<P> Miranda 's mom is invited to appear on the $20,000 Pyramid . In hopes of winning the money and having a better life , Miranda and her mom 's boyfriend Richard prep her for the show . Miranda and Sal are friends again . While her mother is on - stage , Miranda reminisces about a conversation with Marcus about how no one would recognize a time - traveler from a different age . She suddenly realizes that the laughing man is an older incarnation of Marcus , who has come from the future to save Sal 's life . He needed to deliver the notes to the young Marcus through Miranda . Later on Miranda goes to the mailbox the laughing man ( Marcus ) slept under , where she finds a picture of an older version of Julia smiling happily . The novel ends as Miranda reflects on the events in an epilogue . </P>
<P> Miranda 's mom is invited to appear on the $20,000 Pyramid . In hopes of winning the money and having a better life , Miranda and her mom 's boyfriend Richard prep her for the show . Miranda and Sal are friends again . While her mother is on - stage , Miranda reminisces about a conversation with Marcus about how no one would recognize a time - traveler from a different age . She suddenly realizes that the laughing man is an older incarnation of Marcus , who has come from the future to save Sal 's life . He needed to deliver the notes to the young Marcus through Miranda . Later on Miranda goes to the mailbox the laughing man ( Marcus ) slept under , where she finds a picture of an older version of Julia smiling happily . The novel ends as Miranda reflects on the events in an epilogue . </P>
who is the laughing man in when you reach me
who is the laughing man in when you reach me
an older incarnation of Marcus , who has come from the future to save Sal 's life
an older incarnation of Marcus , who has come from the future to save Sal 's life