The house phone rang. Ann quickly ran over and picked it up.

"Hello?" she asked the caller.

Yuki and Oliver sat on the couch near by. It was the last day of the year, who could be calling?

As Ann's conversation went on, her expression grew dim. Once she had finished and had the set back in its spot, she turned towards the children and said

"Oliver, sweetie, can I talk you you?" gently, in a very quiet voice.

Oliver got up and he and Ann walked into his room. Maybe five minutes later, Ann came back and plopped down next to Yuki on the couch and let out a sigh.

"Did something happen?" Yuki asked.

"Yeah..." Ann replied sadly.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Yuki asked, now a bit worried.

"Actually, in this situation, you might be the only thing that can help," Ann told Yuki.

"What do you mean?" Yuki questioned, puzzled.

"Well, you always seem to really brighten up Oliver's day no matter how bad he feels,"

"I do?"

"Yeah,"

Yuki took a moment to process this. She, herself, was something that made Oliver happy no matter what?

"...What happened anyway?" Yuki asked after a minute.

"I'll let him tell you," Ann replied, a sad smile on her face.

At that point, Yuki got up. She walked over to Oliver's room and knocked on the door. A weary "come in" was heard in reply. Yuki opened the door and went inside. Oliver was sitting on his bed, his face red and tear-stained. Yuki sat beside him then and asked him in an extremely gentle voice

"Oliver, are you ok?"

"Y-Yeah," Oliver replied, his voice shakey and sorrowful.

"What happened?" Yuki asked.

"Th-The c-call my mom g-got was f-from my d-doctor," Oliver started to explain "I-It was ab-bout m-my e-eye,"

"What about your eye?" Yuki asked, trying to keep Oliver calm.

"Th-They s-said they're g-going to have t-to r-remove i-it! Th-That th-they're g-gon-nna rep-place it w-with a g-gla-ass o-one!" Oliver couldn't stop himself from crying as he spoke. His tears quickly dripped down his face.

Yuki hugged him tightly. For some reason, seeing Oliver cry made Yuki herself want to burst into tears.

"I-I d-don't w-want a g-glass eye, I-I w-want m-my eye!" he sobbed.

"I-It's all gonna be ok," Yuki told him, trying not to cry herself.

After what seemed like a long time, Oliver started to calm down a bit.

"Are you alright now?" Yuki asked him.

"Y-Yeah," Oliver replied "Thank you,"

"For what?" Yuki asked.

"For listening to me, for giving me a shoulder to cry on," he told her, giving her a tiny smile.

"No problem," Yuki said back and hugged him again.

The rest of the day was pretty normal. Ann and Al prepared for the night's celebration. When the time came though, the kids were awake and the adults were fast asleep on the floor. Yuki and Oliver were watching the new years celebration on TV, the new-year ball close to dropping and bringing a new year.

"Hey Yuki," Oliver started.

"Yes?" Yuki asked in reply.

"C-Can you promise me something?"

"What is it?"

"Well...If I have to be in the hospital for a while after they replace my eye, will you visit me?" Oliver asked somewhat shyly.

Yuki smiled and said "Of course I will," She then held out her pinky and said "I'll seal it with a pinky swear,"

Oliver then held out his pinky. As their pinkies touched, cheers came from the TV. The new year had come.

Yuki felt happy. The first promise of the new year, and what a good one too.

-Chapter 10, END-