While Your reading makes the most sense (if there is a narrative to follow still left) i do take into account the massive disconnect of large parts of the readership (and i'm not taking into account the handful who think that Buffy/Angel sex is the best thing eva! or the other handful who think it is the most horrid thing eva!) since the Meltzer arc. And no, i'm not looking at this corner of fandom. So, either the story is told in a very bad way or the characterization is bad. Either way, there is a problem. Because, You are "a handful" only, too.

Before #33 i predicted that Buffy would take a "timeout" of her daily (job) worries and actually try out the peaceful existence of (suburban housewife) bliss.

And despite of my intellectual knowledge of this twist in the story it STILL kicked me out of the narrative.