There were some more discussions as the weeks wore on, but by Sunday of opening week, Joyce had some positive news for Cully.
"I think we've turned the corner." Joyce said to Cully conspiratorially. "He's accepted you have a boyfriend, and that he is a cop. I led him to believe it's a Cambridge cop, a little smoke was needed to keep him away from the truth."
"Oh, Mum that's amazing!" Cully was floored, "how did you even manage that?"
"Patience and determination." Joyce chuckled.
"Do you remember Johnathan from 12? I was thinking it was going to be a repeat of that."
Joyce conceded that was one of the worst reactions Tom had had to a boyfriend of Cully's.
"To be fair Cully, you could have prepared us for the Mohawk and piercings before bringing him to dinner."
Cully just laughed. "To be honest I had forgotten about it. Whenever I looked at him I saw were those baby blue eyes."
Joyce rolled her eyes. "Is hazel eyes coming to the musical?"
"Who?" Cully asked, pulled back from her memory.
"Your beau." Joyce replied, almost sardonically.
"Yes, I have the usual seats for you three. I was worried any change in that would increase suspicion." Cully sounded like she was biting her nail now, a nervous habit Joyce thought they broke years ago.
"Everything will go swimmingly, dear don't worry. The musical will go on, and at dinner we can gently break the news to your father."
"But." Cully started.
"Yes." Joyce said. "At dinner is best. There will be other people around so he can't make a huge scene. And I assumed you and Gavin will want to go out celebrating after dinner, so it must be before that."
Cully sighed into the phone. "Mom how can you know so much from so little information?"
"Call it maternal instinct. You will understand one day." Joyce smiled at the thought of Cully becoming a mother someday, long, long into the future.
"I don't know, you set a pretty high bar." She said.
The rest of the week was quiet. Both Tom and Gavin were busy wrapping up paperwork so they would be free for Friday night's opening.
Tom was grumbling all week about shadowy men who didn't reveal themselves but otherwise didn't bring up the boyfriend situation.
Gavin arrived at 4pm sharp, looking well dressed in his suit. Joyce was able to tell him he looked dapper before Tom came grumping down the stairs mid-sentence.
"he better be ready to answer to this sneaking around. Any man who wants to take my daughter out to give me a firm handshake and look me in the eye, oh Gavin." Tom stopped.
Gavin looked like a spooked bunny so Joyce dropped her purse to distract them both. Gavin helped her right it and Tom gathered the pen that rolled away.
With her bag back together, Joyce was quick to shepherded them both out to the car, preventing any discussion over Tom's words.
Joyce kept up a stream of idle chit chat as they took the hour car ride. Tom drove and Gavin sat in the back.
Joyce planted little seeds here and there about Gavin's qualifications and character. Anything to help soften the blow to come later.
They were in their seats for curtain call.
Cully was breathtaking as usual. The music, the choreography, it was all a whirlwind of light and color and beauty.
Joyce was sure the two most enthusiastic applauders were on either side of her. The audience roared with appreciation for the cast, especially when Cully and the other female lead took a bow.
There was a lot of commotion after the show, parents eager to congratulate their children, filing out of the theater into the lobby and out onto the quad. The Barnaby's and Gavin had been there enough to know it was best to sit tight in their seats for about 20 minutes. This gave the cast enough time to change and gather themselves.
Almost on cue the side stage door opened and several actors spilled out, headed for the lobby to find their loved ones. Gavin and Tom were both calling out praise of the actors as they passed and were met with beaming smiles.
Cully came from the door behind where they were facing. "Mom, Dad!" She called, running over.
"Cully you were great!" Joyce said, firmly squeezing her daughter.
"Simply magnificent!" Tom agreed, hugging her next.
"I'm so glad you guys could be here. It's meant so much to have you at all my shows but especially my last one." Cully was starting to get misty eyed as she pulled away from her father and turned to Gavin.
"Oh, come on now. We all know this isn't you last. We will be flying to Broadway before long." Gavin said with a proud grin.
Cully threw her arms around him briefly, covering for her new affection to Gavin.
Before Tom could say a word Joyce was saying "Dinner? Who's hungry, I'm famished. And I'm sure Cully needs to sit down!"
They shuttled out of the theater, Cully and Tom followed by Gavin and Joyce. In a brief moment Gavin and Joyce were far enough behind, she patted his arm and told him to breath, everything would be alright. Gavin flashed her a look of fear and hope before Tom called back to him and Joyce to catch up.
Cully sat in the back with her mother and Tom drove, leaving an increasingly tense Gavin next to his boss.
Thankfully Tom was distracted by the traffic and hubbub and missed what he might otherwise glean from his partner's discomfort.
They were soon seated at a nice restaurant at a four top, Cully across from her father, next to her Mother and Gavin. By sheer luck, they had walked in that way. Joyce would have preferred to have Gavin across from Tom, to be more out of reach. Not that she thought anything would happen, but an abundance of caution.
