'Chasing Life' Recap: 'The Family That Lies Together'

On this week’s episode of Chasing Life, Dominic opens up about his “mommy issues,” Brenna turns to an unlikely source for comfort, and April’s family stages an “intervention.”

The episode begins with April and Dominic flipping a coin to decide whether or not they will see a psychic. If the coin lands on heads, they’ll go in, but if the coin lands on tails, they won’t. When Dominic flips the coin, it lands on heads. April is unsure about visiting the psychic, so she asks him to flip the coin again. When he does, it lands on heads a second time, so they decide to have their fortunes told. April is still a bit reluctant, so Dominic has to drag her along.

Eventually, they do visit with the psychic and she offers them a strange reading that is both accurate and inaccurate. She notes that Dominic is close with his brothers, but not his mother, because of his “mommy issues.” She tells April that her future is “real messed up” and needs “fixing.” The psychic also urges April to talk to her sisters, because it’s “crucial.” April tells the psychic she only has one sister, while Dominic mentions that he’s an only child. When the couple walks out of the psychic’s, they each joke about the situation, even though there’s an indication that more seems to be going on.

In the next scene, viewers see April with long hair. She walks down the staircase and into the kitchen where the rest of her family is having breakfast. Her father is alive and cracking jokes and Brenna seems more bubbly than usual. April comments that they started eating without her before taking her place at the table. The conversation is light hearted and fun until April says she’s struggling to live on her own and pay her rent. Her father offers up a few more jokes, while her mother takes the more practical approach and reassures her that they’ll help her out for a little while. April’s father tells her she’s going to be fine and her mother and sister ask if she’s okay. The entire scene is a dream, which April realizes once she comes to in the present day. Her strength is down because of her leukemia, causing her to faint. April’s mom, Sara is concerned that April is working too hard and needs rest, though April brushes off the thought, heading to her room. Brenna enters, explaining how upset she’s been since she found out that April is sick. April tells Brenna that everything will be fine and that she’ll tell the rest of their family about her diagnosis soon.

Back in the kitchen, Sara is still unconvinced about April’s well being, so when April decides to leave, she starts planning how she’ll get to the bottom of things. April’s grandmother suggests “snooping” through April’s belongings while she’s not home.

In the meantime, April meets up with Beth and tells her about the psychic’s advice. April expresses her curiosity about her potential sister, Natalie, interpreting the reading in a new way. Beth quips about how she and Brenna are the only two people aside from George who know that April’s sick, naming them the official members of “April’s Secret Cancer Club.”

At April’s house, her mother heeds her grandmother’s advice and rifles through April’s things. She finds a bag of pills.

After April leaves Beth, she heads to work and asks Danny to help her find out more on Natalie Ortiz, her potential half-sister. It takes some prodding, but Danny finally complies and gives her what he can find. Later, April takes Dominic along to help her complete her “research.” It is then that Dominic admits the psychic was right about his “mommy issues.” (Long story short, Dominic’s mom is currently in jail for helping her boss embezzle money). April also hints that she has “baggage” as they continue heading to their destination.

At Brenna’s school, she and Chelsea are talking, but Chelsea seems to be dominating most of the conversation. Brenna’s still worried about April, though she doesn’t mention her sister’s condition to her friend. Things become even more strange when the girls spot their fellow classmate, Greer, and she and Brenna carry on a seemingly friendly conversation. Once Greer leaves, Brenna informs Chelsea that she used a tennis match as a means to hustle Greer into doing their history homework. Chelsea approves.

April and Dominic continue to investigate Natalie Ortiz, pulling whatever strings they can to dig up some information on her. First, they visit a car dealership, where April pretends to be Natalie, claiming that her vehicle was stolen and some of her personal belongings have yet to be returned, next she and Dominic visit her dad’s old storage center and find a picture of him, Natalie, and George along with the rest of the things April’s family had shipped back from Florida. April is in disbelief and can’t understand how her father betrayed her mother. Dominic comforts her.

Back at work, April’s mom, Sara enlists Danny’s help to ascertain why April has been acting different lately. Similarly, Brenna turns to her boyfriend, Kieran for support, though April’s best friend, Beth seems to be a better choice.

At home, April and her mother get into a fight about her behavior and Sara admits she found pills hidden in her daughter’s room. April insists she’s not a drug addict.

Meanwhile, Beth, Brenna, and Kieran go to an outdoor screening of Pretty in Pink. They spot Greer and ask her to sit with them. Initially, Greer says no, but Brenna soon convinces her to join in their fun.

Following the fight with her mom, April pays a visit to her uncle, George. He informs her that the results of her bone marrow test aren’t in yet, though April is more concerned about her potential half-sister. George confirms that Natalie is indeed April’s half-sister. He says her father met a woman at his writing retreat in Key Largo, but kept his affair a secret in order to “protect” the family he already had. April is even more upset and confused.

Brenna, Beth, Greer, and Kieran prepare to leave the outdoor film screening. Kieran tries to make plans with Brenna, but Beth insists she should take her home. Greer leaves as well, claiming she appreciated Brenna and Beth’s invitation to sit with them and had a “good time.”

Once April leaves George’s office, her mother shows up looking for answers. George remains mum, not wanting to divulge April’s secret. At the same time, Beth and Brenna continue to bond over April’s illness, before they part ways. Everything is seemingly okay until April returns home.

Her mother notifies her that the family--plus George--has staged an intervention for her “drug addiction.” Again, April insists she’s not addicted to drugs, then finally confesses she has cancer. The news comes as a shock to both April’s mother and grandmother, though Sara seems to take it much worse. While she’s still mad at George, she finds no trouble berating him with questions, which sends April out the door and into Dominic’s arms. Dominic does his best to console April, but she’s pretty shaken up.
At the same time, Brenna meets up with Greer and confides in her about April’s illness.

Later, after April has calmed down, she and Dominic talk in bed. She recalls the dream she had earlier that day, trying to make sense of everything. By the end of the story, Dominic has fallen asleep, so April decides she should get some rest, too. Before she goes to sleep, she notices a little red notebook and flips through the pages. On one page there is a memo, with the words, “Send flowers to April’s apartment” circled. April smiles and then puts the book away.

Chasing Life airs every Tuesday at 9pm on ABC Family.