Hi, I'm your niece

When I made the decision to do the DNA analysis I was hoping it would lead me to my bio dad, I didn't expect it to lead me to my a bio aunt on my mother's side that I had no idea existed. Here she is though, and the question of how to proceed next is looming. My aunt and I are in a loose agreement on how to handle the situation, although I think if it were completely up to her she would dust it under the rug and move on. This isn't because she doesn't care, but I think she is afraid of how this will affect our family. While I too am concerned about this, I want to make contact.

There is a lot of things to consider first, I have said it from the beginning, my goal in searching for my bio dad and now this new relative is not to disrupt or destroy anyone's lives. While it is true I don't know how much this new "aunt" knows about her past, or her mother's past, there are a few things I know for sure.

1. She did a DNA analysis. The why is the big question here. I have done a little Facebook "stalking"..I like to call it casual searching, and it seems that she was raised with two seemingly loving parents. Is she adopted? Did her mother have an affair? Has she always suspected that maybe there was more to her story? Was she simply trying to make a family tree only to discover that people she thought were her relatives, aren't.

2. She joined Ancestry.com, did some research, but hasn't logged into the website in over a year. Again, why? Was she trying to find some evidence, something concrete to prove who she is, but gave up? Is it possible when the DNA information came back, she realized there was something not right and just abandoned it.

I tried emailing her right after I got my results, but never heard back. This either means she doesn't use that email address anymore or she doesn't want to confront the situation.

As someone who doesn't know their bio dad, I feel like she has a right to know. That she NEEDS to know. If someone knew who my biological father was, I would think they would have an obligation to tell me. I realize my situation is different though, I didn't grow up with two loving parents, there is no doubt that I do not know my father. The situation is complex, and I don't think, unfortunately, that there is a "right" way to handle this.  For now, I sit, and wait.