Had an unexpected surprise last night.
To give a bit of background:
When bf learned that his biological mother died back in January, he finally became interested in his family history as he knows almost nothing. He signed my contract and paid me to start researching and I have been able to find out some information on his father's side of the family. His mother's side is proving more challenging because bf had been born to an unwed mother, back in the 50's, and custody was immediately given to his biological father. He didn't learn the truth about his biological mother until he was a senior in high school and had tried to find her, without success, for years. When he and I got together, and he told me about his mother, I took up the search, found her, and reunited them back in 2001. (We first communicated by phone in August 2001 and I called her the day after 9-11 to let her know we were all right after the attacks. In the adrenaline rush of reassuring friends and family that we were safe, I accidentally let slip that bf was her son, to the nursing home staff, when they asked me why she should be interested in his well-being. She fussed at me for that and I apologized. I don't think straight after a huge scare like 9-11. I tend to blurt first and think later.)
Fast forward to this year, when I find his mother's obituary online. In it, I read that bf has a cousin, and I started researching how to find and contact her. I found an address and a phone number. Given the circumstances, I thought it would be best to ease into this situation by sending the cousin a letter. I really wasn't certain what kind of reception we would get, given that the biological mother had never married and she was from the generation that having out-of-wedlock children was shameful. After I sent the letter a month ago, I didn't hear anything so I decided to just not push it if the maternal relatives were uncomfortable.
Last night, after 9:00 PM, while bf was visiting with me, the phone rang! (Normally, I don't answer the phone after that time of night. This time, something told me: "Pick up!") It was the cousin I wrote to!!!!!
She had so many questions and she was excited to learn she has a cousin she never knew and WANTS TO MEET HIM!!!! He seems to be in shock about all this. I've told him, several times, that since he's hired me to research his family history, it's going to require COMMUNICATING with people and one NEVER KNOWS what I may find!
Now I'm curious about what's going to happen next!
Bones
