Shane to look down on her, she wrestled with herself, then saw Shane squat down in the water, submerging himself entirely, and after three or five seconds re-emerging, slicking his dripping hair back, saying to her, "Just like this. Try it. Hold my hand. If it doesn’t work, surface immediately."

His presence indeed gave Audrey a great sense of security, especially since he demonstrated it himself, proving that it was just a matter of seconds and not difficult.

Fear was meant to be conquered.

She took a deep breath, pinched her nose with her left hand, and tightly gripped his arm with her right hand, assuming a determined look, tightly shutting her eyes, pressing her lips together, bending her knees, and slowly began to sink into the water.

"Don’t be afraid," he said.

The two words seemed to give Audrey immense encouragement; she quickened her descent, submerging completely.

Almost immediately upon submerging, she surfaced again, having kept her eyes closed the entire time. The tight grip of her hand on his arm clearly displayed her inner tension and fear.

Despite the brief duration, Shane smiled comfortably, encouraging her by saying, "Well done, how did it feel?"