This Life

Episode 1

Stay Positive

44 mins

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 can about her mother's position in the drug trial to have a sense of comfort. What is causing Natalie grief is that David has retained legal counsel so that he will have some say in what happens with Emma and Romy if Natalie passes. Natalie is determined to keep the fact that Matthew and Nicole are having marital issues from David, that fact which David would probably use against her in the guardianship issue. Meanwhile, Nicole will still not speak to Matthew unless necessary in her anger about his infidelity. Matthew, who is living with his parents, wants truly to be a part of Julian's life as his father, while wanting Nicole and he to reconcile, the two which may be incompatible. And Oliver has moved out of Maggie's apartment, leaving her in a financial bind in making rent. Beyond working extra shifts at the restaurant to earn more money, Maggie may find an alternative to her problem.