Or, this is real and Kevin subconsciously uses the Hotel as a place that provides answers, this only makes sense if you don't believe Kevin is Jesus V2 and instead the offspring of his father who was institutionalized. My take on it is this, Kevin stagnated, at first in the most literal sense, but when he confronts Nora it's a bit more subtle.

Kevin first opens up with the story that he saw Nora at a High School dance, a place and time of youth and petty dramas, nothing like a departure or killing yourself in some, seemingly, different dimension. Kevin wants to pretend as if none of the craziness of the departure happened, he just wants to be happy with Nora.

Nora is a real person now. She has made peace with her children being gone, she knows they're dead otherwise she would have went through with the transport (which she didn't). She knew that she needed help which is why she kept in contact with Laurie and regularly talked on the phone for therapy sessions. Over the elapsed time span she grew into a normal suffering of existence just like everyone else. When she sees Kevin she knows he being a fraud because she is so driven by truth. However, when Kevin confronts her at the house she knows he's stuck on her. A normal person doesn't hold a candle for however many years, he cites his father did it but again, his father was institutionalized and believed he could stop the great flood. Kevin is still psychologically ill, and the tears that Nora cries are the ones that Laurie cries when Kevin is so sure of himself that he saw Evie. Nora realizes that Kevin is what matters to her now, her kids are dead, and even if Kevin is still crazy, he makes her happy and that's why she's the bravest girl in the world.