Masquerade! Seething shadows, breathing lies...

One character lowered his mask to reveal his rage towards his archenemy while another continued to conceal his identity with his false face. Will deceit and lies cost them both what they desire the most? And yet another searched for her true self as she bid her loved ones goodbye. There's no disguising the drama as we tango our way through Two Scoops.

Masquerade! Honestly, doesn't it seem like Genoa City has been holding its very own costume ball lately with the invitations not entirely exclusive. Shoot, everyone is invited to dance at this gala! Only now is the time for the masks to be ripped off, and some of that has already taken place. For example, Michael had become totally unrecognizable to all of his loved ones, including his fans, and finally, the cruel and grotesque mask he once wore has been stripped from his face. Thank heavens, Michael has returned to the rational, loving, good-guy attorney that we all know and love. Too bad it was not in time to save his marriage, which the charade had totally and completely destroyed.

Then we come to Adam or, as most Genoa Citizens know him, Gabriel Bingham, who at long last admitted to Chelsea he was really her loving husband, only with a brand new face. There was no external de-masking here, just an internal revealing of the hidden secrets, passions, and feelings of Chelsea's supposedly deceased husband. Adam's mask was not intended to hide any scars of his outward appearance, only the blemishes of any past wrongdoings. However, with Adam, it goes much deeper than that, since his disfigurement lies in his emotions. Chelsea was right when she pointed out to him that Adam will always seek his father's approval, which was something he would probably never get. That flaw will be what keeps them from being a truly happy couple because Adam will always come up short, not only in his father's eyes but also in his own.

In a rather twisted way, Adam reminds me of the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, who could not accept that his deformities were all within himself. The Phantom wanted Christine, but he believed his outward flaws prevented him from getting the woman he desired, even after Christine pointed out his disfigurement was from within. The mask could not hide the emotional scars, and unfortunately for the Phantom, he was unable to remove the disguise to become the man of Christine's dreams. However, looking from the perspective of my mother, who is a huge fan of Gerard Butler, the Phantom deserved a second chance, even after he proved to be a fiendish murderer. According to my mom, though, the last victim really had it coming. Okay. Maybe Adam will be so lucky.

I don't know. As much as Adam would like to peel off the protective cover over his heart to get past his obsessive need for approval from his father, it appears he will never be able to do that. And Victor will never willingly give his thumbs-up to anything Adam ever does. "Masquerade! Burning glances, turning heads...Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you." I just love the Andrew Lloyd Webber music from The Phantom of the Opera. I can't really say Victor would ever send a legitimate smile Adam's way, but he wouldn't hesitate to deliver his signature mustachioed smirk to his son.

Somehow, I doubt if Victor would be surprised to learn Gabriel Bingham was the conniving son dear Vic had presumed dead, since he already stated Gabe reminded him of Adam. I am sure Victor deep down has been enjoying the sparring and mind games with Jack's supposed heir. Shoot, Gabriel is probably making Victor miss Adam that much more. And you know, Adam will always want to get the best over his old man. But would a victory over Victor give Adam the satisfaction he seems to crave? More than likely not, since he still desires dear old dad's love and approval also. Ironically, Adam was probably on the right track to getting Victor's admiration, even if we would rather not believe it. What is close to Victor's heart is not necessarily near and dear to everyone else's.

I mean, it was nice Chelsea finally learned Gabriel was Adam, but I was hoping for so much more. I guess the big reveal about Adam had to wait until Jack was out of his coma. So many repercussions can come from the disclosure -- so many stories can be written. Adam is the type of character surrounded constantly by secrets and lies. The more he tries to be a better person, the more he fails, and the more complex he becomes. As a character, Adam Newman has become a writer's treasure and dream who will never be dull or boring -- unlike a certain blonde attorney who will be discussed later.

