time.
“Corbin?”
“No. I'm sorry. May I ask who's calling?”
“Dorene Radcliff. I'm Corbin's... that's to say...”
“I know who you are, Miss Radcliff.” He paused and Dorene had the impression he was collecting his thoughts. “This is Conrad Tildon, Corbin's father. My son has spoken very highly of you.” Another pause. This one worried her. “Honey, I'm sorry to break this to you, but he didn't make it.”
“What?” She didn't believe it at first, and thought maybe she was confusing what she was hearing with what was happening to her dad. Had that been grief she'd heard in Mr. Tildon's voice before? She'd met the man at one of the benefits Corbin took her to, though she doubted he would remember, as it was before she and Corbin were serious. She remembered his voice, which was normally smoother.
Conrad Tildon was a businessman. Which was like saying an ocean liner was a skiff. He had interests far and wide and was CEO of multiple companies.
“It's a shock, I know,” he said. “He was young and had no health problems.”
Dorene's throat tightened and it took a minute before she could speak. “Will there be a service?”
“Thursday. Just a small service at the house, but I know he'd want you to be there if you can.”
“Of course. My father is sick, too, but unless he takes a sudden turn for the worse...”
“If so, we'd all understand. Thank you for being in my son's life, Miss Radcliff. I know you meant a great deal to him.”
Dead . It was unfathomable. Tears stung her eyes. She didn't know if she'd ever meant to get serious about Corbin. If she were honest, she may have let it happen, but it wouldn't have really been the life she wanted. Still, she cared. And it really was conceivable she'd have ended up Dorene Radcliff-Tildon one day. She would get to the service and pay her respects. There was no way she couldn't.
Her father's health was failing, but not so fast she didn't feel comfortable taking the time to drive to Baton Rouge for Corbin's service, even if it was a long drive. She went down the day before and found a modest hotel so she'd be fresh in the morning.
When Mr. Tildon had said 'a small service at the house' Dorene had made some assumptions that involved 'small' and 'house'. Neither was true. The Tildon Estate was hundreds of acres of orchards and vineyards, as well as some sort of wetland. The mansion was at the top of a hill overlooking it all, built with a classic wrap-around porch, covered by the deck above and equipped with ceiling fans which she suspected were never turned off.
It was warmer here than Atlanta had been and comfortable to be outside; the breeze from the fans was nice. A hundred or so chairs were spread across the large lawn, with a podium, a coffin and a cross twice the height of a man at the front. White lilies were everywhere, complimented by a much smaller number of red roses. Her chest tightened as she thought of the roses Corbin had sent that she had left sitting on the landing outside her apartment. Could he really be gone?
A man in a light gray suit with salt and pepper hair came to greet her. He looked older than she remembered, but he was still a handsome man. “Miss Radcliff. I'm so glad you could make it.”
“I'm so sorry about Corbin, Mr. Tildon. I really cared about him,” Dorene said.
“Please. Call me Conrad. He felt the same, honey. In fact I confess to having hopes you'd be my daughter-in-law one day.”
“Is Mrs. Tildon here, too? I'd like to pay my respects.”
Corbin had always talked about his father with respect, but the personal feelings were somewhat mixed. His mother, on the other hand, sounded like a lovely woman and Dorene had never had the chance to meet her.
“I'm afraid she is too ill to be here. I'll be sure to pass on your warm thoughts.”
Dorene looked at Conrad and couldn't understand why he wasn't more distraught. He'd sounded more upset on the phone, but he almost seemed normal to her now. Conrad
“Corbin?”
“No. I'm sorry. May I ask who's calling?”
“Dorene Radcliff. I'm Corbin's... that's to say...”
“I know who you are, Miss Radcliff.” He paused and Dorene had the impression he was collecting his thoughts. “This is Conrad Tildon, Corbin's father. My son has spoken very highly of you.” Another pause. This one worried her. “Honey, I'm sorry to break this to you, but he didn't make it.”
“What?” She didn't believe it at first, and thought maybe she was confusing what she was hearing with what was happening to her dad. Had that been grief she'd heard in Mr. Tildon's voice before? She'd met the man at one of the benefits Corbin took her to, though she doubted he would remember, as it was before she and Corbin were serious. She remembered his voice, which was normally smoother.
Conrad Tildon was a businessman. Which was like saying an ocean liner was a skiff. He had interests far and wide and was CEO of multiple companies.
“It's a shock, I know,” he said. “He was young and had no health problems.”
Dorene's throat tightened and it took a minute before she could speak. “Will there be a service?”
“Thursday. Just a small service at the house, but I know he'd want you to be there if you can.”
“Of course. My father is sick, too, but unless he takes a sudden turn for the worse...”
“If so, we'd all understand. Thank you for being in my son's life, Miss Radcliff. I know you meant a great deal to him.”
Dead . It was unfathomable. Tears stung her eyes. She didn't know if she'd ever meant to get serious about Corbin. If she were honest, she may have let it happen, but it wouldn't have really been the life she wanted. Still, she cared. And it really was conceivable she'd have ended up Dorene Radcliff-Tildon one day. She would get to the service and pay her respects. There was no way she couldn't.
Her father's health was failing, but not so fast she didn't feel comfortable taking the time to drive to Baton Rouge for Corbin's service, even if it was a long drive. She went down the day before and found a modest hotel so she'd be fresh in the morning.
When Mr. Tildon had said 'a small service at the house' Dorene had made some assumptions that involved 'small' and 'house'. Neither was true. The Tildon Estate was hundreds of acres of orchards and vineyards, as well as some sort of wetland. The mansion was at the top of a hill overlooking it all, built with a classic wrap-around porch, covered by the deck above and equipped with ceiling fans which she suspected were never turned off.
It was warmer here than Atlanta had been and comfortable to be outside; the breeze from the fans was nice. A hundred or so chairs were spread across the large lawn, with a podium, a coffin and a cross twice the height of a man at the front. White lilies were everywhere, complimented by a much smaller number of red roses. Her chest tightened as she thought of the roses Corbin had sent that she had left sitting on the landing outside her apartment. Could he really be gone?
A man in a light gray suit with salt and pepper hair came to greet her. He looked older than she remembered, but he was still a handsome man. “Miss Radcliff. I'm so glad you could make it.”
“I'm so sorry about Corbin, Mr. Tildon. I really cared about him,” Dorene said.
“Please. Call me Conrad. He felt the same, honey. In fact I confess to having hopes you'd be my daughter-in-law one day.”
“Is Mrs. Tildon here, too? I'd like to pay my respects.”
Corbin had always talked about his father with respect, but the personal feelings were somewhat mixed. His mother, on the other hand, sounded like a lovely woman and Dorene had never had the chance to meet her.
“I'm afraid she is too ill to be here. I'll be sure to pass on your warm thoughts.”
Dorene looked at Conrad and couldn't understand why he wasn't more distraught. He'd sounded more upset on the phone, but he almost seemed normal to her now. Conrad
Similar Books
