His Way_ The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra - Kitty Kelley [260]
Frank had flown to New York City, where he was seen having dinner with a former girlfriend, Nancy Gunderson. When he returned to the West Coast, he saw the Los Angeles Times item and called Barbara for dinner, resuming their relationship. But she did not accompany him on his next trip to New York City, where Frank was to sing with Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie at the Uris Theater, so he escorted Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who showed up for his opening night with Jilly Rizzo. Backstage later with the Peter Duchins, Jackie was starry-eyed. “I wish it were all starting again,” she said breathlessly.
Jackie’s feelings toward Frank had changed dramatically since the days when she was married to John F. Kennedy and wouldn’t let Sinatra into the White House. The thaw had occurred during her marriage to Aristotle Onassis, when Frank invited the couple to attend his concert in Providence, Rhode Island. Jackie flew up with the Sinatra party and met Ari later at July’s for Chinese food. Shortly after Onassis’s death, Jackie was lunching with attorney Edward Bennett Williams at the “21” club. Frank was there as well and wanted to extend his condolences, but hesitated to approach the table without their permission. He sent a waiter over with a note, asking if he might stop by when they finished eating.
No sooner had the pictures of Jackie and Frank taken at the Uris Theater hit the press than Barbara decided to fly to New York to join him, vowing never to leave his side. She accompanied him on his European concert tour in January 1976, and in Israel she wrote a wish on a piece of paper and although she’s not Jewish, stuck it between the ancient stones of the Wailing Wall, begging God for a marriage proposal. By May 18, her prayers were answered with a seven teen-carat diamond engagement ring that cost Frank $360,000.
“Barbara is wearing a diamond engagement ring as big as Hoboken, New Jersey,” wrote syndicated columnist Suzy, who broke the news.
“Yes, it’s true,” snapped Frank, “but it’s nobody’s goddamned business.”
Unable to face his mother with her future daughter-in-law, Frank sent Mickey Rudin to break the news. Dolly reviled him, calling the lawyer a son of a bitch who was robbing her son blind.
“Oh, don’t say those things, you hurt my feelings,” said Rudin, trying to placate Dolly.
A few hours later, Frank went over to his mother’s home, but before he could say hello, according to Celia Pickell, she started yelling at him.
“You fucking no good bastard, you were going to get married and not even tell me, weren’t you?” she hollered.
“You know I can’t tell you because you always give me hell, Mama,” said Frank, looking like a frightened little boy.
“Then Barbara tried to be nice again, and she and Frank went out and bought some dresses for Dolly so she could pick one to wear to the wedding,” recalled Celia Pickell. “Barbara brought them over, but Dolly wouldn’t speak to her. She said she was going to keep all the dresses because that would mean less money to be spent on Barbara. She kept saying, ‘I don’t want no whore coming into this family,’ but we’d tell her how nice Barbara was, and she finally gave in and resigned herself to the marriage, but she didn’t like it one bit.”
Everyone else wished Frank and Barbara well, including some of their former spouses.
“She’ll make him a wonderful wife and hostess,” said Zeppo Marx. “She plays golf well and tennis well. She’s an all-around good girl. He’ll never find anyone better, that’s for sure.”
Ava Gardner, who had relied on Frank for years, said, “I’m glad he has found happiness with Barbara. Even though we were divorced long ago, I’ve always counted on Frank to advise me in business affairs. He’s always been so generous with his time and interest. I’m sure his new wife won’t object if I continue to call on him in the future.”
To throw off the press, Frank announced that he