So, thanks to Marisa, Victor learned it was Jack lying in the hospital bed, not Marco. Can you imagine two more opposites for Marisa than Noah and Marco? How sweet was it when Noah brought Marisa chicken soup?! As much as Noah might want it, he's probably just a wee bit too young and nave for the worldly lady who had been linked with a notorious, diabolical, murdering drug dealer for so many years. It's almost like watching a cute, innocent puppy yapping at the heels of a wild, exotic cheetah. Sure, Noah may be the pup who craves to jump off the porch to play with the big boys, but he may just be out of his league. On the other hand, Marisa is nothing like the by-the-book cop Courtney, either, so maybe she's just what Noah needs. At the very least, she could be a very pleasant diversion for him.

I found it rather funny -- or should I say odd -- when Marisa said she wanted a fresh start in Genoa City with the people she cared about. Wow, how sad! I get it that she's an orphan, which Victor could totally relate to even if he didn't admit as much, but Marisa really hadn't made any friends along the way up until now? When she said she had been lonely her whole life, she wasn't kidding. It's ironic that Marisa wanted a clean slate in a town where she pretty much knows nobody while Avery wanted to start a new life away from her loved ones -- her actual friends and family. It's just weird, that's all.

Let's look at Victor's relationship with Jack. The great and powerful Victor Newman has always indicated he cherishes his many wins over Jack Abbott, and one would believe Victor enjoys defeating Jack because of his burning hatred of Mr. Abbott. But we have since learned this is not necessarily the case. Victor enjoys a challenge more than anything (or anyone, sorry Nikki) else, and even if Jack always loses, Mr. Newman gets some pleasurable gratification from just playing with Jack, such as a cat toys with a mouse. Victor showed a rather intense regret when he believed Jack had died, so I doubt he was too disappointed to learn Jack was still alive. Are you kidding?! Victor then knew Jack was still around to be squashed on yet another day. All was right in Victor's world again.

But thankfully, Jack awoke from his coma, and the time finally arrived! Jack was ready to confront Victor in the hospital over everything Victor had done. I have been waiting for this since this story started and also for Phyllis to learn the truth about Marco and Jack. I liked how Jack designated Stitch as his sidekick. Hey, if Paul's Batman can have Dylan as his Robin, why can't Jack and Ben be superheroes too...maybe like the Green Hornet and Kato? I'm not entirely sure that duo fits, but Y&R loves to break the law to protect it, and Stitch did cover for Jack about exactly when he came out of his coma, which wasn't entirely ethical, so, okay, that will work.

Marisa actually told Victor he could say Jack was hallucinating with any story he had to tell about Marco, and I realize she was just trying to protect Jack from Victor's wrath. However, Victor found he could just as easily strong-arm Jack to keep quiet by holding the truth over Jack's head. And Victor's "truth" was that Jack had murdered Kelly to free himself from her on the island and that the explosion Jack set off to blow up the cargo ship had resulted in the death of twelve men and the captain. The threat of extradition and facing a possible death penalty proved to be an effective silencer. So, Victor is the victor again. What a shock. Not. I am so disappointed.

I was all pumped and ready to see an outraged Jack demand Victor's head after dear Vic had Jack kidnapped and then put a dangerous criminal in place to sleep with Jack's wife. I mean, that's just so over the top, but no one will hear a peep from Jack about this whole nasty scheme? Not even Phyllis?! How do you think Red will feel once she learns Victor set Phyllis up to have sex with a complete stranger, a vicious killer? And then Jack covered it up after the fact? Her fury will be what Jack's should have been during his confrontation with Victor. Even if Jack kept the truth from everyone else, he should have trusted Phyllis enough to tell her everything. That probably will be the end their marriage. What could have been a sweet reunion will turn into an utter betrayal. Jack should have trusted Phyllis enough to know her love for him would protect him.

