General Hospital Recap for Friday, January 31, 2025: Dante is put on leave, Ric threatens court, Cody tells Anna a secret

Portia and Curtis went out for dinner at the Port Charles Grill, and she asked about his next steps. Curtis explained that he needed a more powerful connection in Washington than Drew. He said Nina was working on it. Until then, he wanted them to plan a beach vacation. Curtis explained that he was thinking of a place in Bermuda that would eventually be Aurora Resorts' first location.

Across the restaurant, Ava and Ric met, and she thanked him for representing her pro bono, but he told her that he wasn’t. She thought she didn't have to when he stopped hounding her every day for a payment. “Why, because we kissed?” he smirked. Ric said he was attracted to her, but business was business. He wanted to talk about the kiss, but she said it was like it never happened and that it was unlikely there would be another. “Never ever?” Ric asked. Ava said they’d see what was on the table after she got her daughter back.

Laura and Lulu had coffee and caught up. Lulu told her mom that Dante was good with Rocco and such a great dad. Laura asked if she was still in love with him. Lulu stumbled to answer but admitted she was going to tell Dante she still loved him before her coma. When she woke up, he was grieving Sam. She said they weren’t getting along. Laura suggested Lulu was pushing herself away, but Lulu said she was holding herself back.

Lulu hated seeing Dante and Rocco in pain and not being able to help. Laura advised that she didn’t know how Dante felt and wouldn’t until she talked to him. She admitted she was jealous that Dante and Sam had been together. Lulu felt bad that Sam wasn’t there anymore. Laura told her that when they thought they were going to lose her, Dante camped out by her bedside. Laura said by experience, she knew that it was possible to love two people at the same time, and there was a place in his heart for Lulu. Lulu knew it wasn’t rational but felt it was her fault for Sam’s death. She thought if she felt that way, then Dante did, too.

Laura said it was human to feel guilty but told her she wasn’t resonsible for Sam’s death, the murderer was. Laura advised Lulu not to assume Dante’s feelings, and that she should ask him.

Jordan found Drew taking his frustrations out on a punching bag at the gym. He told her he knew she was upset about the Esplanade. He apologized and said he was just trying to hold on to what was his. Drew listed off some things that the family had done that were underhanded, and he did “one thing,” and he was ostracized.

Jordan told Drew she wasn’t there to discuss the Quartermaines' in-fighting. Drew said that the esplanade plans could still happen, but it all depended on what Curtis did with Aurora. Jordan called Curtis and asked him to meet her at Volonino’s as soon as he could.

Curtis walked into the gym, and Jordan told him that Drew said the future of the esplanade depended on him. Curtis elaborated that Drew wanted him to push Michael out of Aurora while he was in treatment for third-degree burns. Drew said Curtis couldn’t be more wrong.

Drew said the esplanade pitch was done when he acted on Aurora's behalf, but now, as a congressman, there were environmental concerns. He said it was up to the CEO to clear up the issues. Curtis pointed out that Drew was using his position to screw over everyone. Drew suggested they work it out in the ring. Drew and Curtis sparred with words instead. He warned Drew that he had alienated his backers and was new to Congress, and that left him wide open.

Sonny told Kristina and Diane he was going to L.A. for a business meeting. He was worried that Charlie’s would come under scrutiny next, but Diane said she would ensure that it was safe.

Ric and Ava walked into Diane’s office and said that because of the explosion, which was obviously a hit on Sonny, he couldn’t provide a safe home for Avery. Ric wanted to spare them anguish, and requested they avoid court. Diane laughed at the petition he brought as Sonny challenged them to take him to court. Sonny held his head as Ric yammered about the details of what testifying would look like. Sonny said enough, but Ava yelled at him to take the deal. Sonny leaned on the desk and ignored them.

Diane told Sonny the court date was February 25th. “See you there,” he told Ric and Ava. Ric said it was their final offer, and they left. Diane and Sonny agreed they were desperate and that Ava couldn’t afford a custody fight. Diane didn’t want to rely on waiting for Ava to back down as her case was stronger than Sonny’s.

Diane recapped Ava’s strong points in the case and told Kristina she did well when they were there. Sonny knew that Ric was going to use Kristina to hurt him. Kristina assured them she wouldn’t let him. Diane left Sonny and Kristina to talk. Sonny agreed with Diane that Ric would hammer Kristina on the stand again, but she determinedly told him that Ava would not win the case. “She doesn’t get to have her daughter back after she took mine from me,” Kristina told Sonny.

