He said he's seeing someone new

[Ophelia]

I just called my brother. He seems to be on the same page as me as well, which is good.

He said he's gonna txt H back (but he's gonna leave it til tonight, so he can sweat on waiting for the reply for a while) saying that he won't play this week, but will go on a week to week basis as to deciding if he's gonna play. He also said, "Maybe I should add something like: Are you planning to still be going through this MLC for much longer? Because I really would like to play OzTag again." I suggested that that may be going a bit far, and he agreed.

He also said that he thought the way H had worded the txt message was odd, because he called it something like the "Joann problems" (that's my name, of course), and my brother said he very nearly replied, "Don't you mean YOUR problem?", but he didn't, which is good.

My brother has actually done a phsychology subject as part of his university studies, and he said that just judging by what he learned in that, that H is obviously completely messed up in the head, and how can he possibly think this is a healthy relationship, because you don't get out of a 10 year relationship with someone, then jump into something new this quickly and have it be normal. Quite obviously he's just lonely and desperate and it's gonna fizzle out sooner or later and then he'll come to his senses.

How much am I lovin' my little brother right now? It's like we're sharing a brain!

Just the facts and be kind when you speak of him. Sounds like you are doing this.
It was nice to know that my H has been told that I speak highly of him, still

That's exactly what I'm trying to do. The exception has been a few things I've said in the heat of anger and frustration when on the phone to his mum over the weekend, but I do believe she understands why I feel the way I do right now, so she won't hold that against me.

I've made it clear to my family all along that I'm still in this marriage for the long haul, and as such, whenever I speak to them about H, I do it from the point of view that I'm more sad for him being so messed up and confused, rather than angry at him.

I've always made it clear that I still firmly believe that he's a good person and that he'll come around one day. I've said that as much as I'd love to be able to help him through whatever he's going through, that he's gotta work through it himself, and I just have to be here when he finally does come to me.

I try to speak in a similar way that Michele does in the book. Straightforward and matter of fact but still with compassion.