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of the accident. The nurse would put them through the wash for him, but he’d need something new so he didn’t look like a total loser. Especially if he’d be living under a bridge somewhere, hiding out from the social worker until Alan came back.
    Jonas crossed the room and started to rummage through the bag. Nurse Morgan had taken the time to fold the clothes, and although it wasn’t everything they were missing, it did contain most of Jonas’s favorite shirts. He pulled out a black T-shirt and held it up to his nose, taking a deep sniff, and was comforted by the smell of hospital detergent. He pulled the shirt he was wearing over his head with one hand, and then yanked on the new one, immediately feeling better.
    He continued to search, but then paused when his fingers brushed the hatbox. Jonas stilled, thinking back on the moments in the car before the accident. He turned to look at Alan in the bed, thinking about how much he’d wanted that job. How responsible it would have made him feel. Jonas blinked rapidly, then he turned away and slipped off the top of the box, sure he’d find the hat in disrepair.
    He reached in and lifted out the black bowler hat, surprised to find it had a slight scent of mold from being damp, but otherwise was in good condition. “It’s a high-quality hat,” he murmured to his brother. “It would have held up nicely in the Seattle rain.”
    Jonas slipped it on his head, and turned to Alan, smiling as if he were the doorman. “May I take your coat, sir?” he asked, and then laughed at himself and took off the hat. “I would have had so much fun breaking your balls for this.” He put the hat back in the box and was about to sit down when a thought struck him, heavy and clear.
    Jonas had less than ten dollars left to his name. He had no way to get food once the hospital kicked him out, and certainly no place to stay or even shower. What if…
    He spun to face Alan. “What if I went to the hotel? I mean, they’re obviously out a doorman, right? I could work after school and at night. I’ll hold the job for you until you wake up.” Jonas felt a surge of excitement, along with anxiety. For the last year Alan wouldn’t let him get a job, saying it would be a distraction from school. Jonas thought that was ridiculous, even if he knew Alan had a point.
    The last job Jonas had gotten shortly after his parents’ deaths ended when he was caught drinking in the back room with the older servers. He’d skipped school that entire week to pick up shifts and earn money, only to get fired at the end of it. Alan told him that with a degree he’d be able to get a job that required him to have more than the ability to count to ten. He wanted Jonas to have that chance, hence the “no job” rule.
    But now Jonas could contribute, and he had a reason to do so. He’d earn the money they desperately needed, and he’d keep Alan’s position ready for his return. It would be perfect.
    Jonas started to walk out, but paused, knowing that Alan would have cleared his throat and motioned to his outfit.
    â€œRight,” Jonas said. He went back to the bag and found one of Alan’s polo shirts. The kind he’d wear on a job interview. Jonas changed quickly, then went into the bathroom to comb his hair to the side, grimacing at how fucking presentable he looked. He sighed, letting himself hope, just a little, for the first time. He’d get this job. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. Then he’d meet with that doctor, Doctor Moss, and get Alan the treatment he deserved. And, of course, Jonas would continue searching for his brother in the Dream World. He was sure Alan was there. He’d find his brother and wake him up. It was all going to work out. Jonas wanted to believe that.
    He grabbed the box with the bowler hat and the black umbrella along with the bag of clothes, and paused at the end of