NORA
Renata Merkel came for Adam’s chess set the Monday after spring break. She texted Nora the night before, and Nora told her to come half an hour before school started. When Renata arrived Nora brought her to the staff room, poured her a cup of coffee, then led her to her classroom. She sat at one of the tables and patted the chair beside her. Renata sat, bewildered but as compliant as a middle schooler.
‘You look familiar,’ Nora said once Renata took a sip of her coffee. ‘Did you go to UNR? I graduated in 2006.’
‘I was 2004.’ Renata looked around for the chess set. Nora pretended not to notice. She had nineteen minutes before the bell, and she planned to use them all. This woman had witnessed Adam’s spiral from sober math professor to heroin addict; maybe she could help Nora underst
