The Day I Realized There Was No Santa

We were in her car just the two of us. I had to ask. She would know. And she never lied. It was really a big deal with her. I wasn’t sure I wanted to ask or if I really even wanted to know. The day was coming soon though and everyone at school was talking about it. As I tried to come up with the right words to ask, I had an idea.
“Adam says that Santa isn’t real.”
“Oh. Really?”
She didn’t say anything else for a long time.
I knew something was weird. This is what she did when she didn’t want to tell me something but would if I pushed it enough. She was waiting for me.
“Auntie, is Santa real?”
“What do you think, hon? Do you think Santa is real?” she said.
“I think Santa’s not real,” I said.
She waited again.
“Ok. Well, then I guess you if you are old to figure it then I will tell you. Santa isn-“
It was too much! I just wasn’t ready! What did I even open my mouth?
“YES HE IS!”
Again, silence.
“OK, sweetie. You are right. Santa is real.”
It may not have been first time I realized there was no Santa but it definitely finalized it for me.
I should have kept my big mouth shut!