After he was awake Ennis bounced around Gem like a hyper active puppy, he asked questions quicker than Gem could answer and kept getting in her way. Gem finally grabbed his ear and pulled him down, "Ennis, sit your worrisome ass down beside your wife and make yourself useful!" Ennis blinked and did as he was told, afraid to make Gem any angrier. Three hours later Alma pulverized Ennis's hand through the last contractions. Gem popped her head over Alma's spread knees and smiled ecstatically, "You have a beautiful baby girl! Come here Ennis and cut the cord." Ennis's face was white and drawn as he sliced through the cord Gem held for him. Gem gently wrapped the squalling infant in a blanket and placed her in Ennis's arms. "Congratulations, you're a father…" Gem said quietly. Then she began to bustle around, picking things up to hide the sudden sparkle of tears on her cheeks. After Ennis and Alma went to sleep Gem took all of the blood stained sheets, towels, and removed her own nightgown to place it in the washing machine. Gem wrapped herself in a warm fluffy towel. While she threw them in and mixed the powder she hummed a sad little song, Ennis then came into the room and rubbed Gem's shoulders, "Thank you so much Gem, I don't know how to thank you." Gem shrugged off his touch, "Just never touch me like that again."
Gem rushed into the kitchen and placed her hands on the warm stove, the waves of heat comforted her. The eyes on the stove sizzled as her hot, salty tears fell onto them.
Slowly she sank onto the rug in front of the stove and cried herself to sleep. Early the next morning Alma came into the kitchen with her new daughter in her arms. She smiled when she saw Gem fast asleep against the stove. Alma gently tucked the sleeping infant in Gem's arms who cuddled her close without ever waking up. Alma then stormed out to the barn where she figured her husband was. When she found Ennis she glared daggers at him, Ennis stared stupidly at her. "What did you say to Gem to make her so upset!" Ennis sighed and lay his hands on Alma's shoulders, "I didn't say anything to her, Gem can't have children unless she has an expensive surgery she can't afford, it really hurts her…" Alma's eyes glowed, "Oh, I didn't know, I'm sorry for snapping at you." Ennis smiled, "No problem, she'll love spending time with you and the baby." Hand in hand they walked back to the house. Ennis smiled when he saw Gem cuddled up with his daughter, how he wished it was Gem's as well as his, but he made a choice, and at the moment he regretted it.
So life quickly settled back to normal at El Ranchito, Gem would rise at 5am and help Ennis with the horses, when she came in she would tend to the baby so Alma could cook breakfast. And in the evenings Gem would ride again and tend the baby while Alma cooked again. All the while Ennis tried to get through to Gem, trying to talk to her, subtle touches when ever possible. Gem would glare daggers at him every time and then would counter with an unfortunate accident.
Eventually Gem got antsy, it'd been two years since she'd come to Waterton, and she'd delivered two of Ennis's daughters. On her 21st birthday LD sent Gem her own truck and trailer, that prompted Gem to buy the masked bay colt from Ennis that was now her best friend, she'd named him Masquerade after a masked German Shepherd she'd once known. It wasn't long after that when Gem and Ennis received a letter from Jack; he wanted Gem to deliver his and Lureen's baby in two weeks. Gem knew at once she would go, Ennis however was adamant about staying. So Gem loaded Masque in the trailer and hugged her surrogate family goodbye. Ennis tried one more time to make up, but Gem would have no part of it, she slammed her truck door in his face and drove away to Texas.
