The New Orleans air wrapped its heat around Evelyn as she left the Cat's Meow on Rue Bourbon at eleven thirty. She was buzzed, far from drunk, no where near falling down, and just like any other Friday night, she made her way home from the bar, a few blocks away on the Rue Burgundy. She was upset that she had to leave early to make it to work on time in the morning.
She dug for her phone in her purse to call one of her roommates, Dean, to let him know she was on her way.
Evelyn had grown up with her two roommates, Dean and Sam in Lafayette, near Baton Rouge. When most of her other friends had either gotten married or went to LSU, Evelyn, Dean and Sam ventured to New Orleans. Evelyn went to school at Loyola, Sam went to University of New Orleans, and Dean, two years older than Evelyn, had graduated from UNO, and was now part of the New Orleans Fire Department. Sam met his current girlfriend at school, and was planning to leave their French Quarter flat for a townhouse near the lake. Dean was handsome, something Evelyn had always noticed, but had never acted on. Besides, she felt he wasn't her type, he was reserved, shy and polite, where Evelyn was rambunctious, ornery and loud. The boys were like brothers to Evelyn, and she hated thinking of their time together coming to an end.
"I'm on my way home." She said to Dean when he picked up.
"Ok. Do you need me to meet you? Do you need a ride?"
"No, it's fine, just a few more blocks."
"Be careful Evie."
"Thanks Dad." She joked before hanging up. Dean had always been protective of her.
Dean put his phone on his bed, and waited on the couch for Evelyn, his Evie. He'd dated around and around trying to find someone to replace her, even though he'd never had her to begin with. He didn't have the guts to tell her how he felt, and each time she brought a new boy home, he was afraid the new guy would be the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. He had met a new girl a few weeks ago and had a date with her tomorrow. She looked promising, but she wasn't Evie. For his sake, Dean had to forget about Evie sooner or later.
Dean was about to call Evie again when he heard a scream outside. His heart thudded with fear as he grabbed his gun off the top of the refrigerator and ran outside. To his left he saw a man running away, and to his right he found Evie slouched over, crying. Dean picked her up in his arms, and carried her inside. She was crying uncontrollably as Dean dialed 911. He hung up the phone after he talked to the operator and kneeled down in front of Evie. He'd never been so afraid in his life. He held Evie until the police came, where after a few hours, she finally got out her story and had her report filed.
When the police left, Dean tilted Evie's chin up toward him, but in the corner of his eye caught the glimmer of blood behind her ear. He ran to his bedroom to get his first aid kit for work and cleaned her up. It was just a small cut. Evie had calmed down considerably but was still shaking and her eyes were the size of half dollars. He dreamed of the ways he could have saved her. If only he had walked her home.
"Evie, I'm so sorry. I should have walked you home. I could have at least met you. I'm so, so sorry."
"Dean, be quiet, it's not your fault. It's fine. It's just a purse, I will go cancel all my cards and go to bed. It's nothing really. I'm not hurt, I'm not dead, I'll be fine. I'm just shaken up is all. Go to bed. I'll be fine." She said and walked away.
"Typical Evie." He thought. She always tried to be so strong. Look where it got her.
Dean lay in bed, going over and over in his head how he could have stopped it from happening. He fell into a fitful sleep as he heard Evie turn on the shower.
Evie washed off in the shower slowly. She was scared, but she had gotten away alive, missing almost nothing. Her cards were cancelled, and she would go to the DMV on Monday. It had all happened so fast. She didn't hear the footsteps behind her until he had his arm around her neck, stealing her purse and throwing her into a wall with breakneck force. Thank God she was right outside her own door, and thank God Dean had come outside when he did. Who knows what the thief could have done. Dean had saved her.