“it's a little girl named anna, and she doesn't know if she's ready to say good-bye to a father she's never really said hello to.”

“I’m ready to stop saying good-bye to things. I’mgoing to start saying hello.”

“Hello, Samael,” she said, her voice like rustling silk. Sam was speechless. How did such a creature even know his name? He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again. What to say? He had never been good at talking to girls –”

“Buenos dias," she said in response to Hernandez's soft greeting. They had a pact to speak only Spanish to each other, with the result that their conversation never got beyond hello and good-bye.”

“It's always easier to say good-bye when you know it's just a prelude to hello.”

“Came to . . . see you.”“But I had to go home, remember? You were supposed to say good-bye.”“Don't know why you . . . say good-bye. I say . . . hello.”Her lip quivers between reactions, but she ends up with a reluctant smile. “God you're a cheeseball. But seriously, R—”