AN: alright, heres the next update, earlier than i wanted. oh well.

to Mize,

one, i didnt respond to your review because it was an anonymous one. two, i dont update this fic everyday because i have another three that im working on. also, im a review kinda person and reviews accumulate over time. sorry for any inconvience i caused you with the wait. also, im still not going to update every day, but i will try to update more often. thank you!

now, enjoy the chapter!

Love Can Prosper

Chapter Three: Evasion

Now, of course, Hornet had the urge to slam the door, close her eyes, and pinch her arm, expecting to wake up from her nightmare. But sense told her no dream could imitate the awful hairspray smell. The years had not been so kind to Esther; her hair was heavily streaked with white and gray; her face was withered and wrinkled. But she was Esther Hartlieb, nevertheless.

After a moment, Hornet swallowed her shock. She was Caterina again, greeting a stranger at the door. "May I help you?" she asked politely.

Esther gave her an appraising look. "Yes. Is this number eleven, Campo Santa Margherita?"

"Yes..." Caterina became suspicious and immediately tried to recall everything that happened when, after the merry-go-round fiasco, they had given the child Barbarossa over to the Hartliebs.

"Well, then, you should be able to tell me where I can find a Sister Ida?"

Caterina froze. She was here about Barbarossa.

"A Sister who?"

"Ida, Sister Ida," Esther said sternly.

Caterina chose her words carefully. "No, there's no Sister Ida here."

"Isn't this the orphanage of the Merciful Sisters?"

Caterina faked confusion. "An orphanage?"

"Yes. Six years ago, I adopted a child from the orphanage of the Merciful Sisters, which was located here. I have come for business concerning this child," Esther snarled, apparently displeased about the turn of the conversation.

"This was never an orphanage. I lived here for years."

"I'm sorry, but what did you say your name was?" Esther asked impatiently.

"I didn't."

"Caterina!" Prosper called, coming down the stairs. "Could you help me out here? Oh, who's at the door?" Prosper walked over to the open door, his tie knotted in the wrong way. He dropped his hands from his tie as soon he saw Esther.

"Dear God! Aunt Esther, what are you doing here?"

But Esther paid him no attention after his first word; she was now staring at Caterina, surprise in her eyes.

"You must be Sister Caterina! She was here the last time, too," Esther stated.

"Uh-wait. What? Oh, no, 'Caterina' is just something he says when he's frustrated." Caterina grabbed Prosper's knotted tie without turning to look. Then to Esther she said, "Would you excuse us for a moment, Signora...?"

"Hartlieb. Esther Hartlieb."

"Would you excuse us for a moment, then, Signora Hartlieb?" And with that, Caterina dragged Prosper into the house, just into the kitchen, which was nearest them, by his tie.

Prosper spoke immediately. "What's she doing here? Bo's not even a teddy bear anymore!"

"Shh! Prop, she's here about Barbarossa. She remembers more than I expected. Even the minuscule details." By this time, Caterina had taken to un-knotting Prosper's tie and was re-tying it the proper way. When she was finished, she tapped his chest. "When are you ever going to remember how to tie it?"

Prosper smiled. "As long as you're tying it for me, I'll never learn, Caterina."

Hornet stopped him when his lips were inches from hers. "Prop, for right now, while your aunt is here, I'm Hornet again. I'm not even sure if she went for my explanation."

"Alright, Hornet." He kissed her lips for only a second before she pulled away. "Prop, we've got to go back?" she reminded him.

Prosper sighed as Hornet led him back to the door, where Esther waited impatiently; her nose was sticking over the threshold.

"Alright, so you're looking for the orphanage of the Merciful Sisters, correct?" Prosper asked Esther, who was looking at him as if he were some stranger whom she had seen from afar long ago. She did not seem to hear his question. "Um...hello? Aunt Esther?"

Esther's eyes widened with shock and surprise. "I beg your pardon? Who the devil do you think you are?" she exclaimed.

"I'm Prosper. Your nephew." Caterina stared at him dubiously, not understanding why he would tell her that. He ignored her doubt and winked.

Esther's eyes grew even larger until they could be baseballs. "P-P-Prosper?"

He smiled mischievously. "Yup, that's me."

Esther's eyes rolled back into her head as she let out an uneasy breath and fell forward. Prosper and Caterina both caught her in their arms, staggering under her weight.

"Prop...your aunt is...heavy," Caterina said between gasps.

"Do you think we should just leave her here?" Prosper asked once they had gotten Esther into a kitchen chair.

"I guess. Lucia should be back soon enough. We should probably leave a note, though. We don't want to give her a heart attack. And we'd better get going." She looked at the kitchen clock. "Or we're going to be late."

"Yeah. Let's get going." Prosper put his arm around her shoulders and the two of them walked out of the house.

AN: alright, the more you review, the faster i update. but you guys should know that by now... :)
ciao! -bellla-