The plan eventually takes a desperate turn when Natalie and her friends break into her mother's former lab to find orchid seeds. Through this journey and various scientific experiments, Natalie realizes that while life is fragile like an egg, "hope is not," and healing requires honest communication rather than magical cures. The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller | Goodreads

The novel is structured as Natalie’s science journal. She uses scientific inquiry to process her "wonderings" about her mother’s illness, learning that like an egg, humans are fragile but can be protected with the right support.