Larry pulled a face "Not now Bono.. you know I don't read the rubbish in those tabloids, why would I be interested in anything in it"

"Why don't you take a look for yourself and see" Bono insisted and handed Larry the newspaper

Larry noticed the way Bono was looking expectantly at him, so just to keep him happy he took the paper of him and looked at it, thinking it was some rubbish about the band.. but his eyes caught the bold black headline's that made his heart leap in his chest

"LUTRA SPLIT" below it was a large picture of Sandra and Greg, it was of them together but the newspaper had cleverly made it seem the picture was torn down the middle separating them. below it read "Confirmation that Sandra McCormick the keyboard player in Lutra has decided to leave the band.. rumours are rife that it has to do with her troubled relationship with singer front man Greg, who has been caught more than a few times by the press cheating on her, it seems she has had enough of his wild boy behaviour and finished with him.

As he watched Larry reading the paper Bono couldn't help smiling "Told you it would be interesting to you"

Larry looked up up at him "Yeah he admitted "D'ya think its true though.. you know what these papers are like.."

"Well they wouldn't make the statement that it was confirmed she had left the band if it wasn't true they could get their arse sued for that" Bono reasoned

"I guess so" Larry admitted "Poor Sandra she really loved being part of Lutra.. it must have been a hard desicion for her to leave.. and no doubt it's all that bloody Greg's fault as usual" he scowled in annoyance.

"Why don't you give her a call on the phone and find out how things are" Bono suggested

"Oh I don't know" Larry frowned "Not sure she would want to talk with me, I wasn't exactly very sympathetic with her in our last conversation, and I haven't spoken to her since"

"Well things have changed now.. she might want be glad to hear from you " Bono replied "Go on give her a call.. it won't hurt.. you know you want to"

Larry grinned "Ok maybe I will, but if she tells me to go to hell.. you will suffer the consequences" he warned.

Much to Larry's frustration when he tried to ring Sandra's number he always got the not available message.. after the fourth try the following day, Bono and Edge give him Mike's number to try.. he was relieved when he heard Mike answer his phone.

"Hey Mike its Larry here" Larry said hoping he didnt sound to over-anxious.

"Hey Larry hows it going?" Mike asked cheerfully

"Oh everything is fine...look I am just phoning you up to ask about Sandra.. I have been reading the papers, heard that she has left the band.. was just wondering how she was.. I tried calling her but she doesn't seem to be answering her phone" he explained.

"Ah yes" Mike replied soberly "Well she is holding up ok.. she isn't answering her phone.. with all this media attention now on her.. she has gone away to try and sort herself out.. she said she needed time on her own to straighten out her head and her future so is not talking with anyone"

"I see" Larry replied, and although he understood he could not help feeling a little disappointed that he would not be able to talk to her personally "So is it really all over with her and Greg?" Larry found himself asking.

"Yeah it is" Mike replied "Look she keeps in contact with me.. do you want me to tell her you were asking about her?" he then asked.

"Would you" Larry's heart lifted a little "That would be great"

"Yeah sure" Mike replied "She could use all the friends she can get right now"

"Thanks" Larry replied gratefully

*********************************************

It wasn't till the following day that Sandra phoned Mike from her hide-a-way villa in Spain where she had isolated herself this past week. Greg had been particulalry vindictive leaving messages on her phone telling her she was a bitch and he hoped she would rot in hell, so she had long changed her phone number to stop that, now he was badmouthing her in the tabloids.

She couldnt take anymore and knew she had to get out of the country till all the media frenzy died down.. and Greg finally understood she was not coming back to him. The only ones she felt she could trust completely was Mike and Kim and it was only Mike she shared her new phone number with making him promise he would give it to no one else.

The night before had been the first time she had slept well in a while and actually woke up feeling refreshed, after she had showered and dressed she had phoned Mike, to let him know she was hopefully starting to get her act together, and she was feeling a lot better.

"Thats great to hear Sandra" Mike replied "Just give it a few weeks and things will die down.. they will fine some one else to pick on for headline news"

"I hope so" Sandra replied "And I hope Greg leaves me alone too"

"Leave him to me" Mike replied "Oh by the way I got a call yesterday asking about you.. guess who from?"

"Who?" Sandra asked no one in particular coming to mind

"Larry Mullen" Mike informed her. Sandra felt her heart beat that little bit faster at the mention of Larry's name

"He did?.. imagine that" she hoped she sounded calmer than she felt

Mike laughed "Well I am not overly surprised he seemed quite taken with you when we were on that tour.. wouldn't be surprised if he fancied the pants of you"

"Don't talk daft" Sandra replied with a small scornful laugh

"Well he told me to let you know he was asking after you and he hopes you are ok, he heard about what happened in the newspapers" Mike explained "Which I think was pretty nice of him"

"Yeah I guess so" Sandra replied

"Yeah said he tried to get in touch with you himself.. I explained why that wasn't possible" Mike informed her

"I see" Sandra said with a small frown her mind working a mile a minute trying to figure out why Larry would want to call her..was it because he could say I told you so.. or because he felt sorry for her.. she was glad he hadn't been able to get through to her.. she wasn't up to talking to him of all people just yet, the memory of their last encouter was still clearly etched in her mind, he thought she was pathetic.. and now she realised he had been right, it was a bitter pill she had to swallow, but she knew one thing.. she was not going to depend on any man for her future happiness. there was only one person she was going to rely on and that was herself.