Elizabeth works at a research institute affiliated with DePaul University which students the placebo effect. In the early 2000s, it tested the claims made by fitness and weight loss products.

The novel flashes back to Elizabeth and Jack’s early parenting days.

On one Tuesday afternoon in November 2008, when Toby is two and refuses to eat most food, Elizabeth goes to great lengths to coax him to try new foods, fueled by child-rearing research. After lunch, Elizabeth and Toby go to the grocery store, an errand that ends when Toby hits her. In the middle of Toby’s tantrum, a woman approaches Elizabeth to point out that her scarf is unraveling. Elizabeth sobs as the woman consoles Toby.

Later, the situation gives her insight into a problem that a potential client—United Airlines—approached her company with.

A week later, Elizabeth is again serving lunch to Toby. Jack enters briefly, comments on how pretty the plate of food looks, then takes a picture of it. He shows the photo to Toby, who agrees it is pretty, then immediately eats everything. Elizabeth is stunned. Jack explains that Toby’s refusal to eat is due to his not wanting to spoil the aesthetic of the plate—capturing it via photograph preserves it.