Family secrets have a way of surfacing when you least expect them, and sometimes, they unravel everything you thought you knew. For me, it started with a simple question from my granddaughter, Lindsey, about her curly blonde hair—a trait that set her apart from the rest of our dark-haired family.

I have three grandkids, each living in different parts of the country. Because of the distance, I missed out on watching them grow up—the birthdays, holidays, and all those little moments that make life special. But the first time I saw Lindsey at six months old, something about her stood out immediately: her hair. It was curly and blonde, unlike anyone else in our family.

At first, I brushed it off. Genetics can be funny that way, I thought. Maybe some distant relative had those same golden curls. But as Lindsey grew older, her uniqueness became more noticeable. She didn’t look like her siblings at all, and soon, she began to ask questions herself.....