A sweet brush on her cheek as she kissed him goodbye, she looked into his eyes and longed for more time. "So you really have to go huh?"
"You know I do, but know I will be back before long." He held her in his arms and kissed her once more. The train was going to New York, taking him away from Ocala Florida where his heart belonged.
"I love you Tommy, I really do," She waved goodbye as he jumped into the cart, he tipped his hat off and disappeared. Tears ran down her face, Dora ran her fingers through her jet black hair and made her way back to her daddy's car.
The drive back home was long, the sun was setting and the sky was orange and bright. Elvis played on the radio, Love me Tender, she turned the song up and let each tear run down her face and into her soft lips. Crying was a privilege, a sign of passion in her tribe.
1956 was a hot year in Ocala Florida, skin became sticky like glue, and hair curled by the humid air. Dora was half Indian and Half white, she was a simple girl, a hard worker, a sweet soul, and the most beautiful girl in Ocala.
She was in love with Tommy Green a New York photographer that traveled all over the united states taking photographs for post cards. THe first time he met Dora he knew right then and there he was in love. Her jet black hair shined and smelled like jasmin, she was always tanned and she had deep brown eyes that could look right into his soul. From the moment she said hello, he knew only that he would never want to say goodbye.
Dora worked at a small cafe outside the train station. Tommy was down for work, and he stopped by every day, making sure to sit in her section. After some time the two began to hit it off. Dora liked Tommy's sweet tone and quiet manner. He respected her and it was something she wasn't use to around her.
After some time Tommy talked her into modeling, she was a real natural. She would pose by the orange trees and palms. She became a company faveorite and soon her post cards were everywhere.
Before long Dora and Tommy fell in love, but his job would keep them apart.
Dinner was ready by the time Dora came home. "Hello mother, hello father." She sat at the dinner table, and brushed her hair behind her ears.
"Dora we don't understand why you do this to yourself, that Tommy just comes and goes."
"Mother I just love him, I don't know why I just do."
"Dora he's just playing with you. He can't possibly love you, his life is not like your life, his heart is not for you."
Dora stood up, smiled and excused herself to her room, enough had been said enough had been done. She lied in bed all night praying to God it just wasn't true.
Time passed, Tommy wrote her a letter or two, each one proclaiming his love for her. She hid them under her pillow and would dream of a life in which she and Tommy never were apart.
One morning while waiting tables Tommy appeared. He face was soft, his expression changed. Dora ran to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Oh Tommy, how I've missed you."
"Dora I'm afraid I have something to tell you." Dora stepped back, his face drowned in sorrow. "Dora I got some girl pregnant in Chicago, I'm so sorry but I must marry this girl, I have to do the right thing."
"GO." Dora folded her arms and froze in her stance.
"Dora I don't love her, I love you, I wanted to propose to you!" He showed her ring.
"How could you? You stupid stupid man, go, now!" She pointed to the door, two men from behind the counter stood close by, they were ready to throw him out.
"Go and never come back, you got your pictures, you had your fun."
"Dora I made a mistake and I'll never stop loving you." He tipped his hat and walked away, leaving the ring on the table as left.
After work Dora took a walk, she went towards a small canal behind the truck stop, the smell of the swampy water comforted her. She tucked herself into a small brush clearing and began to cry. Tears ran down her face, her heart was broken, ripped from her in one day. How could she be so dumb, she took the ring from her pocket and studied it under the moon light, it shined so bright. She clenched the ring in her palm and held it, tucked it to her chest and in a flash threw it into the swamp.
Time passed, seasons changed, faces too. Dora respected her mother more than ever, after all she was always right. Dora quit her job at the cafe, she was offered a job at a woman's clothing store where the owner let her model all the clothes. The people of Ocala loved her. She was the face of the small town, and of the Indians that lived there.
Dora kept her heart to herself, she never wanted to fall in love again. After time had passed, her heart did grow to love again. The store owner's son Levy, he showed her that with truth and love a heart could love again.
They soon married, bought a small little house and had a couple of childern. Dora would soon forget her love for Tommy ever existed.
One morning on her way to see her parents Dora stopped by the cafe she use to work at. She ordered a coffee, eggs, and toast and sat by the window where she could see the train go by.
"Can I sit with you?" A voice called from behind, she turned, it was Tommy. His face had aged a bit, he was still the same.
"Sure," she sat up straight and welcomed him with a smile.
"You still look so beautiful, like the last time I saw you." She smiled and sipped from her cup. "You don't look so bad yourself." She smiled.
"I'm sorry for what I did to you."
"Don't be, lets just let time take care of it, I've moved on like you had to, and I'm not expecting you to hold on to the past."
"Dora I made a mistake, your love was the only love I ever wanted."
"What would your wife think?" Dora smiled and looked out the window.
"My wife?"
"yeah the woman you said you were having a baby with."
"Dora, that woman lied to me, that wasn't my baby, I thought they told you!"
"They? Who?"
"Your parents, I came looking for you, but they said you never wanted to see me again, and that if I ever came back your father would shoot me dead."
"They never said a thing, I can't believe it," her eyes grew wide, tears began to fall down.
"Dora I promise I came here everytime looking for you."
"I never knew, oh Tommy, no one ever told me."
"Dora I still love you."
"You can't, you really mustnt. Tommy I married someone else, and we have two children together, and I love him."
"Dora I'm sorry I ever left, I will always love you and I will always know that you love me too."
Dora stood up tears ran down her face, she put her hand on his shoulder and smiled tenderly. "Maybe one day things might change, but we can't change a thing now, I loved you so much, and you broke my heart, I just can't be here, and I hope that we never forget one another, you did so much for me, changed my life, but my life is different now, and I belong to someone else, I hope you understand that I love you just isn't enough anymore." She kissed him goodbye and ran out the door.
A train passed on by, as he watched her drive off into the horizon.
Dora never came back to him, she stayed true to her husband and children, but she never stopped loving Tommy, she always had him in her heart.
