You had encouraged her to play along with his flirting since the first office party, sure it would help you get ahead. She was disgusted but finally agreed to do it after a little pleading. Actually she had played her part a little too well. Did she really need to sit in his lap? That’s what you get for being a pig, she had retorted. 

But it had worked. The boss kept you close, promoted you. Unfortunately, he also mocked you openly in front of coworkers for having such a ‘loose wife’ and told others about her. “Go ahead and show Richards a picture of that slutty piece of ass you’ve got” he’d say, forcing you to show off photos of your wife to clients. He insisted you show ‘a sexy one.’ “Wouldn’t you like to blast a baby in that?” he’d then remark crudely, “You never know, bitch was in my lap after two drinks last party. You’re invited to the Halloween party of course.” Everyone always laughed at that. It was a good-natured joke, right? But it felt a little too real

So when he handed you this ‘costume’ and guffawed and made you turn around to “show the boys what I got that wife of yours for the party,” you felt an obligation to play along. People tittered awkwardly and some rude jokes were made at your expense, causing more genuine merriment. “Bring it to her and say it’s from her old admirer, hawhaw. Can’t wait to see her in it. We’ll see a lot of her, in fact, haw haw!”

You just wanted to throw it away. Surely he wasn’t serious? And yet, maybe your position hinged on your hot wife? You decided on a half measure: show it to your wife and treat it all as a joke. See what she said. Surely she’d refuse it out of hand and you could tell it as a funny story to the boss…