Rosie worked in an office five minutes walk from the city centre. Matthew worked in the university. He called her one day, and asked her to meet him for lunch, at the old fountain in the centre of the market. Since their first, intense meeting, when they had learnt such incredible and personal things about each other, they had had to back-pedal. They were getting to know each other in a more mundane way, learning their way around each other's more normal sides.
It was not as easy in the daylight, Rosie reflected, as she walked through town to the market. The sun was less forgiving than the moon, both more eager to see everything, and more jealous. It claimed the right to your attention, and if you sought other stars, either internal or otherwise, it would use it's proximity to stop you as best it could.
She headed for the centre of the market, and she could see Matthew sitting on the edge of the fountain waiting for her. When he spotted her, he grinned, but he also looked a little nervous. He was carrying a paper bag, with 'Peppercorns' written on it.
Rosie smiled back at him, then indicated the bag.
"I take it we're not going to a fancy restaurant then?"
"Ahhh... No, not exactly. But it's a nice day, so I didn't think you'd mind too much." He opened the bag and peered inside at the contents. "Just please don't tell me you don't like chicken and mayonnaise."
She laughed. "No, that's fine. So, where are we going?"
He looked a little embarrassed suddenly.
"Well, I've got something I wanted to show you."
"Ok, lead on."
The market square had roads leading off it at each corner. Matthew headed for one of those, leading Rosie into what was actually another square, with a small church in the centre. Three sides of the square were pedestrian-only, more like alleys. The road they were on was a dead end for cars, with bollards between the end of the road and market square. Between the church and the market was a Midlands Bank, and on the other side, a shop selling expensive hi-fis. Past that was the theatre, and opposite, tourist information.
The church was, from this angle, extremely ordinary. There was no entrance. It presented a blank face to the world that scurried past Matthew as he waited briefly for Rosie to catch up. They didn't seem to notice it was there at all.
Once Rosie had reached him, he lead her down one of the alleys along the side of the church. Here, it looked different. The church tower came into view, and ugly concrete monstrosity, which didn't fit the rest of the church. There was also an unruly mass of green with headstones poking through., separated from the street they were on by a small wall. Further down the alley was a bookstore. There was still no obvious way in to the church itself.
Matthew went past the bookstore, and went on to the third side of the church. Here there was an entrance, on the side furthest from wandering tourists. There was a large church one hundred metres away, on market square, for them. Only people who were really curious would think of coming down here. Matthew paused by the gate.
"There's a bench in here. I thought we'd eat there."
"In a graveyard?"
He nodded. "Watch your feet." She did, and found that the stones she was treading on were all memorials. Some dated back to the early eighteenth century. She trod more softly, trying not to damage them. It was wonderfully overgrown, so that once they'd reached the bench, they couldn't actually see the bookstore. The bench was very near the road off the market square, but completely shielded from it by one of the arms of the church.
They sat down, and he handed her one of the rolls.
"What did you want to show me?" She asked him, as she unwrapped it. He'd already taken a huge bite of his baguette. He cocked his head, as though listening for something, while he chewed. She listened too, and noticed how quiet it was. He finished his mouthful.
"Do you hear it?"
"Hear what? There's nothing to hear."
"Exactly. There's no noise, except for the birds, and the odd customer for the book shop. We're close enough to the market to hear something, but it's quiet." He looked at her intently for a second, then went back to his sandwich.
Rosie bit into hers and chewed it carefully. Now that Matthew had drawn her attention to it, she did notice the quiet, and the odd sense of, well, countryside about the place. She sat, exploring that with all her senses, and absorbing it as well. She could feel the calm stealing into her, soothing away all the minor irritations of the morning. They finished their lunch in silence.
"What is this place?"
"St. Edward's. The sign explaining all that is on the other side of the entrance. It says that the church has been here for eight hundred years, or something like that, and services are now held according to the Book of Common Prayer. Or the Common Book of Prayer. Whatever. I've never been inside. I come to worship outside, if you like."
"It's got an odd feeling to it." She said, uncertainly.
"I like it. I mean, for eight hundred years, it's been here, right up close to the university, and the town has crept up around it. But it's fought back hard enough to hold on to this land, with its faithfuls' bones interred in it. And it's pretty much blocked out the town."
"Mmmm... Even to the extent of the town noises. It's very peaceful. I mean, I can feel it kind of seeping into me."
"That's why I come here, really."
They sat for a while longer, enjoying the silence, feeling truly comfortable with each other for the first time since that first night. Finally, regretfully, Rosie looked at her watch.
"I've got to go." He nodded his head, and began to get up. "Thank you for bringing me here."
"I don't show many people." Matthew said, smiling gently.
As they were leaving, they saw the door to the church was open. Rosie looked at Matthew curiously. He shook his head, and answered her silent question.
"No, that wasn't open when we got here. I'm sure." He said. "This happens occasionally. Actually, I take it to be rather a good sign. I wasn't sure if it would open for me with you here."
"You think it's an invitation?" She asked.
"Don't you?" Matthew smiled again. "I'm not ready to accept."
"Why not?"
He sighed, and stuck his hands in his pockets. "The church feels magic to me. Something in the texture of the place. you know? And I've stood on the threshold to that, and I've looked within, but I'm not ready yet. I'm afraid that if I do go in, the church will own me in some way. Or even worse, the spell will be broken, and it'll be just another church."
She thought about that as they turned and walked away. "But aren't you afraid that you're missing a great opportunity, too?"
"No." He shook his head. "This is not a one-chance-only place. I can't believe that door will ever really close to a true mind. I think, when I am ready, the door will be open to me."
They emerged into the market, back amongst the noisy students and tourists. But both Rosie and Matthew could still feel the calm. They took the church's gift with gratitude, and headed back to their jobs. And the church waited for its next visitor.