A waiter was soon by to take drink orders and Gavin ordered a bottle of Cully's favorite wine to celebrate her final performance and graduation.
The waiter returned with it soon and the four were toasting to Cully's performance and the future to come. After taking their orders for dinner, there was a hush over the table.
Joyce sipped her wine and noted the unspoken communication passing between Cully and Gavin. Cully was shaking her head slightly, likely telling Gavin to wait until after dinner. It did no good as Tom was in full view, and no longer distracted by the driving or the menu to see what passed.
"Is there something wrong?" He asked evenly, giving a look to his Sargent and Cully.
"Why don't we wait until after supper Dad?" Cully asked hopefully, "let's enjoy our meal."
"No." Tom said, "I'd like to know what you aren't telling me now."
There was a brief look between them as Gavin took a breath and looked to Tom.
"Sir, I'd like to ask you permission to start seeing your daughter, formally."
The silence was deafening. Knowing her husband as she did she could see him put the pieces together quickly. Everything he knew about Cully and her phantom cop boyfriend, her dinners with Gavin. His Sargent was the man her daughter was besotted with.
"No." Was Tom's immediate answer.
Joyce and Cully both rolled their eyes and let out a scoff, ever mother and daughter. They knew Tom needed some more time to process the news.
Gavin was not as in tune with Tom, despite the years as his partner.
"Sir, I think you should reconsider. You know my character. I've been nothing but an upright, honest, hardworking partner for years." He paused to take Cully's hand on the table in his left hand before looking back to Tom. "I care about your daughter a lot. And as you said yourself, you want a man who can look you in the eye and shake your hand." With this Gavin stuck out his hand.
Joyce could see the vein throbbing in her husband's forehead. She reached out and placed and hand on his arm.
"I wanted an honest man, not one who sneaks around behind my back to date my daughter despite our previous clear conversations on the matter." Tom's words were heated and dark, but he didn't raise his voice. That was one positive point.
"Wait, you told him not to think about dating me?" Cully was surprised, and angry.
"I have a talk with all new partners and reminders about the separation of family and work life. I ask they respect that boundary." Tom said, looking at his only daughter.
"Well that may be your line, but it's not mine." Cully said, determinedly.
"And how long as this been your position?" Tom asked coolly, not even looking at Gavin who had put his outstretched hand back in his lap.
"We've been friends for years, no thanks to your threats." Cully said, "but we went out once over Spring Break."
Tom nodded, "that explains the missing gas." Looking to Gavin, "you were running all over the country with my daughter unable to look at little else."
"Dad." Cully started, only to be cut off by the arrival of their food. There was silence punctuated by quiet thanks to the staff as they laid out the delicious meal before them.
Once they had left, Tom picked up his knife and fork and began to cut cleanly into his steak.
Joyce debated her next move. Pushing Tom to make the right decision before he was ready could have negative consequences, but they were on a time crunch.
Deciding that a different topic was needed, at least as long as they ate their main course, she asked Cully about the other actors and their future plans.
Cully gave her mother a look, like she wanted to continue the present discussion but at her mothers head shake continued with the distracting conversation.
They all ate in a stilted fashion, the tension boiling underneath the surface, with vapid conversation no one really paid attention to throughout the meal.
After what felt like an eon the meal was eaten and the plates taken away. They all eschewed desert. But Tom ordered a whisky from the bar.
There was a lot of glances between the three dinner guests as Tom sat in his spot, swirling his drink silently.
After a few more moments he downed the glass in a single drink, placing the empty glass on the table with a soft click.
He looked to Gavin, a stern look on his face. "I understand correctly that you've been seeing my daughter behind my back and now you want my permission? I'm not inclined "
"No sir." Gavin interrupted. "We haven't been doing anything behind your back. We've attended some of the same parties, as friends. And as friends I asked her to dinner over Break to ask if she could see a future where we saw more of one another."
Joyce was surprised Gavin hadn't stuttered or looked away once, he was resolute.
"I was adamant, as was Cully, that we wanted your permission first. Before we went anywhere. Sir, there is no one I hold more respect for than you. I am very fond of your daughter." Gavin reached across the table and took ahold of Cully's hand fondly. Gavin glanced to Cully before looking back to Tom. "But if you looked me in the eye and could honestly tell me that I'm not good enough for her, I would understand. And I would transfer to another district."
Tom noticed, Joyce was sure, how Cully's eyes widened at the thought, and how she gripped Gavin's hand. Her eyes were a mix of surprise, anger and sadness.
Cully was wisely silent, not reacting with the anger Tom probably expected. Joyce was proud of her daughter's restraint; she was truly demonstrating her maturity.
"So, that's your angle?" Tom said, apprising Gavin. "If I don't accept this." He waived to Gavin and Cully's joined hands. "You'll move away as what, protest. Punishment?"
