Nefer measures the distance between her body and the table, thinking about how before long she won't be able to slip past and sit at the end of the bench. But by then I won't be coming to meals. By then I might be dead.
-- Nefer (chapter 1)

Importance: The protagonist Nefer reflects on the physical changes her body undergoes due to her pregnancy while contemplating the potential consequences of her situation. As she measures the distance between her body and the table, Nefer symbolically assesses the growing divide between herself and her family's routine, foreshadowing her increasing isolation and alienation from their daily life. The imagery of not being able to slip past and sit at the end of the bench suggests a sense of confinement and restriction, mirroring Nefer's internal turmoil and her desire to escape from the expectations and pressures imposed upon her. Moreover, Nefer's stark admission that she might be...