Soap Hub Performer of the Week for The Young and the Restless: Melissa Ordway

It’s often been said that marriage is death for a soap couple, meaning that it’s tough to come up with a story for happily married people in daytime, but not so with Abby Newman Abbott Chancellor on The Young and the Restless. The bride recently found out from multiple doctors that she can’t get pregnant, which sent Abby spiraling into a depression and journey of self-reflection.

Melissa Ordway — Performer of the Week

For giving a powerhouse performance as a wife mourning the fact that she may never be a mother, Soap Hub bestows Performer of the Week honors on Melissa Ordway.

Abby had to get out of the house after getting her diagnosis, gently pushing her husband Chance (Donny Boaz) away. She went to Society for some solitude and a drink, but couldn’t escape her feelings of loss and unhappiness. Abby imagined her father Victor (Eric Braeden) and stepmother Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) discussing her situation, making her predicament feel all the more real.

Next, Abby wound up at Crimson Lights and unloaded on Mariah (Camryn Grimes). The two women haven’t always been the best of friends, but Mariah couldn’t help but respond to Abby, who poured her heart out over her diagnosis.

“He’s been nothing but a sweetheart,” Abby told Mariah of Chance. “He’s been kind and understanding…because he knows that I’m broken…people get pregnant by accident all the time and I can’t even do it on purpose?”

Abby lamented to Mariah that her social media feed is filled with baby posts from her friends, but hers never will be. She was even more distraught by the time she showed up at the Grand Phoenix where she encountered ex-business rival Phyllis (Michelle Stafford). Even Phyllis (who maintains she’s “very nice”) felt for Abby and gave her a suite for the night on the house.

Once inside her suite, Abby managed to finally exhale, the full reality of her situation sinking in. She texted Chance to let him know she was okay as tears streamed down her face.

Whoever said everything looks better in the morning was spot-on. The next day, a refreshed Abby bumped into Victor in the hotel lobby. At first, she thought Phyllis had called Victor to tell him she was there, which Phyllis quickly — and comically — refuted. Abby didn’t really care. She rose from the Phoenix, happier, determined to deal with her issues rather than let them control her.

At home, Abby suggested to Chance that they explore other ways in which they can become parents, a lilt returning to her voice. “In the end, someone will call us ‘Mommy and Daddy,'” she proclaimed. “No matter how we choose to proceed…our dream will come true even if it looks different from what we first imagined.”

The YR writers called upon Ordway to go on quite the journey in one episode — from the depths of despair to feeling (to borrow an expression from sister show The Bold and the Beautiful) “hope for the future.” No matter where this story goes next or what emotion Abby will emote, we’re confident that Ordway will deliver the goods. The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS. Check local listings for airtimes.