The JRB: What was the most difficult scene or chapter to write? The scene illuminates the power disparity in their marriage, a disparity that shapes their entire relationship. She struggles to make eye contact with him and whispers her reply to his greeting. It captures the awkwardness of their relationship and shows Afi’s struggle to relate to the ‘almost stranger’ who is also her husband. It’s the second paragraph on page 71 and it is the scene where Afi meets her husband, Eli, for the first time, after they’ve been married for several weeks. I breathed a soft sigh of relief and stepped aside to let him in. Only then did he look past me into the flat. ‘Please come in, Fo Eli,’ I heard my mother say from somewhere behind me. Anything to avoid the intensity of his gaze.
I lowered my eyes to look at my hands, and then my feet. ‘Afternoon, Afi,’ he said, his eyes never leaving my face. It didn’t help that he was jauntily leaning against the doorframe and openly staring at me, his smile intact. Should I shake his hand, should I hug him, a kiss on the cheek? Last night I had imagined hugging him but now no greeting seemed right for this almost-stranger who was also my husband. ‘Please, good afternoon,’ I managed to say in a near whisper. He was leaning against the doorframe like someone who had been waiting for a long time to be let in. The JRB: Would you share one of your favourite paragraphs from the book and let us know why you love it?Įli broke into a smile that reached his eyes when he saw me. Peace Adzo Medie: Is the story autobiographical or based on someone I know? No, it isn’t. The JRB: What question do you think readers are going to ask you the most? A young woman in a difficult marriage who wants to be respected and wants her voice to be heard. The JRB: What are you most excited about people discovering in His Only Wife ? Proust Questionnaire with Peace Adzo Medie
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