It was a warm spring afternoon. Liza was feeding Gilda, still barely out of the hospital, when the front door swung open, revealing a male griffon, wearing a business hat, and holding a briefcase. "Oh, hi, Ray! I'm in the kitchen with Gilda!" She could hear him approach, slowly and lazily. "Anything wrong, hun?" she inquired. Ray sighed, and laid his hat on the table. "We uh... We have a bit of a problem," he said, obviously fighting a lump in his throat. "What kind of problem?" Liza replied. "Today, they made some budget cuts, and they let me go," replied the male griffon. A small gasp escaped Liza's beak. "Oh Celestia, what are we going to do?"
"I uh... I don't know." He blinked several times, obviously holding back tears of frustration and fear. "Oh, honey, I'm sure we'll think of something," replied the female griffon. "Just give it time."
"I hope you're right. I mean, with no job, how can we take care of Gilda?"
"Don't talk like that!" she snapped. "We'll find a way."
Gilda looked up at her parents, curious to the situation, and cocked her head. Liza's features softened at the gesture, and let several tears slip out from closed eyes. "We'll think of a way," she said. "We have to. We owe it to Gilda to give her a future." Ray could simply nod in agreement. Times were tough, but Gilda meant the world to them. She had become the center of their lives, and a beacon of happiness for them. "I uh, I'll go look in the paper for some job openings," the male griffon said finally. Liza nodded in acknowledgment, and went back to feeding Gilda. "We'll find a way," she repeated. "We have to."
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It was late when Ray came home, and Liza was sitting in the dining room, eager to hear the news. "Any luck with the jobs?" she asked, desperately hoping for a yes from her husband. Instead came a low sigh. "No... 'No openings for a griffon,' they say. Discriminating bastards." She slumped over the table, a feeling of defeat burdening her shoulders. She felt Ray's arm wrap around her, and leaned into him. "What are we going to do?"
"I don't know, sweetie." His face became set in lines of anguish. Tears fell from his face. "What are we going to do about Gilda?" asked Liza, still desperate for answers. "What if we don't have enough to take care of her? What if-" she cut herself off, too terrified of completing her sentence.
"We'll give it another week," offered Ray. "If I can't find a job by then... then you know what we have to do."
"You can't mean-" she pleaded. He nodded slowly in response. It pained him to do so. Letting go of their daughter would crush them both. Even through these hard times, Gilda brought them through it, her grinning face giving them hope.
Ray said nothing as he slowly navigated his way up the stairs, tail dragging behind him. "I'm gonna go to bed," he announced, shortly before disappearing from her view. "I'll be up in a bit," she replied. He let out a low sigh as he cracked open the door to Gilda's room. She was so serene, so peaceful. He let a small smile spread across his face, as he leaned down, and nuzzled her forehead. "I love you Gilda."
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No sooner did the front door swing open to reveal a pitiful male griffon did the words, "It's been a week," echo through the house. Ray trudged in, barely finding the willpower to make his way to the kitchen, and slump forward on the table, head buried in his arms. Liza was surprised by this. Usually he was positive, and upbeat, trying to find the brighter side of a situation. Now, his positive demeanor turned into anguish, as sobs came from the broken griffon. She reached an arm around him, trying to console the broken soul before her.
"Nopony had any job openings," she heard him choke out. "In less than a week, we'll be bankrupt." That sentence hit Liza like a brick. Bankrupt. It was then that she understood the severe gravity of the situation. Her face contorted into sorrow, and small sobs gave way to open weeping. They both knew what had to be done. They both knew that keeping Gilda would send them into poverty, and that was no way to raise a child. Ray looked up at liza, a look of both sorrow and resoluteness defined his features. She gave a small nod in return.
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Ray and Liza approached a large red brick building. It was late, about midnight. Ray held a basket in one claw, a small brown and white figure sleeping under a blanket inside. The two had talked about it for the better part of a week, but now that it was actually happening, all the composure they had gained crumbled, giving way to unconsolable crying. It was time, they knew. Holding on to her any longer would just make the pain that much more bitter. He set the basket down on the doorstep, kissing the baby griffon one last time before saying goodbye. "I love you, Gilda," he said before attaching a small note onto the basket.
It read simply;
My name is Gilda. I need a home.
Liza followed Ray to the street, looking back to see a pony grab the basket and slowly bring it inside. "Goodbye," she said in a whisper, a bitter sense of finality bringing tears to her eyes. "Thanks for being the best part of our lives, even if only for a short time."