This Life‘s tagline on transit ads and billboards states “Every family has drama.” But in the case of CBC’s new Monday night drama, “Every family has secrets” would be just as apt.

After all, almost every major character was holding something back from their loved ones, from Matthew and his second phone to Ariel’s pregnancy, what happened to Oliver’s partner, Tom, and—of course—Natalie keeping her cancer diagnosis from the kids. (Caleb already knows, but Nat doesn’t know he knows.)

“My cancer’s back.” Those three words from Natalie on Monday brought a screeching halt to the bickering between Emma and Romy. Those words also send This Life into another direction; where do we go from here? If Natalie listens to Dee’s cellular reprogrammer, Sybil, who challenged her to stop trying to solve the kids’ problems and worry about herself, that would include embracing the days Natalie has left and being happy.

This Life may, at its core, be about a woman dealing with cancer, but everyone else has issues of their own and many of the aforementioned secrets came to light on Monday. Oliver, after a drug relapse, admitted to Matthew that Tom had passed away of an aneurism. Ariel told Caleb she was pregnant, and now the 19-year-olds need to weigh their parenting options. Emma wanted to go on the pill and turned to Maggie, of course, for help in that department. The only secret I can still see as being unresolved is why Matthew has a second cell phone and who he’s calling on it.

Meanwhile, the most intriguing character five episodes in is Romy. What I first dismissed as a rambunctious kid rebelling against the world because she’s smarter beyond her years has really drawn me in lately. Her questioning of faith and the levels of Hell is interesting (I did a lot of that when I was her age.), and the back and forth between she and the psychologist is fascinating to watch. I’m looking forward to seeing how she reacts to Natalie’s announcement in the coming weeks.

This Life airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on CBC.