The novel’s central conflict is the unexpected depletion of the inheritance monies that the Plumb children expect to receive upon Melody’s 40th birthday. Just months from this date, their mother’s decision to use the funds to ensure the public does not learn the details of Leo’s accident proves life-changing for some of the Plumbs. For Francie, maintaining the family’s reputation takes precedence over the financial security of her children. Importantly, all the Plumb spouses are skeptical that The Nest will ever pay out, cautioning their respective spouse not to rely on the trust coming to fruition. The novel highlights that financial “security,” for many characters, is anything but certain.

Jack and Melody have lived their lives with the assurance that the money will one day be at their disposal and will help them maintain a certain lifestyle. Jack enjoys finer things, evidenced by the particularity in his taste in cocktails in the opening chapter and his penchant for purchasing antiques for his business. Melody, too, wishes to live a specific lifestyle and is dependent on The Nest to do so. She insists to her husband that they purchase a house they cannot afford, knowing its neighborhood carries a certain image of prestige.