Lucy Greenwell

His unusual Germanic surname also stacks up, because Jess's DNA results suggest some of her genes come from that part of the world.

His unusual Germanic surname also stacks up, because Jess's DNA results suggest some of her genes come from that part of the world.

So Jess is pretty confident she's nailed this.

So Jess is pretty confident she's nailed this.

Let sleeping dogs lie.

Let sleeping dogs lie.

A message urging her to stop asking questions, to call off her search for her biological father.

A message urging her to stop asking questions, to call off her search for her biological father.

And Jess tells me she understands the risk, that answers may come at a cost.

And Jess tells me she understands the risk, that answers may come at a cost.

She knows those ripples are about to disturb the calm surface of another family.

She knows those ripples are about to disturb the calm surface of another family.

And what she's learnt from contacting her birth mother is that she can't control what happens next.

And what she's learnt from contacting her birth mother is that she can't control what happens next.

But she still has this void at the start of her life.

But she still has this void at the start of her life.

Jess gives it a few weeks before going on Facebook, and rather than contacting her possible father, she messages his five adult children.

Jess gives it a few weeks before going on Facebook, and rather than contacting her possible father, she messages his five adult children.

They all seem to live in the same town as their father, the same town where Jennifer grew up.

They all seem to live in the same town as their father, the same town where Jennifer grew up.