James sneaks out to see Cody

General Hospital Recap for Friday, July 19, 2024

Jason and Carly continued their conversation on the bridge. Carly told Jason that there was nothing better than having him home. Carly expressed gratitude at the sacrifice Jason had made for her, but also felt like she owed Jason something. Jason insisted that there was no debt. "Not between us. Not ever," he insisted.

Jason told Carly that he would do it all over again, because he and Sonny had been the ones whose actions had put Carly in the position of having to go to the meeting of the Five Families. "Are you saying I'm not cut out for gangster life?" Carly asked jokingly. Jason began, "You are a lot of things --" "Okay, Careful!" Carly said with a laugh. Jason continued, "But mob boss should not be one of 'em." Carly choked up a bit, as she told Jason, "I missed you so much." Jason put his hand over hers and replied, "I missed you, too." Carly smiled and said, "And now, we don't have to, anymore."

Carly asked Jason if he knew how he planned to get through to Sonny. Jason said he had been unable to say anything to Sonny without making Sonny angrier. Carly expressed hope that Jason would be able to explain everything to Sonny, since he had turned over the Pikeman evidence. Jason figured that John Cates was no longer Jason's problem, but John would still pose a problem for Sonny.

Jason explained that John was gunning for Sonny and planning to use Ava and the custody case to do it. Jason maintained that he needed to get Sonny to let him back in so that Jason and Sonny could figure out the problem together. Jason pointed out that John had hated Sonny for many years but had never had an opening to take Sonny down -- "until now." Carly was thankful that Jason was there to help her. They both agreed that they made a good team.

Tracy and Cody were surprised to see James standing in the doorway to the stables. James told Cody that Mac would not let Cody give riding lessons to James anymore. After James informed the adults that Maxie and Spinelli were both at home, James told Tracy that he had taken a ride-share to the Quartermaine estate.

James admitted that he had stolen Georgie's phone to call the ride-share and had climbed out of his bedroom window in order to leave the house unseen. Tracy hid her amusement at the boy's ingenuity. Cody told James that Cody would have to call James's mother. James insisted that he wanted to continue taking lessons from Cody. He asked Cody, "Did I do something wrong?" Cody assured James that James was not responsible for Mac's decision.

Later, Maxie and Spinelli arrived at the stables. "I cannot believe you snuck out of the house!" Maxie chided her son. James replied, "You're the one who took out the screens on the windows!" Spinelli told James that the screens had been removed in case of a fire or other emergency. James insisted that seeing Cody "was an emergency!" Maxie told James that he was not allowed to leave the house alone without telling anyone, not allowed to steal his sister's phone, and not allowed to call for a ride-share. Spinelli added using the windows as an exit to the list.

Cody told Maxie that he needed James to know that the decision had not come from Cody. Maxie explained that neither Cody nor Mac would decide where James would get his lessons -- Maxie would decide. Maxie told James that they would discuss that at another time, assuming that James would not be grounded for life. Spinelli took James to the car. Maxie thanked Cody for calling her. Before she left, Maxie reminded Cody to keep his promise to stay in Port Charles.

Once Maxie, Spinelli, and James had returned home, James gave Georgie back her phone. James asked if he was grounded. Maxie informed her son that she was still undecided. James declared that his trip to see Cody had been about more than just riding lessons. James had hoped that Cody would tell him the truth. "Something weird's going on that nobody's saying. I can tell," James said. "Smart boy," Spinelli said to Maxie, under his breath. Maxie told James, "You know what? You are right."

Georgie worried that Mac was sick, like Violet's grandpa. Maxie assured Georgie and James that Grandpa Mac was not sick, but he was going through something private. Maxie said that they would all have to be patient with him. Georgie went to bed. James maintained that he wanted to continue his riding lessons with Cody. Maxie asked James to give her a little time to figure things out. "This stinks!" James exclaimed, as he dejectedly shuffled off to bed.

Later, after making sure the kids were all asleep, Spinelli joined Maxie on the sofa for a glass of wine. He described James as "a man on a mission." Spinelli asked Maxie how she was doing with the Cody/Mac situation. Maxie admitted that she was feeling frustrated, sad, happy, and excited. Maxie was convinced that Mac would forgive Cody. She just wanted Mac to speed up the process.

Cody caught sight of his cowboy hat, which James had often borrowed. It made Cody glum. Sasha arrived. "I came as soon as I got your text. What's wrong?" Sasha asked. Cody replied, "Everything." Cody filled Sasha in on James's excursion to the stables, as well as his reason for having made the trip. Cody couldn't blame Mac for not wanting his grandson to hang around with Cody. Sasha pointed out that James was also Cody's nephew.