But Jack had a point. He told Victor that Gabriel knew about Marco, and he's not the only one. Too many people know about Marco, including Marisa, Noah, Kevin, Mariah, Summer, and Kyle, and it wouldn't take much to get a picture of Marco so the whole world could see his resemblance to Jack. And since Kevin and Mariah are now unofficially back on the case, they will probably be able to put two and two together to equal two look-alike men with one of those being the actual killer of Austin, Courtney, and Tobias. We can only hope! These unsolved crimes are only mentioned from time to time now, so it is well past time to give this storyline a proper burial. So to speak. The ending should really have come while the drama was still fresh on everyone's minds. Think of the emotional impact as well as a much more fulfilling finish this story could have had. But the potential for this has slipped through the cracks, so let's put it to rest, shall we?

Back to Phyllis, she could still learn about Victor's plot from Jack. It's not too late. And she should be angry, but I want her anger to be directed at Victor, not Jack. Victor's actions resulted in Phyllis sleeping with a virtual stranger, which would be a form of sexual assault. It's about time he pays for some of the destruction he has caused. Sure, Jack always loses, but does Victor always have to win? It seems like whenever Victor loses, he still wins, even when his wife and kids turn against him. But that's because he doesn't seem to care that much, despite how he goes on and on about how important his family is to him. Plus, we all know the loss of his family will only be a temporary setback anyway. They always return to him. Like lost sheep to a flock. Baaa. Even Nikki, who should know better.

Speaking of Nikki, I was absolutely flabbergasted when I heard how surprised she was once she realized Victor had played her for a fool. Again. Really? Nikki, have you even met Victor Newman? How could Nikki possibly be surprised at anything Victor does after all of his other dastardly deeds? Does she know him at all?

Maybe Nikki has been so numbed with alcohol over the years, she has been able to cope in a fantasy world where one never questions him. Or maybe it's as she said, and she has used the reason of Victor being a trigger as an excuse to keep drinking. No matter what the reason, it seems every time she tries to escape his clutches, Victor always brings her back down into the muck right along with him. Which is probably where she wants to be. Will Neil be able to help her? It's unlikely. Old habits die hard, especially when the person doesn't want to change.

Once Victor forced Jack to keep quiet, he had his new trusty Kato -- I mean Ben-- call Phyllis to Jack's bedside so Jack could come out of his coma. Again. Oh, Phyllis would be so upset and devastated if she knew it was a repeat performance. It would just break her heart. Of course, Jack is one of the few people who knew Gabriel was Adam, and he wasn't above using that info to get what he wanted, which was Adam's silence. Jack felt betrayed by his "former son" who had been quick to shake hands with the two devils with their "high-fiving, back-slapping, and double dealing." I could almost mentally picture that scene.

When Jack ferociously demanded Adam follow his orders, he looked remarkably like Marco, didn't he? It was almost eerie. Tee-hee. Jack refused to tell Phyllis about Marco, and he was so very wrong about that. Jack needs to be the one to tell Phyllis. She can't hear it from anyone else. It's for this very reason that Jack loses all his battles. He gives away too much power and control to his enemy. Instead of taking charge with the cards he has been dealt, Jack passed his hand, and in a sense, he let Victor make the call. Big mistake.

And that's because Marco knows the whole story, too, and I have a funny feeling the diabolical villain is still alive. They never found his body, which is almost certain proof. This is a soap, after all. Imagine the shock on Phyllis' face if she were to see the two of them, Marco and Jack, face to face in the same room. Phyllis is no dummy, and it wouldn't take her long to put it all together. Marco's return could bring the huge, dynamic reveal we have all been waiting for with both Jack and Adam. I know Jack told Adam he was still going to take Victor down, but he has said that before. Jack never sees the perfect opportunities to do so, even when they are laying in the palms of his hands.

