The moment was ripe with possibilities and Caroline knew she needed to act fast. Already the plans had materialized at the south end of the hall, where the men gathered,whispering, looking over at her every now and then and whispering some more.
It occurred to her only after fifty years of wrist wringing and deep breaths and her whole life flipping through her mind like tarot cards, that she could just walk up to those men. Right now. If she wanted to. But she didn’t want to. Too much history with them, too many words and actions seared into everyone’s brains. When they saw Caroline they only saw trouble.

Well then, she though as her legs took over, as if they’d been emancipated from the rest of her, then maybe I am trouble. Or at least part of her was.
As she reached the mean (men), they stopped whispering, looked up at her and smiled.

She did not return their smiles.