3 Word Wednesday #23

Welcome to Three Word Wednesday.

Each week, I will post three (or more) random words. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write something using all of those words. It can be a few lines, a story, a poem, anything. This is a writing exercise. It doesn't have to be perfect. The idea is to let your mind wander and write what it will. I'll also attempt to write something using the same three words.

Be sure to leave a comment if you participate.

This week's words are:
Carriage
Silent
Haste

"You have got to be kidding me."

Paul said the words out loud, even though no one could hear him, as he saw the red lights start flashing and the crossing gates come down. He was already running late. Jacobs had come in at five 'til five and laid some work on his desk that had to be finished by the end of the day. And now this? And today, of all days. Unbelievable.

There was no way he was going to make it by 6:00. He reached for his phone to call and say he was going to be late, but it wasn't there. He felt his pockets, checked the console, the passenger seat, the floorboard... no phone. Great! In his haste to get out of the office, he must have forgotten it. Sometimes he wondered why he even tried.

Having now resigned himself to being late, he took a deep breath as the railroad cars rushing by became a blur. The radio up loud made the train seem completely silent. Down one of the side streets, Paul saw a couple taking a carriage ride. And his mind wandered.

He thought of his wedding day. And how badly Lisa had wanted a horse-drawn carriage. And how she'd seemed so happy when he surprised her with one. And how he still didn't understand how things could change so quickly. His thoughts were interrupted by the blaring of a car horn.

The train was by, and Paul continued to his destination. Arriving about 6:15, the place was nearly deserted and the door was locked. He knocked and apologized to the girl who answered the door for being late.

Then a sleepy-eyed face peeked out from behind the daycare worker. Tiny hands held up a folded piece of red construction paper, and the sweetest voice in the world said, "Happy Ballentine's Day, Daddy."

And he remembered why he tried.

"I thought you looked like an angel wrapped in pink so soft and warm. You've had me wrapped around your finger since the day you were born..."