Introduction

One young woman. Two very different roads. The choice will change everything.

Even as a pregnant, unwed teen in 1974, Sandy Lincoln wanted to do the right thing. But when an ageless woman approached her in a convenience store with a mysterious prophecy and a warning, doing the right thing became even more unclear. She made the best choice she could . . . and has lived with the consequences.

More than thirty years later, a pregnant teen has come into her life, and Sandy’s long-ago decision has come back to haunt her. The stakes rise quickly, leaving Sandy with split seconds to choose once more. But will her choice decision bring life . . . or death?

"The Choice shows the struggles of unplanned pregnancy and the courageous act of adoption in a way that I haven't read before . . ." —Abby Brannam-Johnson, former Planned Parenthood Director and author of Unplanned

"Whitlow captures the struggle of many women trapped in the battle over abortion in a truly sympathetic and affecting way." —Booklist

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Excerpt

Chapter One
Rutland, Georgia, 1974

Sandy Lincoln nervously twirled her long blond hair around her index finger. A magazine with a picture of Olivia Newton John on the cover and a feature article about Cher's recent breakup with Sonny lay unopened in her lap. Her mother stared unseeing across the waiting room. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. The story opens with the young Sandy and her mother waiting in a doctor’s office for news that will change their lives. Put yourself in their shoes in 1974 small-town Georgia. How would you feel if you were the mother? If you were the pregnant, unwed girl?
2. Sandy’s journey through the first half of the book is filled with challenges and choices. Have you or someone you know ever dealt with a situation like this? What was the outcome?
3. The meeting between Sandy and Brad’s families doesn’t go very smoothly. How could that situation have been handled differently? If you were involved, what would you advise?
4. Brad tells Sandy that he loves her and wants to marry her. Do you believe him? Do you think that sometimes women may ignore red flags? What would you tell Sandy in that moment—when Brad tells her “I can’t live without you”?
5. On her way to Atlanta, Sandy meets a strange woman in the gas station. How would you react to a stranger predicting your future? Would you take it to heart as Sandy does, or would you brush it off as lunacy?
6. Linda selflessly invites Sandy into her home in Atlanta and supports her through her pregnancy. How does this experience affect Sandy’s future?
7. Sandy goes home to spend Christmas with her family and attends the Christmas Eve service at their church. She realizes a correlation between her own pregnancy and Mary’s. In what ways are their situations similar? How does this one night change Sandy’s outlook on her pregnancy and her life?
8. After Sandy gives birth, her mother is persistent to see and hold the twins. She even begs Sandy to take at least one of them home. Would that have been a good choice? If your mother tried to force something on you that you didn’t agree with, how would you handle it?
9. As a teacher and the cheerleading coach, Sandy plays an important role in the lives of her students. She develops a friendship with Maria and helps her through a difficult time. Do you think there should be laws in place defining the relationships teachers are allowed to have with their students? Discuss the implications.
10. Do you think it was a coincidence that the lawyer Sandy visits turns out to be one of her sons? She is overjoyed and unsure what to do with her newfound knowledge. What do you think about her spying on the family and following them to the Chloe’s soccer game? Can you imagine doing something like this?
11. Sandy asks Dustin Abernathy if he was adopted, and he says no. Later we find out that he was adopted but his parents never told him. Do you think children need to know if they were adopted?
12. Even though Sandy wasn’t fond of Dusty, she sacrifices her own life for him. Would you do that for your child? Would you be able to sacrifice your child for someone else?
13. In what ways does Sandy’s story relate to the biblical story of Jacob and Esau?
14. Discuss the choices you see throughout this story that change its course. For example, Sandy chooses to believe the strange woman’s prediction about her sons and acts accordingly. Later, Sandy continues to help Maria even though Sandy could lose her job. Which choice do you consider the most pivotal?

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