Like Brand New [narrative]
At first, it seemed like things weren't really going to get to a place where she'd be completely done with tears. Sure, she had moments where things were great, but then something would trigger a memory and then it was right back to being awful again. Time was spent in the Underworld, where Nyx and Erebos had made her so very welcome... and some time was spent in her home on Kaua'i where her brother was so incredibly supportive. Everyone had been and for that Harmonia was so grateful.
New Years Eve had been a rough night. It had seemed like everyone around her was coupled up and having so much fun being a couple and all that did was remind her how much it sucked no longer being a couple after having had finally been part of a relationship where she felt so accepted and loved and had loved him in return. It just sucked. There was no way around it. But, perhaps she made a new friend in Sif. Maybe? She'd have to see. Check in on that again down the road. But she left almost immediately after midnight because as people took masks off and the kissing started, it just tore at her heart. She couldn't handle it.
Valentine's Day was probably the worst, the start of that portion of her life, the mourning for her children and husband waning by this point and no longer the forefront of her pain. Harmonia didn't want to bother anyone, they'd have all been off doing couple-y things... or... in her siblings' case -working. She waited for several hours, staring hopefully at her phone. He'd said he loved her. Maybe he'd change his mind and now he'd call her. Right? This was the day it had all started. Two years ago. It had been so wonderful.
The phone didn't ring. Was it finally acceptance when she stopped crying, collected the tissues and tossed them in the trash? When she grabbed the discarded shoe box from her new running shoes that was going to go out with the recycling, cleaned it out and decided enough was just enough? Or when she methodically went through each room of her house and pulled anything she had that was a memory of Tyr and put it in the box: photos, notes, little gifts... even the lovely scarf she had adored so much? It was probably when she duct taped it shut and then deleted the rest of any trace of him from her phone.
The box was put in a closet for storage. Maybe one day she could look at these things again without them causing her pain, but for now she didn't want to see them at all.
By the time early March rolled around Harmonia was starting to feel much better, much lighter. Had there been temptation to get the box down? Yes. But she'd not given in and for that she was proud, and she was equally proud to have not had a fit of tears or snapped at anyone in as long. Perhaps... things would be alright after all.
On St Patrick's Day she found herself, of her own volition, at that bar belonging to that Sumerian woman and talking to people she didn't know... on her own. She had socialized with strangers, and some divinities among them, drank with them... and was able to have fun without bringing the mood down or talking about everything wrong in her life once. Someone even bought her a drink, though... she never did get to see who that was to thank him. At least, Harmonia assumed it was a him. Waters of Dilmun had been really crowded that night.
She had been out for a run on Kaua'i on April 4th when she realized that she was internally ranking the levels of attractiveness of the men on her regular route -at least the ones she'd seen. She was actually checking out other guys. Did that mean she was ready to move on? She was no longer actively mourning her deceased family, was she no longer mourning her dead relationship as well? Seemed that way. It seemed she was looking at other attractive guys even if just to admire them, but... still. She was checking them out.
Well, that sort of settled that.
The box was removed from her storage closet and moved. She wasn't going to destroy it, but the storage was going to be more permanent. It was moved to a secure storage room in her temple on Olympus where it likely wouldn't be touched until absolutely necessary.
Which left her now halfway through April, smiling at the sunset as she paused on her quiet walk back home, feeling like a completely different person... nay, goddess... than she had been for thousands of years. How did she begin to thank everyone who had gotten her here? Was there any way to do that?
Maybe she could start by finally agreeing to let Lottie set her up on dates and things. Oh, and apologizing to Hera. Anteros could just live with her forever if he wanted, that was the very least she could do for him. The very least. Nyx and Erebos... Harmonia didn't know where to start. She had no idea where to start.