“The boy is the one who can’t protect himself,” she said.

I thanked her and hung up feeling no better.

Two days later Timmy came back again.

He did not even knock this time.

He just stood at the glass until I saw him.

I let him in and started the pancakes without asking.

While the first ones cooked I looked at the phone again.

I knew I could not keep putting it off.

I dialed the child protection number before I changed my mind.

The woman who answered asked what I had seen.

I told her about the Saturday visits and how hungry he acted.

I told her about the four grip marks on his arm and the mark on his face.

I gave her the address and said the mother worked nights.

She said someone would go out to check on things.

When I hung up the kitchen felt too quiet.

Timmy was still sitting at the table finishing his plate.

I did not know what would happen to Linda or to him.

I just knew I could not keep seeing those marks and stay quiet.

I still sit here wondering if she will ever know it was me who called.

The kitchen smelled like maple syrup and the butter I had left out on the counter all morning.

Timmy’s plate was almost clean but he was dragging his fork through the last bits like he did not want to leave yet. I could see the edge of that bruise when he moved his arm a certain way. It was the kind of mark that stays in your mind long after the person is gone. I had seen plenty just like it back at the hospital when parents brought their kids in for other things and I always had to note it down in the chart. The light from the window made the syrup on the plate look shiny and thick.

He looked over at me with his mouth full. “Mrs. Miller, do you think pancakes are better with chocolate chips?”

I shook my head a little and smiled even though it did not feel right on my face. “Plain ones are fine for me,” I said. “But you can put whatever you want on them if you like.”

He smiled and it made the red mark on his cheek stand out more than before. “My mom never has time for chocolate chips anyway. She is always too tired when she gets home from work.”