It's the summer. Caleb, who is supposedly taking classes toward his architecture degree, has told no one in his family that he has dropped out, wanting to do something else with his life. Natalie wants Emma to get her first ever summer job so that she can feel comfortable that Emma will have some sense of responsibility after she's gone, something that Emma does not understand in her want to have yet another fun, relaxing, work-free summer. And Romy is in summer school. Natalie has entered the drug trial, which she is writing about in her column. Beyond the positive feedback she has been receiving about those recent columns, Natalie will discover there are negative consequences to her writing about it. In general, Natalie is feeling good health-wise, which is a double-edged sword in that she has not felt any of the trial drug's known side effects, which in her mind probably means that she is in the control group taking placebos. Romy takes it upon herself to find out as much as she ... Written by Huggo

It's the day of Maggie's housewarming party, to which she's invited the entire family minus Matthew, the two who still are not speaking to each other. Despite Maggie having moved frequently in her life, she has ulterior motives for holding this party, which the guests will discover, her family members who may or may not tell her to her face what they think about her decision based on that motive. Prior to the party, Natalie, believing that her dizzy spells are signs that she is actually taking the experimental drug in the blind drug trial, wants to have what she considers a perfect day - a normal day doing something special - which means spending time with her kids. As they are all busy - most just wanting to avoid issues they are hiding from her - Natalie instead turns to Tia, her new friend from the support group, who may have a different view of what a perfect day constitutes. The offspring who truly does have a planned morning is Emma, who has probably decided to accept her ... Written by Huggo

It's the day after Maggie's housewarming and Natalie's special day out with Tia. Natalie is not feeling well to the point of being incapacitated, she and Dr. Basra believing the symptoms side effects of the trial drug. On Dr. Basra's orders, Natalie, who does not want her parents involved, calls in her siblings for support, which may be difficult for Matthew and Maggie, who still are not talking to each other. Natalie doesn't want to burden her children, each who is going through his or her own issue. The one offspring of who she does request something is Caleb, which is to provide testimony against David in any legal proceedings involving Emma and Romy's custody if and when she dies, David who has been trying to negotiate with Natalie without lawyers without she even taking his calls. Caleb also decides to act the head of the house by tackling the broken refrigerator on his own without professional assistance. Emma is preoccupied with the one job for which she has an interview today,... Written by Huggo

It's the day after what was Abby's first communion party, it a disaster in that many people were not talking to many other people because of their issues with each other, and when there was talk, especially between Matthew and Nicole, there was open hostility. Matthew tries one last attempt at convincing Nicole to reconcile, and if that doesn't work, he has to attempt a Hail Mary to achieve that goal while keeping to his promise to Béatrice to be a true father to Julian. It's also the day of Natalie and David's hearing, where Natalie is attempting to revoke David's parental rights, most specifically with regard to custody of the girls if and when she passes away. Natalie and her lawyer's primary strategy is to have Caleb testify as to how his father's abandonment affected his formative growing up period. Natalie may come up against some issues with regard to the proceedings. Now that Oliver has told her that she can't live with him, Romy may look for alternatives in her life opposed ... Written by Huggo

Natalie will learn the results of her latest scan - the first scan done since she started the drug trial - at the end of the working day, the results which could provide some clue as to her prognosis. As such, she is a bit anxious as she tries to take her mind off the appointment. Of her two offspring that know about the appointment, she has told Emma and Romy that they need not accompany her. Emma has to work anyway, and Romy is still secretly trying to eke out an independent life if and when her mother passes. Beyond the bittersweet task of returning Jude to his rightful owner, Natalie, in mapping out her day, has decided to help Matthew in the move to his new apartment, and in a separate visit talk to Nicole about an issue in light of her and Matthew's separation. But it's an unexpected stop in her travels for the day that may bring the issue of the scan home for her. Meanwhile, Maggie confides in Raza her concern about Oliver, that concern based on what she saw of his apartment. ... Written by Huggo