In the meantime, Adam resigned his position at Newman-Abbott to "neutralize" Phyllis and Billy. Adam learned they wanted to test his fingerprints to prove he was not Jack's son. Adam's mindset was to give up the company he had so desired to run rather than risk losing the wife and son he cherished above all else. Oh, and he didn't want to be sent to prison either. I guess in Adam's world, orange isn't the new black. Paul and Christine thought otherwise, however, as they spelled out the many charges "Gabriel" could be facing due to the shooting in the park. Adam must be rusty because he seems to be losing his touch. After all the dirty dealings done by his dad and by Jack's own nefarious attempts to get out of his mess, the slop all fell on Adam.

So we finally said goodbye to a character who could have had so much more potential, and that would be Avery. When Avery noted she and Dylan were two people trying to fix something that couldn't be fixed, many fans were probably thinking the same thing about her character. It sounds like Jessica Collins felt the same way. The funny thing was Avery was very intense about to the law, and it wasn't until the end that the writers let that emerge. Thankfully, Avery was able to remain in character for her departure. It's just too bad the writers didn't put a teeny little bit of Phyllis into Avery from the beginning, since they were, after all, sisters. But Avery made her rounds to say goodbye to all who had once loved or cared for her. A fond farewell to you, Avery. I hope you find yourself.

Wasn't it a little strange, though, that the only person Avery told she wouldn't be returning to Genoa City was Dylan. Maybe that was because no one else wanted to hear it, and she knew Dylan would accept her decision. As Avery put it, "Sometimes you have to say goodbye to what you love the most." It's true. Sometimes you have to get a fresh start in order to return to the person you once were, especially after going through a most difficult hardship. Avery needed to get away to return to the person who had loved the law above all else. I loved her line to Dylan when she said to remember the good times they'd had together. "What is doesn't erase what was." That is so true!

So, was Abby's contract with the warehouse district a wise move on her part, or did the sometimes dizzy blonde get swept up and carried away with her own charms? Was she too "frisky" for her own good? I guess it didn't matter how much Abby flirted with Guy, since her own guy was looking in another direction -- again toward her mother. Ashley and Ben can deny it all they want, but the chemistry tends to ooze from them. Which sadly can't be said about Kyle and Summer. Each time Kyle kissed Summer, it looked like -- well, two actors kissing one another. With a young couple, you would expect a little more pizzazz and passion.

How strange that Victoria saw Ashley was after Abby's job but not after her daughter's man. I did appreciate Abby's pot-kettle reference to Victoria though. Victoria certainly shouldn't be one to talk. Actually, Abby should be feeling the signs from Stitch, who hasn't been as devoted to her as he once seemed to be. The vibes between the doctor and Abby's mother have probably been bouncing off all the hospital walls. Oh well, at least Abby will still have her position with the company and her father's approval if worse comes to worst. And it probably will.

Uh-oh. I have a feeling we are about to take another trip on the "who's really the daddy" merry-go-round. Sure, Nick told Gabe that he, Nick, was the father of Sage's baby, but was that true? Nick's past has shown he will take credit even when credit is not due. Sage seemed terribly upset by what she read on the results form. Even if Nick were to reject her, it seems to me she would still be relieved if Nick were the dad. Her tears looked to be more of sadness than relief. Or maybe she was unhappy the father of the baby learned she had cheated. At this point, the only way we would know for sure would be if we were to see the results ourselves.

After Michael viewed Avery's very public confession online, he said to her, "No use crying over spilled confessions." Yep, he's back to his normal, funny self.

Adam, also known for his humorous one-liners, commented to Chelsea that Victor couldn't "see past his own mustache." We need a little bit of comedy back in our soap.

After Ashley learned Gabriel was not Jack's son, Adam brought more humor when he asked her if that meant there would be "no favorite nephew birthday card this year." Oh yes, Adam is still Adam, no matter how he looks.

Is it just me, or have Jill and Colin totally vanished from Genoa City?

I must say I am glad to be back from my vacation so now I can get some rest. I think we've all had vacations like that. Thanks to Boone for covering for me while I was away. It's nice to know we are all one happy Y&R family.

Until next time,Teddi

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