‘General Hospital’ Recap July 17: Jack Kisses Nina, Valentin Reassures Carly & Joss Comes Clean

General Hospital recaps for Friday, July 17 reveal Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) opened up to Jack Brennan, (Chris L. McKenna) while Ethan Lovett (Nathan Dean) and Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins Bruening) caught up.

Plus, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) reassured Carly Spencer (Laura Wright).

Key Takeaways

• Jack and Nina share a kiss.
• Valentin reassures Carly.
• Josslyn tells Trina the truth.
• Sonny recruits Brick to target Valentin.
• Carly unknowingly ends up with Jack’s black box.

Nina Opened Up To Jack

After failing to locate his black box at Wyndemere, Jack and Nina decided to head to the Brown Dog for some drinks.

Jack was anxious that his bosses might be contemplating a transfer for him following the Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) incident.

He then inquired about what drove Nina to go to such lengths to assist Willow Cain (Katelyn Mac Mullen).

Nina shared that her children had been taken from her in a cruel manner, leaving her unable to shield Willow from unimaginable trauma. However, now that she was part of Willow’s life, Nina was prepared to risk everything to remain there.

Jack Kissed Nina

Subsequently, Jack expressed his regret for having blackmailed Nina to obtain information from Charlotte Cassadine (Bluesy Burke) in return for the traffic cam footage of Willow.

He confided that he should have asked her out instead, which would have allowed him to know Nina better before she had to save his life.

When Nina remarked that Jack seemed to be holding that against her, he admitted that he wasn’t very good at expressing gratitude. To demonstrate his genuine appreciation, Jack then rose from his barstool and kissed Nina!

Ethan And Lulu Caught Up

At a nearby table in the bar, Ethan encouraged Lulu to discuss the shocking news that Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) had been posing as Nathan West (Ryan Paevey).

While Lulu was hard on herself for jeopardizing her friendship with Maxie Jones (Kirsten Storms) over a man who turned out to be a fake, Ethan suggested that Cassius might have genuinely cared for Lulu.

As their discussion shifted to Ethan’s shooting and his recovery, he inquired about Ava Jerome (Maura West).

Lulu Buttonholed Ethan About His Interest In Ava

Realizing that Ethan had an interest in Ava and was likely pursuing something, Lulu cautioned him that Ava was beyond his reach.

Ethan admitted he found Ava attractive and that their relationship was mutually advantageous, though he kept from Lulu that Ava was aware of his secret regarding Phoebe Wilson (Luna and Lucia Creighton).

Lulu laughed, saying Ava would tear him apart if she discovered he was deceiving her, but Ethan insisted he was fully aware of what he was doing with Ava.

Carly And Sonny Argued About Valentin

As Carly dropped off Donna Corinthos (Scarlett Spears) at the home of Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard), a heated discussion erupted between the former couple regarding Donna’s relationship with Valentin.

Sonny expressed his concerns, fearing that the threats surrounding Valentin could pose a risk to Donna’s safety. However, Carly firmly asserted that Sonny needed to honor her choices.

Just as Carly was about to leave, Brick (Stephen A. Smith) arrived and immediately sensed the underlying tension between her and Sonny.

With a strong resolve to remove Valentin from both Carly and Donna’s lives, Sonny enlisted Brick’s help to uncover any damaging information that could be used against Valentin.

Brick Agreed To Dig Up Some Dirt On Valentin To Share With Carly

Brick agreed to search for any incriminating evidence. But he emphasized that he held too much respect for both Sonny and Carly to act behind Carly’s back in an attempt to push Valentin away.

He assured Sonny that he would present any findings directly to Carly, allowing her to make her own informed decision.

Eager to see Valentin out of their lives, Sonny urged Brick to take whatever actions were necessary, and they sealed their agreement with a firm handshake.

Valentin Reassured Carly

Carly arrived home to discover Valentin in the kitchen, preparing dinner. As she mentioned Anna Devane’s (Finola Hughes) recent return, Valentin probed her feelings, asking if she was worried that he still harbored feelings for his former partner.

Carly hesitated, struggling to come to terms with the idea that Valentin might still care for Anna.

In response, Valentin drew a parallel to her own relationship with Sonny, suggesting that past affections don’t necessarily dictate current commitments, and acknowledged that Anna was indeed the first woman he had ever loved.

But he firmly stated that he had no desire for their history to interfere with his present relationship, and took the opportunity to reassure Carly of his deep feelings for her.

Carly Backed Into Jack’s “Black Box”

As their lips met in a passionate kiss, Carly inadvertently stumbled backward, colliding with a mysterious black case resting on the floor.

Valentin took a moment to explain that he had sought a way to motivate the WSB to expedite the release of his finances.

To do this, he had ventured to Wyndemere in search of any remnants left by Cullum, having no idea it was Jack’s.

He speculated that the black box might belong to Cullum, and he believed that whatever was contained within could hold significant value, provided he could unlock the secured safe.

Ava Visited Brook Lynn

Disguising her intentions as bringing a baby gift, Ava went to see Brook Lynn Quartermaine Chase (Amanda Setton) to inquire about the adoption status.

Brook Lynn, suspecting that Ava was aware of Phoebe Wilson’s (Luna and Lucia Creighton) biological father, accused her of trying to facilitate a payoff.

Ava maintained that her only involvement was connecting Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) with the gallery where Delilah Wilson (Lily Cardone) had worked, but Brook Lynn pressed her on whether she had located Phoebe’s father in New York City.

Remembering Ethan’s admission in the stockroom that Phoebe wasn’t his child, Ava honestly stated that she didn’t know who Phoebe’s father was.

She then urged Brook Lynn to avoid trouble and trust that the man who signed the adoption papers wanted a loving home for Phoebe.

Molly Consoled Cody

At the Quartermaine stables, Molly Lansing-Davis (Kristen Vaganos) comforted Cody Bell (Josh Kelly), who was heartbroken after revealing to James West (Gary James Fuller) that Cassius had been pretending to be his father, Nathan.

Molly told Cody that sharing the bad news was a brave thing to do. Feeling down, Cody said that James was the reason he stayed in Port Charles; he finally felt like he belonged to a family, and James inspired him to be a man deserving of Molly.

In response, Molly expressed her pride in being Cody’s partner-to lift his spirits, she made him a s’more and confessed her love for him. Cody sweetly responded that he loved her as well, and they shared a passionate kiss.

Trina Visited Joss In The Hospital

While visiting the hospital to see her baby brother, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) discovered that Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) was a patient.

She hurried to Josslyn’s room and confronted her best friend for not revealing her gunshot wound after being mysteriously absent for months.

Josslyn surprised Trina with the revelation that she was a WSB agent and that the injury occurred during a mission.

Trina felt hurt by her roommate’s deception but understood that this was the reason for Josslyn’s recent distance. Josslyn then confirmed that she didn’t want their best friends relationship to end, and congratulated her on her baby brother.

Trina And Joss Made Up

Josslyn feared that her job choice might jeopardize their friendship, but Trina noted that their lives had diverged significantly lately.

Josslyn was unaware that Trina had cut off contact with her parents or that she and Gio Palmieri (Giovanni Mazza) had received a record contract offer. With their trust shaken, Josslyn and Trina were uncertain about the status of their friendship.

When Josslyn pleaded for a fresh start on Trina’s terms, Trina proposed using the code word “popcorn” for topics Josslyn couldn’t discuss instead of lying. Although it went against WSB rules, Josslyn agreed to the “popcorn” plan with her best friend.

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