Natalie is cautiously optimistic about the news that her cancer is in partial remission. The avid readers of her column, to who she has not divulged the news, are also anxiously waiting to hear about the results of her scan, she just trying to find the right words before she writes that column. Maggie has told both Matthew and Natalie of her concerns regarding Oliver, who they believe is spending what little and borrowed money he has on drugs. They will at least get a first hand look into Oliver's daily life when they go to his apartment for the first time to conduct an intervention. While defensive Oliver is not totally forthright about what is going on in his life, he is able to deflect the attention away from himself to everyone in the family, each who get an account of what the others truly think about their three siblings. The issue for Natalie is her impenetrable shell, she who turns to an unexpected person for emotional comfort. The issue for Maggie is her flakiness, her ... Written by Huggo

Natalie, as she has always done, offers Romy a dinner out for her success, this time finishing summer school - effectively graduating - although Natalie is unaware that Romy, despite graduating, has basically skipped school all summer in favor of eking out a life with Big Mike's group in computer and graphics. What Romy requests as that dinner surprises Natalie. Natalie has also not divulged to her children that she and their father have reconciled of sorts, let alone that they had a sexual encounter. Natalie may get a jolt in letting David back into her and the children's lives as Kate, David's wife, is in Montréal as they try to figure out their marriage in light of David's want to move back to Montréal. As such, David gets caught in a conundrum in prioritizing between his old family and his current family. With Natalie's other kids, Caleb is feeling the financial pinch of basically doing nothing in his life besides hanging out with his friends and smoking weed. And Emma tries to do... Written by Huggo

Based on Matthew's new semi-professional assessment, he, Natalie and Maggie confront Oliver again following the fire at his loft, they knowing that they have to take a different approach than what was their initial intervention with him. They also know that something has to change, if only in Oliver having a stable environment in which to live. Oliver's response somewhat surprises them. They also know that they have to inform their parents following Oliver divulging some information as their father is a directly affected party in the proceedings. Meanwhile, Natalie receives some good news/bad news regarding her health. While she awaits the official ruling by the Board of the drug trial on how Natalie should proceed, Natalie prepares herself emotionally for whatever the decision and what she will do regardless. Based on a situation with Raza and a realization of feelings unfamiliar to her, Maggie decides her best course of action in dealing with Raza is to retreat, that is until she ... Written by Huggo

Among the goings-on in the Lawson family are that: Oliver, having gone back on his medication, has moved back in with his parents; Natalie has decided secretly to disregard the Board decision and increase her dosage of the trial drug in knowing that it is the only chance she has to beat the cancer despite the other risks; Maggie and Raza have to figure out how to deal with Maggie's admission that she is in love with him - the first time she has ever been in love - while he doesn't return those feelings; and Caleb has left town without telling his mother where, he being out of communication. These issues need to take a temporary back seat within the family as an unexpected tragedy strikes, that tragedy which affects each family member in a different way, but which largely brings the family back together despite what Maggie had openly mentioned as the family dysfunction. But the tragedy in and of itself can't stop real life from continuing to happen. Written by Huggo

At Janine's funeral, which takes place five days after Natalie's surgery to repair her ruptured intestine, there is a late arrival in the form of Caleb, who finally gets the messages left for him regarding the goings-on in the family, including what happened to his mother. Caleb comes with unexpected baggage. Janine's death marks a turning point for many in the family. Oliver, who has been the lost one in the family of late, knows that he has to be there for his father, and makes a decision concerning his new relationship with JD in light of all that is going on, including his continued financial issues. Maggie has to decide what to do about her fake marriage to Raza in light of the fact that she is in love with him while he doesn't return her affections in that way. Matthew is blindsided by a declaration by Nicole despite the resumption of their sexual relationship. Matthew also receives some news from Béatrice which adds an extra layer of complexity with regard to his two families... Written by Huggo