Kristina told Sonny that a Digitalis injection had murdered Sam. Sonny wanted to know if Dante was aware of that. He said he’d take care of it and was worried that everyone had a breaking point.

Ric and Ava went back to the PC Grill and noted that Sonny and Diane were itching to take it to court. Ava was worried that she didn’t have the money to fight and that Kristina didn’t take the bait. Ric thought something was going on with Sonny.

Ric knew that Sonny talked tough, but he sensed that something was off, and he didn’t want to see things through. He wondered if Sonny cared a little bit for Ava. She promised that Ric would get paid. “And after that, maybe we can see where things stand between us,” Ava teased. Ric looked amused.

When Trina opened the door to Kai’s hospital room, she found him struggling to put on a sling. He initially didn’t want her help, but he changed his mind. As she attached the sling, he touched her arm softly. He told her he wasn’t in the mood for visitors, but she told him he had brought a class catalog for him to look at.

Kai said the doctors told him to take his time with recovery. He never thought this was a possibility and had his future mapped out. Kai didn’t even know if he wanted to go back to school. Trina said even if he didn’t play again, it gave him an amazing scholarship. Kai interrupted and said he knew she thought she was helping, but she wasn’t.

Kai told Trina he appreciated her but just needed time to himself. She told him before leaving that he didn’t need to do this alone. Kai laid on his hospital bed and watched himself scoring a winning touchdown on his phone. He sighed heavily as Trina watched him through the window. She called someone and asked that they come meet her at GH. “Nothing’s wrong, I just need your help,” Trina said.

Dante went to Anna to find out why he was locked out of Sam’s death investigation. Dante was upset and wanted the case file. Anna told him he couldn’t be involved. She said she would let him help find the murderer if it was anyone else’s case, but she didn’t want to risk the case being thrown out because he was involved. Anna also worried that Dante would do something to the killer. Dante asked if she had a suspect. Anna said she couldn’t tell him anything and put him on a week’s paid leave. She told him when he returned, he had to see the department’s psychologist.

Brook Lynn went to the barn to see Cody and said they needed to talk about the summer romance she had years ago with Dante. “Oh, you mean the summer you got pregnant?” Cody asked. He said he was sworn to secrecy about it, and he drove her to the bus station, then didn’t see her again. He assured her he never told Dante about it.

Brook Lynn explained that she and Chase were trying to start a family, and it was bringing up memories for her, so she just wanted to be sure Dante didn’t know anything as he was living in the same house. Cody got upset about how Dante would have stepped up, unlike other guys. Brook Lynn asked what he was talking about, and Cody told her that Sasha was pregnant and shouldn’t be handling it alone. Cody stomped off before Dante came to the barn, upset. He told Brook Lynn about his conversation with Anna.

Dante admitted he wanted to hunt down the piece of garbage who killed Sam. He knew he was too close but he wanted to show Anna he could handle it but instead proved her right. Dante felt responsible for Sam’s death and didn’t know how to live with that. Brook Lynn offered to be there for Dante if he needed to. Dante told Brook Lynn she was a pretty good friend when she tried to be. They were hugging as Lulu walked into the barn.

Brad worked out at the gym, so he’d be buffed up for Miami. He went to work afterward and asked Portia if he could get an extra vacation day when he went to the convention. Portia said she had made a lot of accommodations for him lately, and they both knew why. Brad said although her generosity was coerced, he appreciated it. Portia told him to stay within his limits and not to push his luck. “So…is that a yes?” Brad asked. Portia reluctantly told him to enjoy his vacation day.

Cody went to Anna’s and asked how to reach Mac as he wanted to get a message to Robert. Anna offered to send his message, so Cody told her that Sasha was in trouble and that it was Jason’s fault. Anna asked for details. Cody wanted to talk to Mac instead but ended up blurting out that Sasha was pregnant — and that Jason was the father.

On the next General Hospital:

Jordan tells Isaiah, “I hope one day we can put it to the test.”

With Elizabeth in the background, Laura tells Lucky she has some news.

Gio tells Emma he’s got a bad feeling.

At the hospital, Curtis asks Trina what’s so urgent.

“That’s something I’m going to live with for the rest of my life,” Alexis cries to Sonny.

Maxie tells Sasha that the more she stonewalls, the more it looks like she has something to hide.

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” Lulu says to Dante shakily.

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