THIS LOLU

By Adedokun Marvelous

SAFACS 2023 ENTRY 18

I stare at the blinking line on my screen, waiting for the right words to come to mind. Somewhere in the corner of the same mind, I know that when these right words finally come, I will fuss over ensuring that the grammar is right and comprehensible. I know that's the proofreader's work, but it's more rewarding to not give them too much to do. That is my perfectionism speaking, I reckon.

"Progress, not perfect." I mutter under my breath and watch the cursor blink still. I have to turn in the pages I should be writing in a few hours, but as it always is when I'm not writing of my own volition but for work, I'm blank. Clueless.

My alarm goes off. Four hours to deadline. Mrs. Gladys would GLADLY strangle me if I don't get this done in time. Like she always does when she assigns new projects to me, she has spent a good hour threatening me on the phone.

"Just 10 hours, Lolu! That's all you have! If not..."

That woman... She doesn't know what she's enjoying. This Lolu is no longer THAT LOLU. That's why she can outsource a project to me at midnight, and expect it to be well edited and proofread by 7 am the next day. That Lolu would've changed it for her instantly.

Ah, God!

I really want to sleep, but Mrs. Gladys' work has to be done. I move my laptop off my bed to my desk. My fingers curve over the keyboard to press, but a notification from my phone stops me.

Mrs. Gladys:

Don't do that project again. The contract has been canceled. There's a new one on ground. I'll send the tropes and genre to you now. Pay is at the same rate. 1k words by 7:30 am. Goodnight.

Ehn?? By 3 am? On a Sunday morning?! I open her message and go through the prompts.

Ah. Can't be me.

I dial her number immediately.

"Why are you calling me by this time?" Her voice is not as high-pitched as it usually is.

"Ma, I cannot do this job o." I respond.

"Eh?"

"I cannot write you an erotic story. Not for this project or any others in the future."

I pout and rub my sleepy eyes. I know she's going to argue, and I honestly do not have the strength for that.

"Okay, I will increase the pay."

"No."

"I'm going to pay you triple! You're one of my best writers and I need your creativity on this one." She sounds this nice only when she wants to persuade me. "You know you need this money. Or won't you pay rent?"

"I am a Christian. Jesus will sort out my rent."

She laughs scornfully on the phone. "Lolu, was Jesus sorting it when you worked on previous steamy projects?"

"This Lolu is born again. Goodnight, ma, or good morning.” I cut the call.