A friend like no other

Back in Thalia Mirabel's car, she looked at her friend in surprise as they moved from Flora's house. Flora repeated,

"Thalia, my sister, since I have raised Collin from infancy, all my neighbours know about him, so we can get them to corroborate my story if we tell the media that he is mine, so let's do that, okay?" she implored.

Eric and Jake, in the front of the car, busied themselves with tasks as if they were paying no heed to them, but they also couldn't help but wonder why. Eric mulled over the words that he had heard and felt so touched that he started tearing up.

He tried to blink back the tears and rolled down the window so that the air would blow them away. Jake happened to glance at him at the exact moment, and his mouth dropped open.

Jake rubbed his eyes as he thought that they were playing tricks on him, but as he continued looking, he saw Eric brush the tear away with the back of his right hand as the left remained on the steering wheel.