After having been told what Maxie had said about who would choose James's riding teacher, Sasha was convinced that Cody was not about to be banished from his family. Sasha told Cody that it sounded like Maxie and James had faith in Cody. Sasha added, "And for the record, I do, too."

Tracy returned to the main house and saw Gio sitting at the kitchen table, eating a sandwich. Gio offered to make Tracy a sandwich. She declined. As she prepared to make herself some tea, Tracy warned Gio, "You would be smart to be afraid of me. It is my house, after all." Gio smiled and replied, "I thought it was Monica's house. Didn't your brother, Alan, give it to her?" Tracy smiled.

Gio invited Tracy to join him at the table while she had her tea. Gio told Tracy that he had left Fordham for PCU because the music department was better and because PCU had given Gio a scholarship. Tracy quizzed Gio on which borough of New York City had the best concert halls, pizza, sports arena, and baseball team. Tracy admitted to knowing nothing about Staten Island because she had never gone there. Gio whispered conspiratorially, "Don't worry. No one does."

Tracy and Gio talked about parks and gardens, which led to Tracy informing Gio about the gardens Lila had gifted to Part Charles. Gio suggested that Tracy could show them to him sometime. "Maybe I can," Tracy said with a warm smile.

As Josslyn was ending her lifeguard shift at the Metro Court pool, Trina met her by the pool. Josslyn said that she had found something of Trina's during their recent move. Without knowing its significance, Josslyn handed over Trina's tiny turtledove figurine. Trina grew quiet and pensive. Josslyn asked if Trina was okay.

The look on Trina's face told Josslyn that the turtledove had been a gift from Spencer. Trina explained that the figurine was part of a set of two -- and that Spencer had had the other one. Trina couldn't understand why seeing the figurine had made her so upset. Josslyn said it was because Trina was still grieving. "Yeah, but when does it end, Joss?" Trina pleaded to her friend. Josslyn replied, "It doesn't." "Good pep talk. Thanks," Trina mumbled.

Josslyn explained that grief would change over time and become less painful. Trina was impatient to get to that point. Trina explained that Spencer had given her the figurines so that she would know that Spencer was always thinking about her, and she had given one of the turtledoves back to Spencer so that he would know that Trina was always thinking of him, as well. Josslyn sat down next to Trina and put her arm around her best friend.

Trina explained that Spencer had also brought his turtledove with him to Paris, and that he'd carried it with him everywhere. Trina expressed feeling guilty about being angry at Spencer for having left her. Joss tried to lighten the mood. She told Trina that Spencer would say, "You should be mad at me! I'm an idiot!"

Trina thanked Josslyn for letting her talk about Spencer. Josslyn explained that she had been hesitant to do so, since she couldn't predict whether mentioning Spencer would make Trina feel better or worse. They agreed that if Trina said, "Stop talking," Josslyn would stop. Josslyn hugged Trina. They told each other, "I love you."

Laura visited Lulu at the long-term care facility. Laura told her daughter that Charlotte and Rocco were doing wonderfully. Laura believed Lulu would be proud of the people Lulu's children were becoming. Laura said that she had been missing Lulu a lot lately. As Laura stroked Lulu's hand, Dante watched from the doorway.

Dante knocked gently then entered the room. Laura greeted him with a hug. Laura told Dante that she had been catching Lulu up about Charlotte and Rocco. Dante asked about Ace. Laura informed Dante that Ace had been meeting all his milestones and was settling in with Laura and Kevin. Dante praised Laura for being a mother to her grandchild. Laura hoped Lulu would wake up and meet her newest nephew. Dante took Lulu's hand and said, "Yeah. I pray for that every day."

Laura asked Dante about Sam and the kids. Dante told Laura that Scout was eager to have a visit with Ace. Since Scout was so good at entertaining little kids, Laura told Dante that Scout was welcome anytime.

Dante revealed that Lulu had told him about the kitchen-floor tea parties Laura had often had with a young Lulu. Laura explained that the tea parties had been conducted on the kitchen floor for easy clean-up. Dante told Laura that Lulu had been a great mom because Lulu had taken after her own mother.

Laura and Dante talked about how Rocco had felt comforted by Laura during Dante's hospital stay. They talked about aspects of Rocco's personality. Dante said that Rocco reminded him of Laura. Dante admitted that the situation with Lulu being in a coma was getting harder and harder for Rocco, because the boy knew his mother more from her being in a hospital bed than out of one. Dante explained that the stories he had told Rocco made Lulu seem more like a long-lost relative than his mother. Dante wondered if Rocco's visits with Lulu were doing more harm than good.

Laura assured Dante that he was handling the situation "with grace and strength." Dante asked Laura if she had any answers. Laura had none to provide but offered advice instead. She suggested that Rocco was old enough that Dante should let him decide for himself about visiting Lulu. Dante hugged Laura as he pondered her words.