Adrift : A Barrier Island Short

by Amanda H. Williams

Set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of Driftwood Beach on the Georgia coast, Adrift is a tender, emotionally honest short story about grief, healing, and rediscovering life after loss.


Ada Dawson, a middle-aged widow, is caught in the in-between—a place where memories linger and time feels suspended. After losing her beloved husband, Ada is left grappling with a single, aching How do you live when half of you is gone? The thought of moving on feels like betrayal. Yet the stillness of her sorrow is becoming suffocating.


With the gentle insistence of her family and the unexpected return of Bobby, an old friend whose presence stirs long-buried emotions, Ada is slowly drawn out of her grief and back into the rhythm of life. Bobby’s familiar banter and steady patience challenge Ada in ways she isn’t ready for—but maybe needs. As romantic tension builds and the tides of memory and hope collide, Ada must decide whether she’s willing to step forward without the person who once defined her world.


Adrift is a heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and the slow, sacred work of healing. It’s about learning to trust God when the way is unclear—and believing that even in the aftermath of heartbreak, life still waits with open hands.

44 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 31, 2025

About the author

Amanda Williams is a forty-year old wife and mother of two who can still swing her pony tail and display just a tad of sass. She is also a Jesus loving girl who realizes she is nothing without the One who saved her. Amanda has two degrees specializing in serving students with special needs and is currently working in the field of Leadership Development. She is a Christian author and speaker and loves serving beside her husband at her local place of worship, First Baptist Church of Ocala.