September 10: 72 hours in Athens- Day One: Exploring Ancient Greece begins with the Parthenon. And before visiting, breakfast is served. Traveling and experiencing so many different tastes is opening my world up to endless possibilities.

We were staying in Plaka, at the foot of the Acropolis, standing there over 2500 years, and we went up right after our early breakfast of bread with marmalade, cheeses of all kinds, and an array of baked rolls and other baked sweets along with strong coffee

The centerpiece of the Acropolis, the Parthenon was a temple to Athena, and after touring it, we walked along the north side to the Erechtheion. Then we visited the theatre of Dionysus on the slopes of the hill on our way to see the collections in the Acropolis Museum. By then, the heat was high enough to slow us down and we were ready for lunch- mousaka and pastitsio- I was loving the food. Joe was looking at me with a smile as he drank his strong coffee. He was almost as bronzed as me.

I was feeling better since talking to my sister when we were in Istanbul- and tonight I would do as I promised, I would call Joel- collect- and listen to what he had to say. I figured he would get to the point faster if he was footing the bill for the international call. But first we would have this wonderful day in Athens seeing what the world was like a few thousand years ago.

After a delicious dinner at another charming local place, Joe and I headed back to our room. It was weird how comfortable I was sharing a room and a bed with him. We were kissing and doing other stuff, but not everything. Joe knows I have never… Gosh I can feel my cheeks burning…

Joe and I are really getting along. He is funny, a little obsessed with the Rangers (which I can't say is a bad thing) and he is really okay with the idea that being a cop in the corrupt Trenton system just wasn't for him.

We have each discussed our dream jobs- Me, a superhero, him an astronaut- clearly The Right Stuff movie had a big impact on him. We talked about high school teachers we loved and teachers we didn't miss, quirky holiday traditions, and best day ever. For Joe it was the day he graduated college- the first in his family to do so. He was able to attend while in the Navy and had no college debt. I worked all kinds of crazy part time jobs, temp jobs and babysat- paying my tuition as I went. It worked until the start of my last semester, when I didn't have the money and thought I would have to wait out a semester. I told Joe something nobody else knew. My Grandpa Mazur swore me to secrecy and gave me a check for the whole semester's tuition.

"My sweet girl, you have worked so hard, I don't want you to have to wait to go after your dreams."

I still get choked up when I think about his kind quite nature. Joe gave me a hug then. "He loves you, Princess."

Did I mention Joe is calling me "Princess"? Or that I like when he does? I might maybe be falling for him a little…

I told Joe my best day was also graduation, but for a different reason. It was the first time I remember my mother ever saying she was proud of me

And then comes the cold wash of reality that was my call with Dickie's partner. Don't get me wrong. Joel is a good guy. See that spot between the rock and the hard place? Yeah, that is where Joel is stuck. So I listened to the lowball shitty offer Joel has to present, where Dickie keeps all the assets and I keep my mouth shut, since he paid for everything. Any personal items I had at our place he had returned to my sister, unless Dickie purchased the item.

Dickie was really living up to his name.

I told Joel I had already said I wouldn't say anything, but that I knew Dickie had implied some horrible things about me and that his mother had straight up told the Burg I had been fucking Morelli the whole time I was playing the virgin for Dickie.

"So, Joel, tell me why I would want to sign anything for Dickie?"

Joel tried to explain how we would all benefit from putting the whole failed wedding behind us. So that people could forget. I had my doubts. I am pretty sure my reputation had taken a pretty serious hit and everybody would be talking about me till I collected Social Security.

"Can you check in with me again in a couple of days? I will see what I can do."

"We should be back in New Jersey by the end of the week Joel."

"Call me when you get back to town."

Yeah- I am sure that is the very first thing I will do when I get back to Trenton…