Blind Justice--story sketch

Blind Justice--Working title (I'm searching for a better title, one that is not so cliché and has been used many times. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.)

Setting
Charleston, South Carolina; 1960s

Characters
Dr. Michelle Lewis--28yrs. old-white- ophthalmologist, ordained minister, Canadian-dark blonde hair, green eyes

Dr. Richard Lester--51 yrs. old--Dr. Lewis's mentor, professionally only

Chad Davenport--20 yrs. old-African-American, half Caucasian, blinded after accident, Dr. Lewis's patient, whom she falls in love with and he also with her.

Charlie Davenport--40 yrs. old-Chad's white father, had affair with and lied to Dr. Lewis when she was 18 and backslidden, ran out on Louise and Chad when he was 6 years old.

Louise Davenport--42 yrs. old-Chad's bitter Afican-American mother--separated from white husband, who never granted a divorce

Donald Singletarry--27 yrs. old-Caucasian-stalks and has one date with Dr. Lewis, KKK member

Clarence Lewis--48 yrs. old-Dr. Lewis's father-Canadian-ancestors helped slaves get into Canada during and before the Civil War Era--runs a ministry organization that promotes racial tolerance and protests segregation in the U.S.

Billy--Chad's guide dog
Lydia Rogers--Dr. Lewis's nurse
Markus Talbot--Dr. Lewis's bodyguard

Chad meets Dr. Lewis after he goes blind after a construction accident. Dr. Lester said he would not operate on him because he would be going against Jim Crow laws, but sent him to Dr. Lewis, knowing of her reputation of supporting racial tolerance. She is the only one of two doctors who knows how to preform an experimental surgery that will save his sight, and she had perfected it beyond what Dr. Lester had taught her.

His mother forbids him to seek surgery from Dr. Lester or Dr. Lewis, especially the latter. Chad decides to take a chance on Dr. Lewis, who promised him that he didn't have to worry about the cost of the surgery (that it was paid for). Chad doesn't know much about his father and that he had an affair with Dr. Lewis.

Dr. Lewis has taken on death threats and does even more so when she takes Chad into her home. His mother won't let him stay at home as long as he agrees to have the surgery and have contact with Dr. Lewis. Dr. Lewis knows Chad's mother probably knows something about the affair, although it happened in Canada a decade ago. Chad has no idea where his father is, but Dr. Lewis does and has forgiven him for that which happened in the past. Hopefully, maybe, she can reunite this family back together and end the bitterness.

Chad falls in love with Dr. Lewis and the feeling becomes mutual. Chad's benefactor for the surgery comes to town, his father. All secrets come out just before the surgery.

Dr. Lewis's heritage
Over one hundred years before this time (1960s), her family took in and housed runaway slaves in church buildings along the Canadian/U.S. border. They helped them find work and homes in the nearby communities while sharing the Gospel with them. Dr. Lewis, herself, is an ordained minister. She is an assistant pastor of a local church in Charleston, South Carolina. Her presence is not well received by members of the Klu Klux Klan and segregation supporters. She has received death threats and has been told to leave and go back up north where she belongs. She is a supporter of the NAACP and the people in Charleston know of her family's reputation and are fine with her practicing medicine there, as long as she doesn't get too outspoken about what she believes. Her father is a missionary, who has done ministry in South Africa, and has stood steadfast against segregation, in a nonviolent manner, of course. To make matters worse, when she befriends Chad and welcomes him into the church, there is turmoil and some members of the church strive to get her removed from her pastoral position.



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Decisions, Decisions. What to write?  (E) So many story ideas for novels, so little time. Help me, please. #914238 by Beth Barnett