"No." Gavin shook his head. "I would leave because I could not continue to work for a Commander who didn't have faith in my character, morals or behavior as a man. I take my job protecting our county seriously, and I take that same stance toward my loved ones."
Joyce noticed Cully almost soften to be called a loved one, even indirectly. If she wasn't wrong, she suspected Gavin and Cully had already been in love for a while, even if they didn't realize it yet. Tom's next words had the weight to impact their entire life trajectory, so Joyce decided to speak up.
"Tom, you know what I think. I just want to ask if Gavin's speech sounds familiar at all?" Joyce placed her hand on his arms folded across his chest. "Like the one Mr. Gregson rejected. How did that turn out?"
"Gregson? Isn't that your maiden name, Mom?" Cully asked confused. "What does Grandpa have to do with this?"
Joyce looked to Tom, who sighed and rubbed his eyes. Taking that as a cue, Joyce began to explain.
"We've told you the story of how we named you, Cully. But we never explained how we were married." Joyce took a breath. "Tom and I eloped in the middle of the night when I was 17. My father was extremely protective and wouldn't even considering letting me date a policeman. We had tried to get his permission, but he threw Tom out of the house. I wasn't going to stand for being separated, and neither was your father. So, we ran away."
Joyce looked to Cully's shocked face. "It was only 2 years later when you were born that my father would allow us to visit, and another before he accepted us as married."
"How could I never have heard that story?" Cully asked, confused.
"Your grandfather eventually accepted us, and it became water under the bridge. But the point was an overbearing father can't stop true love, and it can't prevent heartache or pain." Joyce looked back to Tom. "We struggled a lot those first years, we had nothing, your father was still a cadet. We had little, but we were adamant we would build a better, more loving life for our child. Even if it meant letting them go."
Tom was silent for a while longer.
He looked to his wife, captured her hand and brought it to his lips. He kissed it and smiled at her faintly.
"I remember those years." He said. "I've been thinking about your father a lot lately." Releasing her hand, he turned to look at Cully and Gavin.
"Part of me wants to do as he did and throw you out of the house, metaphorically. But." Tom sighed, and Joyce could feel the tension start to ease. "I couldn't stand the pain that would cause Cully."
Tom looked sharply at Gavin. "There are far worse men who have come before me, at least I know you are an honorable man. Even if you jump to conclusions too quickly or drive like a maniac."
"Dad?" Cully said hopefully, her face starting to smile. Tom looked at her with the same look.
"I'll give you a reticent approval to see my daughter. That's the best you can get for now. And." Turning to Gavin, "I reserve the right to withdraw it at any time. Or transfer you to Scotland if you hurt her."
Cully and Gavin beemed at one another, their joy palpable. Tom looked from them to his wife, almost pained. She just chuckled and patted his arm.
"I think it's time we got going." She said. "Cully, why don't you come with me and we can find the restroom?"
Cully looked confused, but came anyway.
"Mom should we really leave them alone so soon?" She asked worriedly as they shuffled off.
"You father needs to get some empty threats out or he won't really accept you going out tonight." Joyce said, "Gavin can handle it."
They returned from the bathroom after just a few minutes, but Joyce swore Gavin looked a shade or two paler. They were sitting in companionable, slightly awkward silence. At least there was no fist fight in her absence.
Cully lit up when she returned to the table and saw Gavin. He mirrored her, his joy apparent at her return.
They all stood and left the restaurant, gather on the sidewalk Joyce and Tom across from the young pair.
"Sir." Gavin said, sticking out his hand for a handshake, standing firm and tall.
Tom made him wait a few seconds before accepting the shake. "9pm, understand. Have her home."
"Dad" Cully said with a laugh, "I live here, and you carpooled with Gavin. We are just going down to the theater wrap party for a drink. We'll meet you at the Theater at 9:30."
They turned and headed down the street, Cully snaking her arm through Gavin's. Their laughs floated back on the warm breeze.
Joyce placed her own arm in Tom's and turned them, so they were headed to the lovely City Park down the street.
"Why does it feel like I just gave her away?" Tom asked, so quiet Joyce almost didn't hear it.
"Because this isn't a child with a crush. Our daughter is a young woman who can pick excellent men. One day it will be the last boyfriend you have to approve of."
"And, " Joyce said, a faint smile on her face, "with any luck this might be the last."
Tom stopped walking to look at her with an almost horrified look on his face. "You can't be serious."
"No," Joyce said with a laugh, "I'm not. But you will have to prepare for that eventually."
Joyce lied to her husband then, thankfully he didn't catch it. They continued their stroll in contented silence.
Joyce was almost certain this was the last boyfriend Tom would have to grapple with. She didn't even want to think about the groundwork that would need to be laid for the eventuality of Cully marrying. Enjoying this momentous step was enough, her happiness was more than enough.