Now what? Wait it out?

[Tara_9]

I brought her the pictures she wanted plus a lot of other things last night. We didn't fight, but it felt really awkward. Is that bad? I tried to be upbeat but I came off as more aloof. I think. Neither of us could look the other in the eye and we both weren't our usual "fun" selves. I'm glad we didn't fight, but all I could think when I left was her saying to herself "I'm so glad I'm with the OP--things aren't strained at all there." She wanted me to stay for a drink, but I told her I couldn't because I had to meet my triathlon group. She seemed a bit disappointed. I asked her if that was a new sweatshirt she was wearing, and she said it was "borrowed", meaning it is the OP's. I told her about the dog's ear infection, and she asked if I was having trouble putting his drops in, and I said of course--it's a two-person job (he weighs well over 100 pounds). She said she would come over several times a day to help me and that she'd help me walk them, but I won't let her in the house. True--I told her as long as she's sleeping with the OP I don't want her in the house. Am I being unreasonable? Should I let her in the house to help me with the dogs and to help me take them on walks? The dogs would like it, but wouldn't she be getting the best of both worlds? Playing house and happy family with me and having a torrid love affair with the OP? I need advice on this point. We talked for about half an hour about all kinds of things, mostly her work and how she was getting discouraged and thinking of declaring bankruptcy. I told her to stay positive and get out there and drum up business (because I know she's just been staying home and playing on the computer all day). I ran into one of her cousins the other day who told me that she wrote saying she was with "someone new" and that it was going "really well". But everyone who sees her says how miserable she looks (it's true, it's written all over her face). The funny thing is, the things she cited for leaving me (that she wasn't funny anymore, that she had lost her personality and independence)...no one noticed any change in her back then--it was all inside her. But now, people are saying that's exactly what she's become since having left--they say she has no sense of humour, that she's a shell of her former self, that she's become one-dimensional, and that her life revolves around the (busy) OP's schedule and when she can see the OP next. All the things she said that happened with me but didn't, are happening now. Yet she can't see that. I guess my other question is, should I point that out to her? As I was leaving she said she had just finished reading a good book, did I want it? I said sure, so she gave it to me... My first "present" from her in months... I guess I shouldn't read too much into that either...right?