His Only Wife

Afi wonders if she should change her name after the wedding. She wakes up late on the Monday after the ceremony, thinking about her childhood, schooling, and home. Eli married her in absentia, but they have yet to have a church or traditional wedding. She knows her father would have made them get a marriage certificate if he were alive. He valued tradition and officially married Olivia years prior. He worked as an engineer and even hosted Afi’s cousins in their house. However, his brother Pious took advantage of his kindness and tried moving his children in with Afi’s family. Olivia was never pleased with Pious, and Afi can remember her parents fighting about him. Her father never felt comfortable standing up to his older brother. After his death, Olivia was alone because she did not have family.

Mawusi’s mother, Christy, helped Afi and Olivia first. They moved into Christy’s home and shared a room with Mawusi’s brothers, Godsway and Godfred. Afi had trouble adjusting to her new home and public school. She never complained because she did not want to upset Olivia. Meanwhile, Olivia lamented her failure to pay attention to her husband’s financial matters. She wished she had made him build their house so she and Afi would not be dependent.

Mawusi visits Afi later on Monday morning. They lie together and chat, reminding Afi of their childhood. Mawusi comforts Afi again about her marriage when Afi expresses her fears. She is particularly worried about the Liberian woman. She tells Mawusi that she does not like the idea of him taking multiple wives, although many men do. She wants to attend fashion school and learn to design and sew specialty clothes. Mawusi comforts and encourages her. Yaya’s arrival interrupts their conversation.

Yaya asks how Afi is doing and thanks her for the wedding. Afi responds as best she can, although she is always uncomfortable around Yaya. She assures Yaya it was all her and Aunty’s doing. Yaya starts to mention Eli, his Accra houses, and the Liberian woman but reveals little.

Afi starts to feel better about her future life in Accra as Eli’s wife. However, she still cannot understand the Liberian woman’s intentions. She learned about her around the time Aunty suggested she and Eli marry. Aunty insisted that Eli would adjust to marriage with Afi and would leave the Liberian woman. Olivia silenced Afi’s concerns when she tried to ask questions about the arrangement, reminding her that she needed to help repay her debts to Aunty.

Afi broke up with her older boyfriend, Michael, shortly before Aunty proposed. She had been seeing him throughout school. After her conversation with Aunty, Afi realized Eli and Michael are not the same people and these relationships would not be the same either. Even still, she sat at Aunty’s house questioning her future.

Reflecting on these matters now, Afi remembers her mother’s concerns. She decides the marriage will be okay and that her name is now Afi Ganyo.

Afi and Olivia travel to Accra where they meet Richard so he can show them Afi’s new house. Afi worries about being alone in Accra before leaving her home in Ho. However, Mawusi and Olivia are certain the Ganyos would not dump her in the city by herself.

Richard’s driver, Charles, takes Afi, Olivia, and Richard to the Accra flat. The building, called King’s Court, is lavish and beautiful. Afi and Olivia are shocked when the servants take their bags inside. They are even more overwhelmed when they see the carpeting, furniture, and kitchen. Richard explains that this is one of Eli’s many homes, but not where he keeps his things. Then he promises to send a car for Afi and Olivia, gives Afi money, and informs her that Eli will be back in a week. After he leaves, Afi worries about what she is supposed to do now. Olivia gets angry when Afi voices these concerns. Afi retreats to her room and calls Mawusi, who listens to her.

Afi and Olivia settle into life at the flat over the next week. Meanwhile, Afi keeps thinking about Eli and the Liberian woman. Richard told her and Olivia about the woman shortly before the wedding. He explained that Eli had met her while working in Liberia. When Fred went to visit him, he discovered Eli’s relationship with the woman. The woman was difficult and domineering. She did not like Eli’s family and disdained their traditions. Eli promised to end the relationship after he brought the woman to Accra, and she was rude to his family. However, she revealed she was pregnant shortly thereafter and Eli stayed with her.

Afi misses Ho and wishes she could sew on the verandah at home. She hides her feelings from Olivia and starts to feel better after they take a trip to the Accra mall. She starts exploring the neighborhood and gets to know her servants, Savior and Lucy. They inform her about the King’s Court and Accra happenings. They also reveal that Richard’s secret girlfriend Evelyn lives next door.

Afi informs Olivia that she wants to attend fashion school. Olivia thinks that she should forget this concern and focus on her husband. That night, Afi stays awake listening for Evelyn through the wall. Her mind returns to Richard’s story about the Liberian woman. After the woman’s first baby died, Eli assured his family he would leave her, but the woman got pregnant again not long later. Richard told Afi that the woman was strange and might have put a curse on Eli. None of the Ganyos can understand her power over him.